DJ Jenkins

Bio

Dillon “DJ” Jenkins finished his second season as Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Miami Dade in 2022-2023. He has gained valuable experience over the past six years, working with four different junior-college programs and helping to produce a 112-70 overall record, including a Region Tournament Championship, Three FCSAA Region 8 State Tournament Appearances, a 3rd Place National Tournament Finish, and a Conference Championship in those six years.

In his second year at Miami Dade in 2022-2023, the Sharks made even greater leaps. Following the 7-win improvement in year one, the Sharks improved their win total by 7 more wins from 2021-2022. Not only did they improve their overall win total, the Sharks also tripled their conference win total from 2 to 6 wins. Continuing on the winning trajectory, the program sustained the longest win streak in 15 years (9). Jenkins contributed to another top 20 win in 2023, this time defeating the nation's No. 20th-ranked Florida Southwestern at home, while taking the season series over FSW for the first time in program history. Continuing on their defensive improvements in year one, the Sharks were even better in 2022-2023 on the defensive end. Jenkins was crucial in establishing a stout defense, holding opponents to 65 points per game, which ranked 2nd in the entire FCSAA Region 8, as well as 18th in the country for NJCAA D-I. To top off all of the improvements within the program in 2022-2023, the Sharks' most notable achievement was qualifying for the FCSAA Region 8 State Tournament for the first time in 8 years. Miami Dade eventually fell to overall #1 seed and the 6th-ranked team in the country Chipola, 62-60. The Sharks also had individual success, placing two players on 1st Team All-Conference (Jamichael Stillwell, Tyriek Weeks); one player on 2nd Team All-Conference (Dylan Edwards); and three players on the Honorable Mention All-Conference team (Elijah Hoard, Steve Augustine, Ibrahim Wattara). 

Hired by Miami Dade in August of 2021, Jenkins helped the Sharks improve from three wins the previous year to 10 victories in his first year on staff. Jenkins also helped MDC to an upset road win over the nation’s No. 24th-ranked team, Eastern Florida State College. The Sharks were also vastly improved on defense last season, allowing just 71 points per game. The previous season, MDC allowed 89 points per game. The Sharks also placed one player on 1st Team All-Conference, Khalil Turner, who signed to play Division I basketball at Morgan State University. In addition to turner, Miami Dade placed three players on 2nd Team All-Conference: Speedy Carcamo, D'Monte Brown, and Dashaun Jospeh.

Jenkins came to Miami Dade College after one season as Assistant Coach at fellow Southern Conference member Florida Southwestern. In his lone season in Fort Myers, FSW was 18-5 and runners up in the Southern Conference before reaching the Final Four at the FCSAA State Tournament. Jenkins was instrumental in recruiting, academic monitoring, scheduling, and fundraising at Florida Southwestern. He also played a key role in the development of five Division I players: Terry Roberts (Bradley/Georgia), Kario Oquendo (Georgia), CJ Lane (Eastern Illinois), Jaden Campbell (Samford), and Mohamed Sylla (Detroit/Boise State). In addition, FSW placed four players on the All-Southern Conference First Team, as well one member on the All-Southern Conference Second Team. He also coached one FCSAA All-State player (Terry Roberts) and three FCSAA Region VIII State Tournament All-Tournament team members (Roberts, Oquendo, Campbell).

Prior to Florida Southwestern, he spent one season as Top Assistant and Recruiting Coordinator at Eastern Florida State College. At Eastern Florida, he helped the Titans post a 22-11 record, capturing their 8^th straight conference championship as well as an appearance in the final four of the FCSAA Region VIII State Tournament. In addition to the team accolades, Jenkins also coached one FCSAA Region VII all-state player, two first-team All Mid-Florida conference players, four second-team All Mid-Florida conference members, and one FCSAA Region VIII All-Tournament team member. During his tenure, he contributed to the development of four Division I players, including three S.E.C signees: Osayi Osifo (Florida); Jonathan Ned & Mikal Starks (Georgia); as well as Calvin Poulina (Bethune-Cookman). In addition, he also coached two more Division I signees, Brody Boyer (Samford) and Nick Alves (USC Upsate). In total, the Titans produced seven players that continued their careers at four-year universities. In addition to the on-floor achievements, the Titans also posted grade point averages of 3.0 or higher both semesters of the 2019-2020 academic year.

Before arriving in Melbourne, Jenkins served two seasons at Southwestern Community College in Iowa, one as Associate Head Coach, before joining the Eastern Florida program. He helped lead the Spartans during a successful 2017-18 run, ending with a record of 29-8 overall, winning the ICCAC Region Tournament, and finishing 3rd in the nation at the NJCAA DII National Championship in Danville, IL. Jenkins was crucial in helping win 44 games in two years, coaching one NJCAA-II All-American, two first-team ICCAC All-Region selections, three ICCAC All-Tournament team members, and sending ten players on to four-year universities. Notably, Jenkins was key in the development of Gatdoar Kueth, who continued his career at Division I Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA.

Prior to Southwestern, Jenkins and his father established Peoria Quest Charter Academy's basketball program when the high school was built in 2012. The two were handed a group of players from a 15-man freshmen team, some of which had never played basketball. Within four years, the Gators of Peoria Quest Charter Academy had moved to varsity basketball and appeared in the IHSA Class 1A state rankings, reaching as high as seventh in the state in their second varsity year. During the 2015-16 season, they posted a 20-11 record and won their first regional championship in school history. The Gators made it to the Illinois Class 1A Sweet Sixteen before falling in the sectional championship game. During the 2016-17 season, they won another IHSA Class 1A Regional Championship. The Gators again marched all the way to the Illinois Class 1A Sweet Sixteen, falling in the sectional championship with a record of 28-5. They were ranked first in the state in IHSA Class 1A for more than six weeks, finishing the year ranked fourth. During their three varsity seasons with the Jenkins' coaching duo at the helm, the Gators accumulated a record of 61-30. The Gators not only succeeded on the court, but also excelled in the classroom. The team posted a team grade point average of 3.2 during the 2016-17 season, with three of their seniors ranked in the top 10 of their graduating class, as well as a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate in his two senior classes.

While coaching at Peoria Quest, Jenkins earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Bradley University, in Peoria, IL, earning Dean’s List honors three times in his academic career. He was also employed as middle school physical education teacher at Peoria Quest Charter Academy during 2016-17. Jenkins has been invited and worked at basketball camps for grades 5-12 at Division I universities including the University of Wisconsin in 2018 and 2016, University of Iowa in 2018, and the University of Notre Dame in 2016.