Kennesaw State University Athletics

After just three seasons at Kennesaw State, Antoine Pettway has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in program history. Since being named the eighth head coach in KSU men's basketball history on April 8, 2023, Pettway has guided the Owls to three of the four highest win totals in the Division I era while leading the program to unprecedented success on the court.

The 2025-26 season showcased Pettway's ability to navigate adversity and deliver results. Despite losing two starters midway through conference play, the Owls closed the year with a 7-2 record over their final nine games and authored one of the most remarkable postseason runs in the country. Kennesaw State became the only team in the nation to defeat three top-four seeds in its conference tournament, knocking off No. 3 seed Western Kentucky, No. 2 seed Sam Houston and No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech to capture the program's first Conference USA Tournament championship in just its second season in the league.

The championship secured KSU's second NCAA Tournament appearance in four years. As a No. 14 seed, the Owls battled No. 3 seed Gonzaga throughout the NCAA First Round before falling 75-66 in Portland. Kennesaw State finished the season 21-14, matching the second-highest win total in program history, while Pettway became the first coach in school history to earn Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year honors, presented annually to the nation's top minority Division I head coach.

Pettway also became the fastest coach in Kennesaw State's Division I era to reach 50 career victories, accomplishing the feat in just 91 games. Through three seasons, he owns a 55-44 record and a .556 winning percentage, both the highest marks by a Division I head coach in program history. His 26 conference victories are the most by any KSU coach, and under his leadership the Owls have posted back-to-back double-digit conference-win seasons for the first time ever.

In his second season with the Black and Gold, Pettway guided the 2024-25 Owls to numerous program firsts, including the first-ever win over a ranked opponent (79-77 over No. 24 Rutgers on Nov. 24), as well as the first-ever Quad victory with a road win at Liberty. Picked to finish in a tie for last in the team's first year in CUSA, Pettway guided KSU to a fourth-place finish at 10-8, and came up just short of an appearance in the CUSA championship game, falling to top-seed Liberty 81-79 in the tournament semifinals. KSU's 19-14 record in 2024-25 was the second-most wins ever in the D1 era.

Pettway's excellence on the recruiting trail was a huge factor in the team's success in 2024-25. After bringing in the top non-Power Four class in the nation (No. 32), the Owl freshman class would finish the season ranked in the top five in the nation for most points by a freshmen class, most points per game, and highest percentage of points. That was highlighted by the performance of Adrian Wooley, who became the first Owl to claim Freshman All-American honors, while he also claimed CUSA Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-CUSA accolades. Braedan Lue joined Wooley on the CUSA All-Freshman team as well.

He quickly made his impact on the program after arriving in 2023, as he envisioned turning the Owls into one of the fastest playing teams in the nation. After just one year at the helm of the Black and Gold, Pettway did exactly that, as KSU shattered almost every single Division I scoring record while ranking among the nation's leaders in several offensive categories. The Owls ranked sixth in the nation in fast break points (15.35 ppg) while playing at the fourth fastest pace in the nation (according to KenPom).

The Owls also finished their first year under Pettway with a 15-16 mark, with the 15 total season victories currently ranking as the fourth-highest ever in the program's Division I era.

KSU started out the 2023-24 season with a 4-1 record and a 9-3 mark after 12 games, both new record starts (D1 level). That run included wins over in-state rivals Georgia Southern and Georgia State, as well as an impressive overtime victory over UNC Asheville, a NCAA participant from the previous year. The Owls also began their last year in the Atlantic Sun with a 3-0 start, and claimed a season sweep over FGCU as one of the highlights of the year.
 
Pettway came to the Black and Gold after a stellar 15 years on the Alabama coaching staff, which culminated in the Crimson Tide spending several weeks as the nation’s No. 1 ranked team this past season. Known as one of the top recruiters in the nation, he brought in the third-ranked class in the nation in 2022 that included two five-star and two four-star recruits, highlighted by NBA Draft Top 3 pick and 2022-23 National Freshman of the Year Brandon Miller.
 
Alabama ranked in the top 20 in the nation in scoring in the final four years under Pettway as the team’s offensive coordinator. That included the 2022-23 season in which the team averaged 81.8 points per game, seventh-best in the nation. Over his final three years in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide posted four SEC championship titles and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and set the school record for single season wins with a 31-6 record in 2022-23. Alabama made five NCAA tournaments and six NIT appearances during his time in Tuscaloosa. 

Pettway has recruited and developed over 40 professional athletes. That included eight NBA players in his last four years at Alabama, highlighted by Collin Sexton, Kira Lewis, Herb Jones, Mark Sears, JD Davison and Noah Clowney.
 
Before joining the Alabama staff in the summer of 2008, he spent two years as an assistant coach at Jacksonville State, after one season as a graduate assistant coach at Alabama. Pettway served as assistant coach at Alabama from 2008-10, then spent three seasons as the team’s director of operations before moving back into an assistant coach role for the 2013-14 season.
 
A notable example of Pettway’s work ethic was his playing career at Alabama, as he joined the Crimson Tide as a walk-on with an academic scholarship before earning a scholarship for his sophomore season. Starting with that sophomore season, Alabama made the NCAA Tournament his final three seasons, including the Elite Eight in the 2003-04 season. Pettway was an integral part of that run in 2004, starting every game that season at point guard. After his collegiate playing career, he spent the next year playing for the NBA Development League (Huntsville Flight) and the World Basketball Association (Kentucky Reach), where he was named the WBA Rookie of the Year.
 
THE PETTWAY FILE

HEAD COACH CAREER 
2023-24 Kennesaw State 15-16
2024-25 Kennesaw State 19-14
2025-26 Kennesaw State 21-14 (CUSA Tournament Champions / NCAA First Round)
Total 55-44 (.556)

ASSISTANT COACH CAREER
2006-07 Jax State 9-21
2007-08 Jax State 7-22
2008-09 Alabama 17-16
2009-10 Alabama 18-14
2010-11 Alabama 17-16
2011-12 Alabama *25-12
2012-13 Alabama 23-13
2013-14 Alabama 13-19
2014-15 Alabama 19-15
2015-16 Alabama 18-15
2016-17 Alabama 19-15
2017-18 Alabama *20-16
2018-19 Alabama 18-16
2019-20 Alabama 16-15
2020-21 Alabama 26-7
2021-22 Alabama 19-14
2022-23 Alabama *31-6
Total 315-252
* - NCAA Tournament Appearance

PERSONAL
Hometown: Camden, Ala.
Family: Wife: Kim, Son: Kingston, Daughters: Jana Rae, Summer
Alma Mater: Alabama ’04 
(Bachelor’s Degree in Business – ‘04/Master’s in Sport Management ‘06).
 
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2008-23: Alabama (Assistant Coach/Director of Operations)
2006-08: Jacksonville State (Assistant Coach)
2005-06: Alabama (Graduate Assistant Coach)
 
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
2000-04: Alabama (2002 SEC Champs, 2004 Team Captain, 2004 Elite Eight)
2004-05: NBA Developmental League (Huntsville Flight)
2004-05: World Basketball Association (Kentucky Reach – WBA Rookie of the Year)

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT COACH PETTWAY

"This is an outstanding hire by Kennesaw State. Antoine Pettway is the total package. His character, work ethic and dedication are among the best I've been around. He is a tireless recruiter and relationship builder. His knowledge of the game and leadership skills will attract great people. He and his family will be great ambassadors for the Kennesaw campus and community." - Anthony Grant (Dayton head coach)

"From the time Antoine arrived as a walk-on at Alabama, his magnetic personality elevated his teammates and the program. When he got the ball in clutch moments, you knew something big was going to happen. Something big is about to happen at Kennesaw State. he's dynamic and charismatic. He's fearless and tough. I've watched him in practice and in games. He has a remarkable ability to know when to raise the intensity and when to be calm. Players respond to him because he's genuine. he's a man of faith and and exactly the kind of person anyone would want their son to play for. Kennesaw State has a rising star that's going to do for them what he's done his whole life, make everybody around him better and lead them on a fantastic ride. - Rece Davis (Host of College Gameday)

"Antoine Pettway has been an elite recruiter whose consistency and work ethic is respected nationwide. Just look at the guards that he has not only recruited but developed into NBA players over the last few years. What I'm excited to see is his unbelievable basketball mind that he now has the chance to display after being exposed to the exceptional offense of Coach Nate Oats, the gritty defense of Anthony Grant and the NBA background of Avery Johnson. - Daymeon Fishback (ESPN/SEC Network)