Longwood alum Jessica Pham returns to alma mater as assistant coach

Jessica Pham has joined the Longwood women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach, head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery announced Friday.

Pham, a Longwood alum whose basketball career began in Farmville, comes back to Longwood after stops at Wake Forest, Liberty and Canisius. Her resume sports trips to both the NCAA Tournament and Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

“Jess’s skill set and personality were the perfect blend of the Right STUPH!” said Lang-Montgomery. “I’m thankful the timing was right for her to return to Longwood. She is well versed in many aspects of the daily operations of an elite women’s basketball program. She has spent many hours providing a positive student-athlete experience to the different programs she has served.

“She has a relentless work ethic and is a great relationship builder. Most importantly, she is a Lancer through and through.”

Her most recent stop at Wake Forest saw her serve as the director of recruiting and video coordinator this past season after starting with the Deamon Deacons as the assistant director of basketball operations and video coordinator.

In her first season on staff, the team advanced to the NCAA National Tournament for the second time in school history. This year, the team advanced to the second round of the WNIT, marking back-to-back appearances in the postseason. Now, she heads to a Longwood side that is coming off of the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament.

“It is an honor to be able to come home to my alma mater and become an assistant coach,” said Pham. “I was able to fall in love with this game and this profession here, and I am excited to return and give to Longwood University as much as it has given to me. I can’t thank Coach E enough for this opportunity she has blessed me with.”

Pham’s career started at Longwood when she was the director of basketball operations from 2015-17, and she moved to Canisius for one season to serve in the same role.

Following her time at Canisius, Pham went to Liberty, where she earned a master’s, to serve as a graduate assistant. Both seasons, the Flames advanced to the Atlantic Sun Championship game.

Pham holds her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Longwood while her master’s degree is in sports management. In addition, she earned a second master’s degree in sports administration from Canisius, and she is pursuing a third master’s degree from Liberty in psychology.