Texas A&M - Kingsville Athletics

Former men's basketball player and graduate assistant Johnny Estelle returned to his old stomping grounds as Texas A&M University-Kingsville's 16th head coach in program history in 2014-15 after spending the 2013-14 season at the University of Houston. As an assistant coach under James Dickey, Estelle helped the Houston Cougars earn upset victories over nationally-ranked University of Memphis, Southern Methodist University and 2014 NCAA National Champion University of Connecticut in the American Athletic Conference Tournament. UH went on to win 17 games in 2013-14.

In 2021-22, Estelle will embark upon his eighth season as head coach following a 2020-21 campaign in which the Javelinas reached numerous milestones. The team's 15-3 record gave them an .833 win percentage, the best single-season mark in program history. At one point, the Hogs reeled off 11 straight wins, which matched a team-best set during the 1994-95 campaign. Estelle saw his club rise as high as No. 10 in the national rankings, the highest for any Javelina team since 1995-96, and four of his pupils were named all-conference. That group included junior point guard Creighton Avery, who became the first player in program history to be named to the All-LSC First-Team and LSC All-Defensive Team.

In 2019-20, Estelle presided over one of the most successful seasons in the history of Javelina basketball. The Javelinas posted a record of 16-6 in the Lone Star Conference, their highest win total ever in conference play, and rolled up 21 victories overall, their most since 1995-96 and the team's sixth 20-win campaign. For their efforts, the Hogs reached the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time, landing the No. 5 seed in the South Central Region. This marked TAMUK's second NCAA Tournament appearance under Estelle.

Four members of the 2019-20 squad garnered recognition from the Lone Star Conference, the highest total for a Javelina team since 2008-09. Senior Rashon Thomas was named the LSC's Sixth Man of the Year and joined junior Tre Flowers on the All-LSC Second-Team. An all-conference Honorable Mention spot went to senior Chauncey Thomas, with sophomore Will Chayer landing on the LSC's All-Academic Team.

Under Estelle's watch, the Javelinas returned to the LSC Tournament in 2018-19 following a regular season in which they upset a pair of ranked teams and had two players honored by the Lone Star Conference. On Nov. 24th, the Hogs visited No. 14 St. Edward's and left with a 69-58 victory. The Javelinas sprung another upset on Jan. 10th, defeating No. 8 West Texas A&M 86-74, a victory that started a six-game win streak. Senior Robert Stevenson landed on the All-LSC Defensive Team for the second straight year and was also on the conference's honorable mention roster. Stevenson finished his career as the program's all-time leader in blocked shots. Freshman Darius Mickens was placed on the All-LSC Third-Team.

Estelle's fourth season as head coach saw another one of his student-athletes garner postseason conference honors, as Trey Sumpter earned a spot on the All-Lone Star Conference Honorable Mention spot. The Hogs also spent time in the National Association of Basketball Coaches top 25 national poll, rising as high as No. 20.

The 2016-17 season was Estelle's best year as he led the Javelinas to a fourth place tie in the Lone Star Conference and played in the semifinals of the LSC Tournament. Claiming one win in the conference tournament, the Javelinas received the 7th seed for the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament and knocked of the undisputed LSC Champions and No. 2 seed, UT Permian Basin on a last second three-point shot. Making the Round of 32 is the furtherest for the TAMUK basketball program.   
 
A Waco, Texas native, Estelle became head coach at Navarro College prior to the 2008-09 season. During his seven-year stint, he led the Bulldogs to a 126-48 overall record with an unprecedented run of six Region XIV Tournament championship game appearances.
 
He guided Navarro College to Region XIV Tournament titles in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and the regular-season champion­ship in 2013. His resume also includes two NJCAA All-America First-Team honorees, 16 Region XIV All-Conference members, 12 Region XIV All-Tournament Team members and four Region XIV Texas All-Stars vs. United States All-Star Game competitors.
 
His 2009-10 Navarro team posted a 30-7 overall record to tie a school single-season record for wins and advanced to the NJCAA National Tournament semifinals. Earlier in the year, the program earned a No. 2 national ranking, its highest since 1979.
 
During his tenure, the Bulldogs averaged 25 wins per season.
 
Estelle and his staff were successful in placing 21 of their student-athletes in NCAA Division I programs while retaining a 93.7 percent graduation rate during his tenure.
 
In addition, 13 student-athletes achieved Dean’s List hon­ors with five being named to the Region XIV All-Academic Team. Individually, players for Estelle received numerous awards under his guidance. Among the honorees were two first-team All-Americans, two Region XIV Conference Player of the Year winners, three Region XIV Tournament MVPs, three NJCAA National Tournament All-Tournament sections and one Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Junior College Player of the Year. Twelve players were chosen all-conference, and four were named first-team all-region.
 
In his first year as a head coach, he guided the team to a 25-11 record, Region XIV Tournament championship and a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament. For his team’s impressive ac­complishments, he was named the Region XIV Coach of the Year, the first of three Region XIV honors during his career.
 
Following Navarro’s season, he was selected to serve as a coach for the 2009 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Champion­ship and World University Games team trials. He was one of only six coaches from across the country to receive the honor.
 
Estelle began his affiliation with Navarro Junior College as an assistant coach in 2000-01. Working with Orr, he helped lead the program to six Region XIV tournament appearances, four Region XIV tour­nament semifinal berths and two Region XIV tournament finals.
 
He entered the coaching ranks as a student assistant coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville from 1996 to 1998 and moved to a graduate assistant position in 1998-99. Estelle also served as an assistant coach at Northland Pioneer College during the 1999-00 campaign.
 
Estelle played college basketball at Missouri Valley College (1992-93) and Northland Pioneer College (1993-94). In his lone season at Northland Pioneer for coach Richard Zalenski, he led the team to a 30-5 record, the ACCAC and NJCAA Region I cham­pionships and a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament.
 
After transferring to Texas A&M-Kingsville, the sharpshooter set school records as a senior for coach Bill Carter. In 1995-96, he led the Javelinas to a school-record 23 wins, the Lone Star Confer­ence Tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Divi­sion II Tournament.
 
He earned All-Lone Star Conference Second-Team honors after averaging 16.0 points per game and swiping a school-record 88 steals. Later that season, he drained a school-record nine 3-pointers in the LSC Tournament championship against Central Oklahoma and was named the tournament’s Most Valu­able Player. It was the second straight season he was named to the league’s All-Tournament Team, after earning the honor in 1994-95. In two seasons, Estelle finished with 742 points, 214 rebounds, 211 assists and 138 steals. Following his playing career, Estelle spent one season as a student assistant under Carter.

Estelle earned his associate’s degree in general studies from Northland Pioneer College in 1994. He then received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in kinesiology from TAMUK in 1998 and 1999, respectively.
 
He is married to the former Ana Hosking. The couple has four children: sons, Jevon and Jayden, and daughters, Jasmine and Jacquelyn.

The Estelle File
 
PERSONAL
Full Name: Johnny Darrell Estelle
Hometown: Waco, Texas
Birthdate: Aug. 19, 1973

EDUCATION
• Texas A&M-Kingsville • Master’s degree in kinesiology • 1999
• Texas A&M-Kingsville • Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology • 1998
• Northland Pioneer College • Associate’s degree in general studies • 1994
 
FAMILY
Wife: The former Ana Hosking
Children: Sons Jevon and Jayden; daughters Jasmine and Jacquelyn
 
COACHING CAREER
2014-    Texas A&M-Kingsville Head Coach
2013-14 Houston Assistant Coach
2008-13 Navarro College Head Coach
2000-08 Navarro College Assistant Coach
1999-00 Northland Pioneer College Assistant Coach
1998-99 Texas A&M-Kingsville Graduate Assistant Coach
1996-98 Texas A&M-Kingsville Student Assistant Coach
 
COACHING NOTES
• USA Basketball U19 Olympics Court Coach (2009)
• 126-48 as head coach at Navarro College
• 2010 NJCAA National Tournament semifinals
• Region XIV Coach of the Year (2012, 2010, 2009)
• Three NJCAA National Tournament appearances
• Nine Region XIV Tournament appearances
• Two NJCAA All-America First-Team honorees
• Two Region XIV Conference Players of the Year
• Three Region XIV Tournament Most Valuable Players
• 12 Region XIV All-Conference members
• 17 NCAA Division I student-athletes
• One NCAA Regional Tournament appearance (2016-17)
 
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
• 2012-13 Region XIV co-champions
• 2011-12 Region XIV Tournament champions
• 2009-10 Region XIV Tournament champions
• 2008-09 Region XIV Tournament champions
 
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1994-96 Texas A&M-Kingsville
1993-94 Northland Pioneer College
1992-93 Missouri Valley College
 
PLAYING HONORS
Texas A&M-Kingsville
1994-96 Two-year lettermen
1995-96 Lone Star Conference Tournament MVP
All-Lone Star Conference Second Team
Led team to school-record 23 wins
 
Northland Pioneer College
1993-94 ACCAC champions
NJCAA Region I champions
NJCAA National Tournament berth
Led team to 30-5 overall record