Virginia Union Taps Alum AJ English as New Men's Basketball Coach

The 1990 NCAA Division II Player of the Year returns to his alma mater to lead the Panthers program.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:54pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic movements and energy of a college basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes in navy, gold, and crimson overlapping to create a sense of motion and intensity.The return of a Virginia Union legend aims to reignite the Panthers' storied basketball tradition.Richmond Today

Virginia Union University has hired former NBA player and VUU legend AJ English as the 11th head coach of the men's basketball program. English, who was the 1990 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year and a two-time CIAA champion with the Panthers, takes over for Lester 'Jay' Butler Jr., who left earlier this month to become the head coach at rival Winston-Salem State.

Why it matters

English's return to Lombardy Street is a homecoming for one of the most decorated players in VUU and CIAA history. As a first-time head coach, he brings strong name recognition, deep program lineage, and recruiting ties to the mid-Atlantic region that should help the Panthers build on their recent success under Butler.

The details

English, who was a second-round pick by the Washington Bullets in the 1990 NBA Draft, averaged 33.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game as a senior in 1989-90. He finished his four-year VUU career with 2,396 points, ninth on the CIAA's all-time scoring list, and was a two-time CIAA Slam Dunk champion. After his NBA stint, he played professionally in Europe and the CBA for another decade before retiring in 2000.

  • English will be formally introduced as VUU's new head coach at a press conference on Friday, April 17, at noon.
  • He takes over a VUU program that finished 25-6 last season, earned an NCAA Division II Tournament at-large bid, and advanced to the second round.

The players

AJ English

A former NBA player and the 1990 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year, English is returning to his alma mater Virginia Union University as the 11th head coach of the men's basketball program.

Lester 'Jay' Butler Jr.

The outgoing VUU head coach, who led the Panthers to four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and 356 career wins over eight seasons, has departed to become the new head coach at rival Winston-Salem State.

Dave Robbins

The legendary former head coach at Virginia Union, who led the Panthers to the 1992 NCAA Division II national championship and coached several future NBA players including Charles Oakley, Terry Davis, and Ben Wallace.

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What they’re saying

“God is good. For me, the basketball part and coaching, that's going to be the easy part. Gett the community back and engaged with Virginia Union University, that's what AJ English is all about...Just rekindling that old tradition that I came into with Virginia Union and we're trying to take into the future with Virginia Union.”

— AJ English

What’s next

English will need to quickly address staff retention, roster management in the transfer portal, and recruiting relationships across the mid-Atlantic region as he takes over the VUU program.

The takeaway

Virginia Union's administration has made a strategic move in hiring one of the most decorated players in program history as its new head coach. English's name recognition, deep ties to the VUU basketball legacy, and recruiting connections should help the Panthers build on their recent success and return the program to national prominence.