Jim Baxter is in his seventh season as assistant women’s basketball coach at Monmouth University. Baxter’s main coaching responsibilities include recruiting, scouting and on-floor coaching. Prior to arriving at Monmouth, Baxter was the head coach of the ABA’s Memphis Houn’ Dawgs, during the 2000-01 season.
Before his stay in Memphis, Baxter spent two seasons at Florida A&M University as an assistant men’s coach. In his first year with the Rattlers, he helped guide the team to the league tournament title and the NCAA Tournament, after an 0-10 start.
Baxter spent one year at Tallahassee Community College as an associate head coach prior to moving to FAMU. The Indiana-native also spent a season in the ACC, as he logged time on the bench with Florida State University the year the Seminoles collected the NIT runner-up trophy.
Prior to moving on to the collegiate ranks, Baxter spent seven years with St. Thomas Aquinas H.S. in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. As the head coach of the boy’s squad, Baxter led the team to three state quarterfinal finishes and five district titles. In addition, he also headed Team Florida AAU (1988-90), guiding it to two AAU National tournament finals.
Baxter’s longest tenure was his 12-year stint as Palatka (Fla.) High School’s head boy’s hoops coach.
Baxter started his coaching career while still an undergraduate student at Indiana State University, as a volunteer coach for his high school basketball team. After his four years as a volunteer coach and undergraduate at Sycamore, Baxter enrolled in graduate school and began his full-time coaching position as the assistant coach at the ISU Development High School.
Baxter brings a strong defensive mind set to the Hawks. His philosophy is, “Defense first, strong fundamentals, solid work ethic, then everything else falls into place.”
