Victoria Jones Named Eureka College Women's Basketball Head Coach

EUREKA, Ill. – Victoria Jones has been named head coach of the Eureka College women's basketball team, according to an announcement from Director of Athletics Paul Bryant on Thursday. Jones, who has also been appointed to serve the Eureka department of athletics as an assistant athletic director, owns more than a decade of coaching experience and comes to Eureka after a five-year stint as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Murray State (Ky.). She becomes the 10th head coach in Eureka women's basketball history.

"I would like to thank President Arnold, Director of Athletics Paul Bryant, the search committee and the community of Eureka for giving me this blessed opportunity to lead the Eureka College women's basketball team," Jones said Thursday. "I am excited and honored for the privilege to take on this challenge, and I look forward to continuing the team's success on and off the court."

Jones, who will begin her duties at Eureka on June 1, recently completed a five-year stint as an assistant coach at Murray State, coordinating recruiting efforts and assisting with scouting, player development, recruiting visits and practice planning. The Racers compiled a 74-78 record over the previous five seasons, as Jones helped MSU to the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship and an appearance in the second round of the WNIT in 2009. Jones coached eight All-OVC players during her tenure at Murray State, including 2010 OVC Player of the Year Ashley Hayes and 2013 OVC Freshman of the Year Erika Sisk.

Before her arrival at Murray State, Jones began her career as a collegiate head coach at NJCAA Cincinnati State during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. Jones led the Surge to a 37-20 overall record and a 21-7 mark in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference play that resulted in back-to-back runner-up league finishes in her two seasons. Jones' 2007-08
squad finished the season ranked 20th nationally in NJCAA Division II and also ranked among the national leaders in several statistical categories, including a fourth-place showing in team free throw percentage (.697).

Overall in her two seasons at Cincinnati State, Jones coached eight All-OCCAC selections, including an NJCAA All-American, two NJCAA All-Region choices and two OCCAC Player of the Year recipients. Four of her players went on to play at the NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II levels. In addition to her success on the court at Cincinnati State, 24 student-athletes received academic honors and/or were named to the Dean's List.

Prior to entering the collegiate coaching ranks, Jones began her career as the freshman head coach and varsity assistant coach at Belmont High School in Dayton, Ohio in 2001. She guided the freshmen Bison to a 46-16 record in her four seasons as head coach, including the program's first Southwest Ohio Public League championship in 2005. She later went on to be the varsity head coach at Harmony Community School in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2005-06, leading Harmony to its best record in school history (10-7) and school records in single-game points (64) and single-season points per game (48).

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Jones began her collegiate playing career as a standout point guard at St. Catharine College (Ky.) in 1997. At SCC, Jones ranked among the national NJCAA leaders in 2-point field goal percentage (.659, second), 3-point field goal percentage (.437, fourth) and assists per game (6.6, eighth) in 1998-99 and ultimately received NJCAA All-America Honorable Mention.

She went on to play two seasons for NCAA Division I Dayton from 1999 until 2001. Jones appeared in 55 games over two seasons, helping the Flyers to a 31-28 record and an appearance in the 2001 WNIT. Her 6-for-6 effort from 3-point range versus UTEP on Nov. 25, 2000 remains tied for the most accurate single-game 3-point shooting performance in Dayton women's basketball history. Jones also excelled academically at UD and was a two-time member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Following her collegiate career, Jones played semi-professionally for the Plano (Texas) Lady Eagles of the Women's Blue-Chip Basketball League. She was selected to the league's West all-star team in 2005.

"It is with great pleasure we welcome Victoria Jones to our coaching staff," Bryant remarked. "Her playing and coaching experience will prove to be valuable assets as she continues the successful tradition of our program. "Her style of coaching will excite the fans and enrich the student-athlete experience."

Jones earned her undergraduate degree in communication management from the University of Dayton in 2001. She later received a Master of Education degree from Antioch University Midwest in 2005.

Jones is currently a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and the Black Coaches Association. She coordinated Murray State's basketball camp from 2009 until 2012, conducted ball-handling drills at a camp hosted by former WNBA star Tamika Williams in 2003 and contributed at Dayton's basketball camp from 1999 until 2002.

Jones replaces Taren Martin, who resigned in March to accept the position of associate head coach at NCAA Division I UAB. The upcoming 2013-14 campaign marks the 39th season in Eureka women's basketball history. Jones will inherit a team that went 16-9 overall and 11-5 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to tie for a second-place league finish
last season. The Red Devils are eligible to return four starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's squad, including All-SLIAC selections Caty Eeten (Eureka,Ill./Eureka H.S.) and Kelsey
Shoemake (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria H.S.).

Courtesy Eureka College sports information
Photo courtesy Murray State University