Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball coach Jason Burton welcomes veteran coach Gerald Ewing to Commerce as an assistant coach.
Ewing, an A&M-Commerce alum, brings over 25 plus years of coaching experience with his most recent stop being as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UT-Arlington, before making his way east to Commerce.
Before his time at UTA Ewing had a six-year stint as the head coach at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, TX. During that time the Lady Cards advanced to the NJCAA National Championship game three times and the semifinals two additional times during his six seasons as the head coach.
“We are excited to bring in a veteran coach of Gerald’s caliber to our staff. He is someone I’ve known for years, who has always had played a similar style of play as A&M-Commerce has always won at a high level,” said Burton.
“He is well respected in this business by his peers and well loved by his former players. His wealth of knowledge and his network will be huge assets to our program in helping us maintain what has already been built here as we transition to Division I. More than that, he is a man of character and someone who will represent this university with class and positively impact our student-athletes”.
During the 2020-21 COVID season at UTA the team finished 13-7 with Ewing working with the guard position and also as the program’s recruiting and defensive coordinator.
“I want to thank Jason Burton for giving me the opportunity to work here at Texas A&M Commerce,” said Ewing. “I am extremely excited to be a part of this staff and program as we go thru the transition from NCAA DII to DI.”
“I have had the pleasure of watching Coach Burton and his staff create a winning culture here and ready to be a part of something special. The administration, campus support and students are amazing here and I know personally that’s what it takes and needed to recruit, compete and be successful on and off the court.”
Ewing was in Athens for eight years, serving as the assistant coach for Trinity Valley Community College for two years and the head coach for his final six seasons. The Lady Cards posted a record of 168-26, including a record of 124-20 in his final four seasons. Trinity Valley played 21 NJCAA Tournament games with Ewing at the helm of the program and went 16-5 in those games, winning two regional titles and five conference titles.
As an assistant coach at Trinity Valley under Hall of Fame Coach Elena Lovato, the Lady Cards went 72-1 and won back-to-back National Championships in 2013-2014. Several players that he coached in Athens went on to play at the power-five level including standout Adut Bulgak, who was the NJCAA National Player of the Year, attended Florida State and was a first-round pick in the (WNBA) draft.
Other notable players that he mentored at Trinity Valley are Krystle Henderson (University of Texas), Shannon Smith (University of Michigan), Shlonte’ Allen (Texas A&M University), Christalah Lyons (Kansas University), Shakeela Fowler (University of Dayton), Mercedes Brooks (LSU), Michal Miller (Wright State University) as well as NJCAA All-Americans Jazmine Spears (Mississippi State University), Maya Singleton (St. John’s University), Naomi Davenport (West Virginia University), Curtessia Dean (Seton Hall University).
Ewing’s coaching awards include being named District L Coach of the Year in 2015, Region 14 Coach of the Year in 2016, District F Coach of the Year in 2017, TABC Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2019 and the 2018 WBCA Regional Coach of the Year.
Before his time in Athens, he was an assistant coach at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS for four seasons. Johnson County won more games in that four-year span than any other period in school history. He coached and mentored 10 NJCAA All-Americans, while winning four regional titles, three district titles, and finished in the top 10 in NJCAA three times. He was also the academic liaison with JCCC women’s basketball program finishing top ten in the country three times during his time there as well.
Ewing went to JCCC after spending thirteen seasons at George Washington High School in Chicago, IL. He compiled a 120-60 record in his six seasons as head coach, all resulting in playoff appearances and a city championship in 2007.
He was named the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District 3 Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2008. He also was bestowed the 2007 Illinois Times Newspaper Coach of the Year and named the Chicago Public Schools Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2004, 2007 and 2008.
As an assistant coach at George Washington High School, Ewing was the top assistant for Chicago Public School Hall of Fame coach Willie Byrd for seven seasons and helped lead them to a 33-5 record, a city championship and a second-place finish in the state in 2000.
Ewing also was successful helping his players advance to the next level with 95% of the athletes he coached going on to play collegiate basketball. NCAA Division I standout player Angelina Williams (University of Illinois, WNBA Champion Detroit Shock) and Leslie Hill (University of Minnesota) were some of the players that he mentored during their tenure at GWHS.
Ewing graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from A&M Commerce.
A native of Chicago, Ewing’s immediate family still resides in the Windy City.
