Hayden Sowers named new South Plains College men's basketball head coach

LEVELLAND — For the first time in more than two decades, the South Plains College men's basketball program will have a new leader roaming the hardwood at the Texan Dome as Hayden Sowers has been tabbed the new head coach of the Texan basketball program.

"Every young coach has a dream to one day be a head coach, and I've been preparing for this moment since I was a graduate assistant at Ole Miss," Sowers said. "It's a great honor to get an opportunity to be the head coach at one of the top junior colleges in the country. South Plains College is an elite place with elite people, and we're going to try to be an extension of that with the men's basketball program."

Sowers served as an assistant coach for the Texans during the 2021-2022 season, guiding SPC to the Region V title and a Sweet 16 appearance at the NJCAA Men's Basketball National Tournament. Sowers was instrumental in the development of Texan sharpshooter Kieves Turner, who was named an NJCAA Second-Team All-American last season, leading the Texans in scoring with 18.3 points per game.  

"We are going to pour constant amounts of time, energy, and effort into these young men who choose to be a part of our program," Sowers said. "It all starts with recruiting and spending time getting to know our guys as people and players. We're going to play fast, aggressive, smart, and unselfish. One thing I'm really proud of is when the news broke that coach Green was going to Texas Tech, we had no deflections from any of our current guys or any of the guys we have signed, and that meant a lot to me and our staff."

Prior to his arrival in Levelland, Sowers spent the previous four years as an assistant coach at Pearl River Community College. During his tenure, the Wildcats amassed an overall record of 90-11 from 2018-2021. During the 2020 season, the Wildcats earned the No. 1 national seed to the NJCAA Men's Basketball National Tournament, which was eventually canceled due to Covid-19, with a perfect record of 28-0. 

"Coach Steve Green is the greatest men's junior college basketball coach of all time, and when you look at the program that he built and all the former players he coached, you have to use that to your advantage," Sowers said. "It makes it easier for current guys to see the success that players in the past have had, and utilize the South Plains College platform to advance their careers. The success this program has had in the past allows for current and future players to realize what is possible when you buy into something bigger than yourself."

During the 2019 season, Pearl River captured the program's first Region 23 crown, which they won again during the 2020 season. The Wildcats brought home the 2018, 2019, and 2021 MACCC State Championship, as Sowers recruited and coached four NJCAA All-Americans, and sent 22 players to four-year universities. 

"The administration at South Plains College is unbelievable, and it all starts with the Board of Regents, President Dr. Satterwhite, and Athletic Director Roger Reding," Sowers said. "You can't ask for more from an administration standpoint, and they want to win, they want to develop people, and they want to be involved in the community. "I can't ask for anything more from an administration standpoint, and it's an honor to be able to work alongside such great people."

Prior to his arrival at Pearl River, Sowers coached at Massanutten Military Academy for two seasons as an assistant coach, amassing a record of 56-11, sending 18 players to four-year universities. From 2013-2016, Sowers served at his alma mater as a graduate assistant for Andy Kennedy at Ole Miss University. Sowers received his bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Ole Miss in 2016 and graduated from William Carey University in 2020 with a graduate degree in Interscholastic Athletic Administration.