Photograph: Justin Payne (Nichols State University)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Contributing Writer
Justin Payne spent the last four years coaching outside the borders of Louisiana, but on Tuesday afternoon he arrived back inside the state and felt it difficult to conceal his smile.
Payne, who graduated from Opelousas High, was introduced during a Tuesday afternoon press conference as the new head women’s basketball coach at Nicholls State University.
“I feel that this is really a big deal for me and my family, being back home. I’m ready to do something special (at Nicholls). It’s going to be quick and we are going to be coming. We spent four years outside the state and for us, that time seemed like an eternity,” Payne said.
The atmosphere for Payne was familiar, since he spent four years as a starter on the NSU men’s basketball team and later coached the NSU women’s team as an assistant for 10 seasons under Colonels’ head coach DoBee Plaisance.
Plaisance announced her retirement in March, following 15 seasons as the NSU head women’s basketball coach.
During the last two years at Division II Georgia Southwestern, Payne’s women’s teams featured a pair of 20-win seasons. This past season Georgia Southwestern reached the Elite Eight during the postseason.
On Tuesday Payne indicated that he plans to implement the same formula at Nicholls that made him successful in Georgia.
At Opelousas High and at Nicholls, Payne played point guard. That position Payne pointed out on Tuesday, will be essential in redesigning the Colonels’ women’s basketball program.
“I put a lot of pressure on my point guards. The point guard is the position where you don’t mind doing the dirty work. I didn’t fall in love with scoring when I played point guard. It was always about us winning,” Payne added.
Payne said that during his recruitment process, he will be searching for players that are more athletic. The women in the program Payne said, will also expected to be visible inside the Thibodaux-area community.
Nicholls Athletic Director Jonathan Terrell said Payne should have no problem readjusting to working at a school where Payne left his mark as a player and coach.
“(Payne) and his family love and embrace the community and he has proven himself after the success that he has had as a coach both here and at Southwest Georgia, we excited and elated for him and his family to come back home,” Terrell said in a March 31 press release announcing the hiring of Payne.
