JCSU Gets New Head Coaches In Antwain Banks, Vanessa Taylor, And Malik Brown
Antwain Banks to guide JCSU Men’s Basketball
Antwain Banks has been officially appointed as the permanent head coach for Johnson C. Smith University Men’s Basketball program. He took over as interim coach in May 2024. Coach Banks has guided Johnson C. Smith men’s basketball program to a 15-13 overall record this season, including an 8-8 mark in league play. This year, Coach Banks guided the Golden Bulls to its first CIAA Tournament win since the 2020 season.
Coach Antwain Banks, becomes the 14th head coach in program history, officially taking over the helm of the most storied team in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball history. JCSU men’s basketball has won three CIAA Tournament titles beginning with its first win in 2001, and its back-to-back titles in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
Taylor returns to Johnson C. Smith as Head Women’s Basketball Coach
After a national search, Johnson C. Smith University welcomes back Vanessa Taylor as the head women’s basketball coach. Coach Taylor’s official first day was May 12, 2025. This is Coach Taylor’s second stint as the head coach, of JCSU women’s basketball. With almost 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, 23 of which were as a head coach, Taylor’s experience speaks for itself.
Most recently, Coach Taylor served as the assistant coach at Lander University. Prior to her stop in Lander, Coach Taylor served two years as the women’s basketball assistant coach at Queens University of Charlotte. Before her time at Queens, she spent five years at Coastal Carolina University as the Chanticleers’ associate head women’s basketball coach.
Before her time at Queens University, Coach Taylor joined the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in May of 2017 as an assistant coach. Shortly after, Coach Taylor was promoted to associate head coach heading into the 2018-19 season. In her five seasons with the Coastal Carolina women’s basketball team, she helped build the program into a Sun Belt Conference contender, leading the Chanticleers to a pair of historic seasons.
Before joining Coastal Carolina’s staff, Taylor served as the head women’s basketball coach at North Carolina Central University from 2012 to 2017. In addition, Coach Taylor also served as the head coach at Johnson C. Smith from 2001 to 2012, and at Elizabeth City State University from 1994 to 2001. She accumulated 331 wins as a head coach, with her 215-112 record and the Golden Bulls standing out as one the top women’s program in the conference.
Under Coach Taylor’s leadership, the Golden Bulls made five NCAA DII Women’s Basketball Championship appearances (2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012). During the 2010-11 season, Coach Taylor led the program to a 26-5 overall record, the best in school history! She was also voted the CIAA Coach of the Year. Prior to, Coach Taylor captured the CIAA Tournament Championship in 2009 and the CIAA Western Division Championship in 2006.
While at ECSU, Coach Taylor led the Lady Vikings to the CIAA East Division Championship with a 22-5 overall record, and as a result, she was selected as the CIAA Coach of the Year at ECSU in 1997–1998 and again in 1999–2000.
Malik Brown named Interim Strength and Conditioning Coach
Coach Brown hails from Charlotte, NC.
Coach Brown combines firsthand athletic experience with deep academic knowledge as former college football student-athlete and current master’s student in Human Performance at Liberty University. Coach Brown has a strong track record developing athletes at every level—from youth to elite and professional.
Passionate about exercise physiology and human performance, Coach Brown brings a science-backed, purpose-driven approach to every training session. As the oldest of his siblings, Coach Brown values family, faith, and leadership both in and out of the facility.