Women's Tennis Zach Wargo, Media Relations Graduate Assistant
TEMPE – Sun Devil Women's Tennis has announced Jamea Jackson as the third head coach since 1954, as announced by Athletic Director Graham Rossini Tuesday Afternoon.
"An exciting day for our women's tennis program welcoming Jamea Jackson as our next head coach, following legendary head coach Sheila McInerney," said Athletic Director Graham Rossini. "We're excited about the energy and spirit she brings to our program and most importantly her experience and how she'll translate that as a head coach who's competed at the highest level of the sport all over the world."
The Georgia native takes over after McInerney announced her retirement from the program last month. McInerney spent 40 years at the helm of Sun Devil Women's Tennis, achieving a 589-350 record and 35 straight NCAA appearances while coaching 49 All-Americans.
"I saw Sheila for many years. First as a player, then as a college coach, then as a national coach in so many different roles and the entire time she was ASU's head coach. The way she carried herself with such dignity and how she treated the players like her own kids." said Jackson. "The fact that she was at Arizona State for 40 years speaks to her character and it speaks to the University of how it treats people and values the character of the work that she did. That's what made me so interested in the position and that's the legacy that I hope to carry on at ASU."
Jackson comes to ASU following two seasons as head coach at Princeton University, where she guided the Tigers to back-to-back trips to the Round of 32 (2023, 2024) in the NCAA Tournament, along with two Ivy League titles (2023, 2024).
— Arizona State Women's Tennis (@sundevilwtennis) June 4, 2024Our new leader! ??
Excited to welcome Jamea Jackson as our head coach of Sun Devil Women's Tennis! ??
??: https://t.co/ZjNT37TKxR#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/uHWBdxDxXW
"I am thrilled to join the ASU family. I look forward to helping the student-athletes become the best version of themselves on and off the court." said Jackson. "It's an honor to follow storied head coach Sheila McInerney and I relish the opportunity to carry on her legacy of success and tradition of excellence."
To add, Jackson was named the 2024 Ivy League Coach of the Year as Princeton reached as high as No. 30 in the ITA Team Rankings this past year. Jackson went 33-14 overall in her two seasons while leading the Tigers to a 13-1 conference record.
She coached five All-Ivy selections at Princeton, including Daria Freeman, who reached No. 2 in the ITA Single rankings and earned Ivy League Player of the Year, All-American honors, and ITA Northeast Region Player of the Year in 2023.
Before taking over at Princeton, she boasted professional coaching experience with the United States Tennis Association (USTA), where she served as a National coach for nine years (2013-2022) to recruit top American talent for developing the nation's best junior and pro tennis players.
While with the USTA, Jackson trained 2022 ITA Rookie of the Year Connie Ma and captained the U16 team to the Jr. Billie Jean King Cup Team Championship in 2019.
Before joining the USTA, Jackson served as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State from 2009 to 2013. In her four years, the Cowgirls went from unranked to a top-25 program that recruited the No. 4 recruiting class in 2011 and made their first Big 12 Championship appearance in over a decade in 2013.
"Jamea came back to finish out her education while growing into a coach at Oklahoma State and had success with the UTSA before joining Princeton. She's very connected throughout the tennis community coming from the Ivy League and brings us a tremendous person to build on the momentum of Sheila's success over the last forty years." Said Rossini.
Before her coaching days, Jackson competed full-time on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour from March 2003 until August 2009, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 43 in 2006. She competed in all four grand slams and represented the red, white and blue in the Fed Cup competition in 2006. During her professional career, Jackson notched top-20 wins over grand slam winner Maria Sharapova, Marion Bertoli, Amy Frazier, Maria Kirilenko, and Jelena Jankovic.
HOW TO FOLLOW:We are so thrilled to welcome Coach Jackson to ASU! ?? Incredible experience playing tennis at a top int'l level and a championship collegiate coach. Off the charts energy and spirit that she will pour into her team and our community daily. Onward! https://t.co/ZL6qWTcrf4
— Graham Rossini (@GrahamRossini) June 4, 2024
Continuing following Sun Devil Women's Tennis on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook for all the latest coverage this offseason.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Jamea Jackson, 2024-Present (Hired June 4, 2024)
Shelia McInerney, 1984-2024
Dr. Anne Pittman, 1954-1984
Janet Wood, 1938
Laura E. Herron, 1932
J.L. Felton, Norman Fenton & M. Leslie Fairbanks, 1923
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