JJC Women's Basketball Camps

Head Coach Shaun Sanderson

The 2021-22 season will be Shaun Sanderson's 14th year as head coach of the JJC women's basketball team. During his tenure, Coach Sanderson has compiled a career record of 198-179, the most wins for a women’s basketball coach at JJC.

Coach Sanderson has been voted N4C Coach of the Year twice. He has also been named Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, NJCAA Region IV and District B. Since becoming head coach, Sanderson has helped more than 40 young ladies extend their playing careers at four-year institutions. Those players have moved on to play anywhere from NCAA Division I to NAIA Division II.

Over the years, Sanderson has been able to persuade area players to stay home and give him a chance to make them better basketball players. Coach Sanderson’s ability to recruit and develop players has been where his success lies. Under his wing, he has coached 13 all-tournament players, 20 all-conference players, 15 all-region players, two All-Americans and three Academic All-Americans.

Sanderson's first three years at JJC were as an assistant coach under head coach Tony Giese. The Wolves finished with an overall record of 71-22 during that time, including an impressive 27-3 N4C record and a NJCAA No. 1 ranking in 2007.

From 2002-2004, Sanderson was an assistant coach under head coach Danny Turner at Joliet Township High School. He helped guide the Lady Steelmen from a 4-win season prior to his arrival to a regional championship and two top 25 final rankings in the Chicago Sun-Times. Sanderson was also the head JV coach and saw every player on that team develop and go on to have successful collegiate careers. Some of those players included Ebony Ellis (Northern Illinois), Jaquetta Westley (Youngstown State), and Ashley Easley (Yale).

Prior to his years at JTHS, Sanderson was a volunteer assistant/manager at the University of Illinois at Chicago under head coach Tim Eatman (Rutgers University). He assisted in tape editing, statistics, practice drills and individual skills.

Sanderson started his basketball coaching career in 1997, when he was hired as head coach for the Calvary M.B. Church girls' basketball team in Chicago. He helped introduce and develop a love for the game to girls playing organized basketball for the first time.

A native of Chicago, Sanderson graduated from Dunbar Vocational High School, where he was a standout outfielder. He then went on to Central State University in Wilberforce, OH, to continue his baseball career. In December of 2007, Sanderson earned his Associate of Arts degree from Joliet Junior College. Currently, he is finishing his degree in Communications at Governors State University.

Having a passion for improving the lives of young adults, Sanderson works and mentors students at Joliet, Plainfield and Morris high schools through the YMCA's Achievers Program. He also spent a summer mentoring and coaching AAU basketball with the Bolingbrook Panthers.

Sanderson and his wife, Elaine, reside in Joliet. They have a daughter, Sydnie.