--VIDEO: Sun Devil Extra with Coach Jamea Jackson, Sheila McInerney and Braiden Bell (Jan. 15, 2025)
Jamea Jackson joined the Sun Devils as Women's Tennis Head Coach announced on June 4, 2024.
In her first season at the helm of Sun Devil Women's Tennis, led a young squad with three freshman, three sophomores and a senior to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and the quarterfinal appearance in the Big 12 Tournament. At times playing three freshman in the lineup, coach Jackson led the squad to ranked wins over No. 37 TCU, No. 29 San Diego and No. 15 Pepperdine and went 8-1 at Whiteman Tennis Center.
Jackson also helped sophomore Emilija Tverijonaite qualify for the NCAA Singles Championship and became the first Sun Devil to qualify for the tournament since 2021. She garnered four All-Big 12 selections, including two first-team singles players (Sara Svetac & Tverijonaite) and helped Lily Taylor earn All-Big 12 freshman team honors.
Jackson is the third head coach in program history since 1954, taking over after legendary head coach Sheila McInerney announced her retirement in May. She comes to Tempe after being head coach of the Princeton Tigers for two seasons, leading them to back-to-back trips to the Round of 32 (2023,2024) in the NCAA Tournament along with two Ivy League titles (2023, 2024).
Coach Jackson Career Dual Record:
| Year | Record |
| 2025 | 15-10 (ASU) |
| 2024 | 16-7 (at Princeton) |
| 2023 | 17-7 (at Princeton) |
| Career | 48-24 |
The Georgia native was awarded 2024 Ivy League Coach of the Year where the Tigers reached as high as No. 30 in the ITA Rankings this past season. Jackson went 33-14 overall in her two season and led the Tiger's to a 13-1 conference record.
"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."
In her time at Princeton she coached five All-Ivy selections, including Daria Freyman who reached No. 2 in the ITA Single's rankings and earned Ivy League Player of the Year, All-American Honors and ITA Northeast Region Player of the Year in 2023.
Jackson is a former professional and brings talent from the national and collegiate level, before going to Princeton, Jackson served as a national coach for nine years (2013-2022) with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to recruit top American talent for developing the nation's best junior and pro tennis players. She 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 becoming a coach wtih the USTA, Jackson served as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State from 2009 to 2013 at Oklahoma State University. In her four years she helped the Cowgirls go from unranked to a top-25 program and managed to recruit the No. 4 recruiting class in 2011, whereas led to the Cowgirls playing in their first Big 12 Championship in more than a decade in 2013.
Jackson played professionally on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour from March 2003 to August 2009 and achieved 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 she notched top-20 wins over grand slam winner Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli, Amy Frazier, Maria Kirilenko and Jelena Jankovic.
NCAA Single Qualifiers Under Coach Jackson
2024 - Emilija Tverijonaite
All Big-12 Selections Under Coach Jackson
2025 Sara Svetac, Emilija Tverijonaite (First-Team) Patricja Spaka/Lily Taylor (Second-Team) Lily Taylor (Freshman Team)