Troy University Athletics
Assistant Coach Anthony Sewell
1/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
After working in the high school ranks for six seasons, Anthony Sewell is beginning his third season as an assistant coach for the Trojans. His primary responsibilities are recruiting and film exchange, as well as on-the-floor coaching.
This is not Sewell's first stint with the Trojans. Sewell was a student assistant for head coach Don Maestri from 1987 to 1991. During that time, the Trojans advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1988 and won the Gulf South Conference title in 1991.
His first season with the Trojans was a solid success, with Troy winning both the A-Sun regular-season and tournament titles on its way to a 26-6 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He then helped guide Troy to a 24-7 record in his second year, including an impressive 18-2 record in A-Sun play.
Sewell received his degree in Criminal Justice from Troy in the summer of 1991 and became the assistant basketball coach at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss.
Following two successful seasons, Sewell became the head boy's basketball coach at nearby Luverne High School in August 1995. He took the basketball team to new heights in his three seasons, leading the Tigers to their first-ever ranking, finishing the 1997 season ranked second in Class 2A.
He guided the Tigers to the Southeast Regional in Troy all three seasons. In 1997 and 1998, Sewell guided Luverne to back-to-back Class 2A Area 4 championships. It was also in 1997 that the Tigers won 18 straight games, earning Sewell SEAC "Coach of the Year" honors.
As an assistant football coach, Sewell helped lead the Tigers to the 1998 Class 2A state championship.
He then moved back to his hometown, Selma, Ala., as head boy's basketball coach at Southside (Selma) High School. He also worked as the school's athletics director. In his three seasons as head coach, Sewell led Southside to three Class 5A Area 7 titles, winning 20 games each season.
Southside advanced to the regionals twice, finished ranked second in the state in 1999 and third in 2001. He left the high school ranks with a 119-41 record in his six years as a head coach.
During his time as Southside, Sewell sent four players to the Division I ranks, the last being Chuck Davis, who went to the University of Alabama.
Sewell is the son of A.A. and Nancy Sewell, also of Selma. His father was a legendary coach at Selma High School, guiding the Saints from 1970 until 1989. During that time, his father took Selma to the state semifinals four times, placing second twice and third twice.
His mother was the first black woman on the Selma City Council, where sherecently retired.
Sewell is not the only son to follow in the footsteps of his father. His twin brother, Andrew, served as the head boy's basketball coach at nearby Daleville High School. He is currently assistant principal at Homewood High School in Birmingham.
Their sister, Terri, graduated magna cum laude from Princeton with her bachelor's degree and then magna cum laude from Oxford University with her master's. She also graduated from law school at Harvard, finishing in the top 10 in her class. She is currently a partner at Maynard, Cooper and Gayle in Birmingham.
Anthony Sewell is a member of Omega Psi Phi, Inc. Fraternity. He recently married the former Michelle Patterson of Decatur, Ala.
