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Head Coach
21 seasons
407-214
 After
20 seasons at the helm of the men's basketball program at Alabama
A&M University, Vann Pettaway moved past the 400-win plateau in
2006-07 and continues to build a coaching slate that is envied by
many of his peers. In 2005, Pettaway's team brought new successes to
this storied program as the Bulldogs won their first SWAC title,
both regular-season and tournament, and earned a berth into the NCAA
Division I National Tournament. The 2006-07 proved to be a
rebuilding year as the Bulldogs posted a 10-20 overall record with
nine freshman on its 15-man roster. The expectations are renewed for
the 2007-08 campaign as the Bulldogs will have one of the most
experienced teams in the SWAC.
With an impressive 407-214 career record, Pettaway has guided the
Alabama A&M Bulldogs to eight NCAA Division II playoff appearances,
seven Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) titles,
and six SIAC Tournament crowns. Under Pettaway the Bulldogs have
averaged more than 20 wins a season, and have had eight seasons
where they have recorded 20 or more victories. While a member of the
NCAA Division II, his teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Elite
Eight four times, including an unprecedented three straight
appearances (1994, 1995, & 1996).
After posting a 23-7 record in his first season as head coach,
Pettaway led the Bulldogs to a 29-3 record during the 1987-88 season
- the best in AAMU history. In that same year, the Bulldogs advanced
to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the fourth straight year. With
a 26-6 record the following season, Pettaway went on to finish the
year third in the South Atlantic Regional Tournament.
During Pettaway's first 11 years as head coach, Alabama A&M competed
at the NCAA Division II level in the Southern Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference. In that time, he experienced 10 winning seasons
and advanced to the regional tournament seven times (1988, 1989,
1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, & 1997).
 Not
content to simply rest on the laurels of his previous success, in
1998-99 Pettaway accepted the challenge head on when the Bulldogs
began the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I as a part
of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Suffering his first losing
season as a head coach when his team posted a 10-17 record their
first year of SWAC play, Pettaway went on to lead his charges to
records of 18-10, 17-11 and 19-10 each of the next three years.
Injuries during the 2002-03 season set the program back and gave
Pettaway his second losing season with an 8-19 finish, but with a
strong returning cast of characters, a move up the SWAC standings is
on the horizon this season.
After missing the SWAC tournament the first three seasons in the
league while serving a mandatory probationary period for moving to
the Division I level, the Bulldogs were finally eligible to make a
run at the SWAC tournament title and a birth in the NCAA tournament
in 2001-02. After posting a shaky 4-6 record in the first 10 games
of the season, Pettaway's Bulldogs responded, winning 14 of their
final 17 regular season games, securing a #2 seed in the 2002 SWAC
tournament. Pettaway led the Bulldogs to a top three finish in the
SWAC in three straight seasons prior to last year.
In 2005, Pettaway coached the Bulldogs to Alabama A&M history as
they captured their first conference basketball title on the
Division I level. He also captured the SWAC tournament title and
made an appearance in the 2005 NCAA Division I Tournament.
Over the past 21 years, Pettaway has dominated his opponents at
Alabama A&M's T. M. Elmore Gymnasium, amassing an overall record of
247-45 in its cozy confines. During that same span, he has posted a
record of 113-67 against members of the SWAC.
In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Pettaway also served
as athletics director for Alabama A&M from 1989-1992. During his
tenure as director, the Alabama A&M athletic department experienced
some of its most successful years, winning a number of conference
championships and also securing national titles in women's track and
field.
 While
he is extremely proud of the athletic accomplishments, his teams
have realized that Coach Pettaway is a firm believer that
student-athletes are students first. Over the last decade, members
of his teams have enjoyed a near-perfect graduation rate. With the
national matriculation rates for college and university athletes
only in the 40 percent range, the true significance of this
accomplishment becomes even more apparent.
A native of Selma, Ala., Pettaway graduated from Dallas County High
School. He continued his education at Selma University, where he had
two outstanding seasons under legendary basketball coach John "Skin"
Lewis, and he lettered in baseball. Pettaway completed his
bachelor's degree in health and physical education at Alabama A&M in
1980, and went on to earn his master's degree in secondary
administration in 1991, also from Alabama A&M.
Coach Pettaway has been recognized for his outstanding
accomplishments frequently throughout his career. He was named
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year five
times: 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, & 1996. He was also recognized as an
Outstanding Young Man of America in 1981, 1984 and 1987.
He is an active member of the National Association of Basketball
Coaches (NABC), serving as an NABC Congressman. Pettaway is also
extremely involved in his community, serving as a member of the
Huntsville chapter of the 100 Black Men of America.
Pettaway and his wife Glenn are the proud parents of two daughters,
Porsha and Paige.
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|
season |
overall |
home |
season notes |
| |
|
|
|
|
1986-87 |
23-7 |
14-1 |
SIAC
Conference Title |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
SIAC
Tournament Title |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
Division II Tournament Appearance |
| |
|
|
|
|
1987-88 |
29-3 |
17-1 |
NCAA
Elite Eight |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
SIAC
Conference Title |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
SIAC
Tournament Title |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
Division II Great Lakes Region Champion |
| |
|
|
|
|
1988-89 |
26-6 |
17-0 |
NCAA
Regional |
| |
|
|
SIAC
Tournament Champion |
| |
|
|
|
|
1989-90 |
18-9 |
11-2 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
1990-91 |
16-14 |
10-4 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
1991-92 |
15-15 |
13-2 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
1992-93 |
28-3 |
15-0 |
NCAA
Regional |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
SIAC
Tournament Champion |
| |
|
|
|
|
1993-94 |
27-5 |
14-1 |
NCAA
Elite Eight |
| |
|
|
|
|
1994-95 |
29-3 |
15-1 |
NCAA
Elite Eight |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
Division II South Region Champion |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
SIAC
Tournament Champion |
| |
|
|
|
|
1995-96 |
28-3 |
14-0 |
NCAA
Elite Eight |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
Division II South Region Champion |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
SIAC
Tournament Champion |
| |
|
|
|
|
1996-97 |
24-6 |
14-1 |
NCAA
Regional |
| |
|
|
|
|
1997-98 |
18-9 |
11-2 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
SIAC Totals |
281-83 |
165-15 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
1998-99 |
10-17 |
7-4 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
1999-00 |
18-10 |
11-2 |
2nd
in SWAC |
| |
|
|
|
|
2000-01 |
17-11 |
11-2 |
3rd
in SWAC |
| |
|
|
|
|
2001-02 |
19-10 |
12-2 |
First
SWAC Tournament Appearance |
| |
|
|
|
|
2002-03 |
8-19 |
6-6 |
SWAC
Semi-Finals |
| |
|
|
|
|
2003-04 |
13-17 |
8-3 |
SWAC
Championship Game |
| |
|
|
|
|
2004-05 |
18-14 |
9-3 |
SWAC
Regular Season Champion |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
SWAC
Tournament Champion |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
NCAA
Division I Tournament Appearance |
| |
|
|
|
|
2005-06 |
13-13 |
1 |
2nd
in SWAC |
| |
|
|
|
|
2006-07 |
10-20 |
1 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
SWAC Totals |
126-131 |
|
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
21 Year Total |
407-214 |
|
1 |
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