An East Texas sports icon has been named as the Athletic Director for Angelina College. On Friday, officials with AC announced that men’s basketball head coach J.J. Montgomery will serve as Athletic Director while continuing to serve as head coach for the Roadrunners’ basketball program.

Montgomery, in his second full season as the men’s basketball head coach, holds individual records at both Lufkin High School and Angelina College and is a known leader throughout the entire East Texas region. Montgomery played for former Roadrunner head coach and athletics director Guy Davis.

Montgomery said his focus moving forward will be to ensure all Roadrunner athletics programs reach their full potential.

“The main thing I want to do is to see these programs thrive,” Montgomery said. “We have a great team here to build something special together.

“I want to see us grow together as one unit. Not just basketball, or baseball, or softball, or soccer, but as a single unit working together as one. I want to see all our coaches talking to all of our student-athletes and helping them realize their full potential in every area of life, and not just in athletics. Anyone who knows me knows I’m going to work night and day to make everything the best we can make it, and I know we have the coaches who can make this special.”

Davis, who recently marked his 45th year with Angelina College, leaves an indelible mark on both the community and the college. Under his guidance, Angelina College saw an NJCAA national champion with Lady Roadrunner softball in 2014, along with several national tournament appearances over the years. AC teams have experienced national recognition on a regular basis with Davis, the former men’s basketball coach, at the helm.

“These are going to be some tough shoes to fill without a doubt,” Montgomery said of his former head coach. “Coach Davis has done a phenomenal job building our athletics programs, and he’s a legend. I played for him, and for years he’s been like a father figure to me. Moving forward, I’m going to soak up as much advice as I can from that man. He’s earned a lot of respect not just in our community but around the nation for the work he’s done here."

LOOK: The top holiday toys from the year you were born

With the holiday spirit in the air, it’s the perfect time to dive into the history of iconic holiday gifts. Using national toy archives and data curated by The Strong from 1920 to today, Stacker searched for products that caught hold of the public zeitgeist through novelty, innovation, kitsch, quirk, or simply great timing, and then rocketed to success.

LOOK: 25 over-the-top Christmas displays from across America

To help get everyone in the mood for the upcoming holiday season, Stacker compiled a list of some of the most over-the-top Christmas displays across America.

 

 

 

 

More From Kicks 105