J.R. Reynolds is in his fourth year on Southeast Missouri’s basketball coaching staff.
On Sept. 9, 2024, Reynolds was promoted to Associate Head Coach after spending his first two years as an assistant coach.
Reynolds coached a pair of First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference guards in Rob Martin and Teddy Washington, Jr. during SEMO's outstanding 2024-25 season which culminated with the Redhawks winning their first outright OVC regular-season title in program history.
In his first season at SEMO in 2022-23, Reynolds helped lead the Redhawks to their first OVC Tournament crown and NCAA Tournament appearance in 23 years. SEMO won four games in four days becoming the first #5 seed in OVC Tournament history to win the crown.
Reynolds coached two All-OVC performers in guards Chris Harris and Phillip Russell. Both Harris and Russell were 1,000-point scorers in their careers and made the OVC All-Tournament Team, as well.
Before coming to Cape Girardeau, Reynolds was an assistant coach at Miami (Ohio) for the last five seasons. He coached the forwards and handled recruiting among other duties during his stint with the RedHawks.
In 2020-21, the RedHawks recorded their first winning season since 2009. Miami earned a berth in the eight- team Mid-American Conference Tournament as the RedHawks advanced to the quarterfinal round for the fourth time in the last six years, including three of the last four MAC Tournaments. Miami clinched its MAC Tournament berth with three games remaining on its regular-season schedule. It was the second time in the last four years Miami was the No. 7 seed in the tournament, its highest seeding since the 2011 tournament.
Reynolds assisted in a significant improvement for the RedHawks immediately once the staff was on board. During the 2017-18 season, Miami won its most games and qualified for the postseason for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.
Reynolds came to Miami from Eastern Illinois, where he spent four seasons as an assistant coach for his alma mater. Reynolds helped the Panthers advance to the 2014 OVC Tournament, just the second time EIU had made back-to- back tournament appearances since the 2003 season. In 2015, he helped coach the Panthers to posting their second winning season since the 2001 season. EIU finished with an 18-15 record including winning an NCAA Division I school record nine straight games in December and January. EIU appeared in the CollegeInsiders.com Postseason Tournament beating Oakland in the opening round for the program’s first NCAA Division I postseason victory.
Prior to his time at Eastern Illinois, Reynolds spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Purdue. Working with Owens and head coach Matt Painter, the Boilermakers compiled a record of 77-27, as well as winning the Big 10 and advancing to the Sweet 16 in his first season.
Reynolds played two years for Hall of Fame Coach Todd Franklin (currently at Vincennes University) at Southeast Illinois College. He was a two-time All-Conference and All-Region selection, and was inducted into SIC’s Hall of Fame in 2010.
Reynolds graduated from Eastern Illinois in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in economics and earned a Master’s Degree from Purdue in 2012. He was a two-year starter who garnered All-OVC honors under OVC Hall of Fame Head Coach Rick Samuels. Reynolds was also a team captain his senior year.
He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois College.
Reynolds and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Jay and Cameron. Jay is a freshman on SEMO’s men’s basketball team.
