Bio

Coach Eric Jackson, Jr., 33, is entering his 7th collegiate season, and 4th year at his alma mater Rust College.  While at Rust, Jackson has a current record of 59-26 (117-56 overall) and finished ranked 23rd in the nation during the 2019-20 season. In addition to posting the first back-to back 20 win seasons in over 35 years, Jackson has recruited and coached 2 NAIA All-Americans, 5 All-Conference players, the 2019 GCAC Freshman of the Year and the 2020 GCAC Player of the Year. At the end of the 2020 season, Jackson received the GCAC Coach of the Year finishing with a historical record of 25-6 after being picked to finish 6th out of eight GCAC teams in the preseason poll. During the 2020-21 season, Jackson led the Lady Bearcats to a 13-2 record (5-1 in GCAC play) and a GCAC Regular Season Championship.  This is the first championship in any sport at Rust College since 1984.   With at national ranking as high as 26th, the Lady Bearcats were also rated as the number 1 defense in the Country as they allowed only 49 points per game.

Prior to returning to Rust College, Jackson spent a 2-year stint in the high school ranks coaching Varsity girls' basketball at Westside High School in Jacksonville, Florida.

During his tenure at Westside, Jackson improved the team from a 2-20 record, to a 12-10 in his first year with the same roster as the year before.   Westside finished 2nd in their district and made the State Playoffs for the first time in 20 years. The following year, Jackson led Westside to a 20-5 record and brought home the school’s first district championship.

Prior to his stop in Florida, Jackson spent 3 years at Concordia College-Alabama in Selma, AL. In three years, Jackson finished with a record of 59-26, with a record of 13-11 his first season in 2013. The following season, Concordia finished with a record of 20-11 and won the USCAA Division 1 National Championship.  The 2014 National Championship Team was also inducted into the USCAA hall of fame for winning the championship as the 8th and final seed of the Tournament. During his final season at Concordia, Jackson finished 26-4 and broke school and USCAA national records with most consecutive wins with 26.  Additionally, Jackson was the first recipient of the USCAA Women's Coach of the Year Award. The Lady Hornets also finished ranked number 1 in the National Coach's Poll the entire year and finished the year honoring 3 first team All - Americans and the USCAA National Player of the Year.

Coach Jackson was raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi by way of Paterson, New Jersey.  He was a part of the back-to-back (2003-2005) Boys Basketball State Championship teams at Holly Springs High School.   Jackson is also an Alumni of Rust College where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics. He is the oldest of 3 children (Ariana-26, Jordan-20) to Eric Sr. and Shelley Jackson and is currently married to Rasheedah Jackson.