Press Releases - Paul Quinn College

Paul Quinn College Receives $1.5 Million Grant from T.D. Jakes Foundation and Wells Fargo to be Used for Innovative Campus Housing and Mixed-Use Community Development Model

Paul Quinn College, the originator of the Urban Work College model and the only minority-serving, federally recognized Work College in America, has received a $1.5 million grant from T.D. Jakes Foundation (TDJF), in partnership with Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC).

Southwest Airlines Sponsors Paul Quinn College’s Participation in WBENC’s Women of Color Incubator Program, Inspiring the Next Generation of Female Entrepreneurs

Paul Quinn College, the creator of the Urban Work College model and the only minority-serving, federally recognized work college in America, today announced Southwest Airlines(R) as its sponsor and participation in the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for the fall 2024 semester.

Crowley ISD and Paul Quinn College Announce New Innovation Partnership for Middle School Students

Crowley ISD and Paul Quinn College announced a groundbreaking Texas Innovation Partnership aimed at advancing educational excellence and improving student outcomes across all four Crowley ISD middle schools.

Paul Quinn College Receives $20 Million Gift, the Largest in School’s 152-Year History

Paul Quinn College, the creator of the Urban Work College model and only minority-serving, federally recognized Work College in America, has received a $20 million gift from an anonymous donor.

Paul Quinn College Graduating Class Receives Surprise from Southwest Airlines During 2024 Commencement

Paul Quinn College, the creator of the Urban Work College model and the only minority-serving, federally recognized work college in America, celebrated its 152nd Commencement on Saturday, May 4.

Paul Quinn College 2024 Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Team Advances to National Championship Tournament for Third Time in School’s History

Paul Quinn College, the nation’s first Urban Work College, congratulates its 2024 Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) Team for advancing to the 2024 HCASC National Championship Tournament for the third time in the school’s history.

COACH Brandon Espinosa

Email: bespinosa@pqc.edu | Phone: 214-379-5516

About the Coach

Brandon Espinosa starts his fourth season as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Paul Quinn College.

Last season, Coach Espinosa and the Tigers had a historic 19 game turnaround from the previous year going from 7-25 to 26-2 (12-2 RRAC). Coach Espinosa led the 2021-2022 Tigers to the school’s first USCAA Men’s Division I National Championship and the 3rd overall national championship in school history. The Tigers also won the Red River Athletic Conference West (RRAC) regular season title for the first time since joining the conference in 1998. The Tigers finished the 2021-2022 season with the most RRAC wins and highest winning percentage in a season in program history.

The Tigers were the No. 1 seed at USCAA Nationals and had a dominant showing with 3 double digits wins. The championship game featured seven ties and ten lead changes. After trailing by four at half, 38-34, Bryant & Stratton led 67-65 with 6:33 left in the game. Henry Hampton hit a jumper a minute later to give Paul Quinn the lead to highlight a 10-0 run to seal the victory for the Tigers. Ja’Mare Redus led PQC with 18 points while Hampton finished with 17. Spencer McElway added 12, Ja’Mere Redus came off the bench and scored 11, and Steven Tynes chipped in seven points and nine assists.

While the team’s collective efforts were the deciding factor in their success, several outstanding individuals led them both on and off the court. Coach Brandon Espinosa was recognized as the USCAA National Coach of the Year. In addition, senior forward Spencer McElway was selected as a USCAA 1st Team All American, USCAA All Tournament Team and RRAC 2nd Team All Conference. Sophomore forward Trevoin Shaw was voted USCAA 1st Team All American, USCAA All Tournament Team and RRAC 1st Team All Conference. Sophomore guard Ja’mare Redus received USCAA Tournament MVP as well as USCAA 2nd Team All American Honors. Sophomore guard Torron Mingo Jr. earned the USCAA Academic All American award. Junior guard Caleb Thompson received the RRAC Champions of Character award.

During his first season with Paul Quinn, Espinosa led the Tigers to the most conference victories since 2012-2013. In addition, PQC had two players receive RRAC All Conference honors; Spencer McElway was 1st Team All RRAC and Mateo Escheik received 2nd Team All RRAC honors. McElway also joined the schools 1000-point club.

Espinosa also serves as the Director of EYBL and 17U Head Coach for Drive Nation which was founded by former NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal. This summer Drive Nation qualified for the 2021 Nike Peach Jam and currently has the most ESPN Top 100 ranked players in the country.

Espinosa has held coaching positions at Bossier Parish Community College, Ranger College and with the Dallas Mavericks NBA G-League affiliate, Texas Legends.

In 2016-17, while he was the associate head coach for Chris Lovell at Bossier Parish Community College, Bossier qualified for the Region 14 Championship Tournament for the first time since becoming a member of the conference. In 2017-2018 Bossier again qualified for the Region 14 Championship Tournament and finished with a record of 17-14. The 17 wins was the most for a team at Bossier in ten years.
While at Ranger College, he helped head coach Billy Gillispie orchestrate the biggest turnaround in college basketball history. During the 2015-2016 season Ranger went from 2-23 the previous year to 35-3, making the NJCAA national tournament and a Final Four appearance for the first time in the schools 90-year history.
From 2013-2015, Espinosa was an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks NBA G-League affiliate Texas Legends. Espinosa coached under Eduardo Najera, who in 2000 was the first Mexican born player to be draftedinto the NBA. During the 2013-2014 campaign the Texas Legends tied the franchise record for most wins in a season with 24. Legends guard PJ Hairston was the first G-League player ever to be drafted in the first round of an NBA draft when he was selected 26th overall by the Miami Heat in 2014.
Espinosa also served as the associate head coach for Jeff Webster and Nike Pro Skills 17U EYBL team from 2016-2018.

Espinosa is a native of Houston, Texas. He played collegiately for Dallas Christian College, where in 2010 they won the ACCA National Championship. Espinosa earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2011.

Paul Quinn did not compete in 2020-2021 due to Covid-19.

COACH Camille Smith

Email: csmith@pqc.edu | Phone: 214-379-5499

About the Coach

Camille Smith is in her first season at Paul Quinn College.

Smith was hired in early March and her most recent position was as an Assistant Coach for the WNBA Dallas Wings.

Prior to coaching, Smith played professionally for 10 seasons internationally and 12 seasons in the WNBA before retiring in 2019. Smith was drafted to the San Antonio Silver Stars in the 2007 WNBA Draft as the 17th Overall pick. Amid the start of the 2008 WNBA season, Smith was selected in the Atlanta Dream dispersal draft before being traded to the Seattle Storm where Smith played and won a championship in 2010! In 2015 Smith was traded to the Connecticut Sun, then to the Phoenix Mercury in 2017, where she finished her career.

Internationally, Smith played on multiple teams in Israel (2015 Israel League Champion) and China. She also played in Turkey, Limassol, Cyrpus, Ragusa, Sicily (2016 Cup Champion), Lebanon (2017 Arab Cup Champion), Montpelier, France, and Venice, Italy (2018 Euro Cup runner-up).

As a former student-athlete at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Camille graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in interpersonal communications. A four-time All-ACC selection, she finished her college career with over 1,700 points, 800 rebounds, 250 assists, and 250 steals. As a senior, Camille averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game along with 99 steals to help the Tar Heels reach the Final Four. Camille is ranked among the top 20 all-time scorers at UNC and was named Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press following her junior year. She averaged 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds as a junior. As a sophomore, Camille averaged 13.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in the ACC tournament, including a 23-point game against Duke in the finals. In 2004, she was named ACC Rookie of the Year and was the only freshman selected as a finalist for Kodak All-American honor. Camille became the first Tar Heel to be named first-team All-ACC as a freshman.

In high school, Camille was named Associated Press NC Player of the Year and NC Miss Basketball (Class 3A; 2003). Camille was also awarded State Player of the Year by the Charlotte Observer and NC Gatorade Player of the Year (2002 and 2003). In 2001, Camille shared AP Player of the Year honors at Carver High School and helped her team finish with a 30-0 record and State Championship. Camille is a three-time All-State Selection and averaged 20.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game during her senior year. She holds the record of 2,168 career points during her high school career, was a McDonald’s High School All-American, and played in the 2002 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. Camille was also named Piedmont Triad All-Conference, four years in a row, and Piedmont Triad Conference Player of the Year, three years in a row.

Camille Smith & her husband Jeremis Smith are happily married & live in the Historical Stop 6 Community.