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YSU Penguin Athletics => YSU Penguin Athletics => Topic started by: Penquin68 on March 13, 2024, 01:32:12 PM
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I see we have a new women's basketball coach. Reception Monday. Don't know who it is.
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Pretty quick...
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Dana Balash hearing it could be Cleveland State assistant and former Akron Coach Melissa Jackson.
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Melissa Jackson is our new women's basketball coach
https://x.com/YSUWomensHoops/status/1768371962215022984?s=20
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First I wish her nothing but the best.
WKBN states that she previously served as head coach at the University of Akron, where she led the Zips to a pair of postseason appearances and the best winning percentage in program history. So why did she leave Akron?
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Good question.
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Interesting that her record of 71-67 is the best ever at Akron.
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From YSU website
https://ysusports.com/news/2024/3/14/womens-basketball-melissa-jackson-chosen-to-lead-youngstown-states-womens-basketball-program.aspx
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She checks the boxes. Head coaching experience. Conference knowledge. Now we wait to see how it works out?
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This hire seems acceptable. Given that we must endure a massive and painful rebuild over the next few seasons, I was worried about the quality of the pool of applicants. I still can't forget the Hill and Martin fiascos. Jackson is light years superior to that dynamic duo. I do share with others that burning question of why Akron, a proverbial Black Hole in women's basketball for most of the past four decades, would dismiss a coach that actually won something there. I trust that Strollo has got to the bottom of that issue.
On a related note, we have two signed recruits playing in the Ohio high school championships this weekend: Cameron for Olmstead Falls and Mosley for Purcell Marion.
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In today’s Tribune/Vindy newspaper
https://www.tribtoday.com/sports/local-sports/2024/03/youngstown-state-names-former-akron-coach-melissa-jackson-as-next-head-coach/
The following is the new information from the article that was not included on the YSU news release. It does offer additional information that she won only 4 more games after winning 12 games. I can only speculate that it might have something to do with why her contract was not renewed. It is simply a guess on my part and is not supported by any other information.
“In five years as head coach, Jackson led the Zips to two postseason appearances and maintained the best winning percentage in program history (.511) with a record of 72-69.
When Jackson took over the Zips head coaching job, she was initially given a five-year contract. In her fifth and final season as head coach with Akron in 2022-2023, the Zips began the season 12-2 before finishing 17-13. Before the end of the year, Jackson was informed by the university that it would not be extending her contract.”