Coach Jackie Smith CarsonFormer Paladin Great Spent Last Five Seasons At Highly Successful James Madison UniversityApril 13, 2010
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Former Furman basketball great Jackie Smith Carson has been named the new women's head basketball coach at her alma mater, director of athletics Dr. Gary Clark announced today at a 10:30 a.m. press conference at the Younts Center on campus.
Smith Carson, a Woodbridge, Va., native, and 2000 Furman graduate who served as an assistant coach at James Madison University for the past five seasons (2006-10), including the last two as associate head coach and last four as recruiting coordinator, becomes Furman's ninth head coach. She succeeds Sam Dixon, who resigned on March 16 following an eight-year tenure.
"Jackie was an outstanding player for us, and when coupled with her excellent coaching experiences, both at Bucknell and James Madison, she is the ideal person to lead our basketball program," said Clark. "We're confident she will inject a new level of enthusiasm among our players, students, and fans."
"It's an honor to return to Furman as the new head women's basketball coach," said Smith Carson. "As a graduate, I know the value of a Furman education and what it takes to be a successful student-athlete. I would like to thank Gary Clark and the entire Furman community for their support and the opportunity to lead this program back to the top of the Southern Conference and beyond."
During Smith Carson's five-year tenure at James Madison, the Dukes posted a 125-40 record (.758), including a 74-16 mark (.822) in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), and advanced to postseason tournament play each year. The string of postseason berths included NCAA Tournaments in 2007 and `10, as well as Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) appearances in 2006, '08, and '09.
This past year the Dukes went 26-7 overall and 16-2 in CAA action en route to league regular season and tournament championships. Among the noteworthy wins were triumphs over nationally 13th-ranked Virginia (75-73), Georgetown (79-76), and Virginia Tech (66-59).
In 2007, in her second season on staff, James Madison posted a 27-6 slate and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after a regular season that featured wins over Clemson and Wake Forest.
That same year she was among a select number of coaches chosen to participate in the Black Coaches Association's "Achieving Coaching Excellence" program. The program, for ethnic minority male and female basketball coaches, is a collaborative effort of the BCA, the NCAA Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, and the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics.
It was during her time at James Madison that Smith Carson gained notoriety on the national level with a "Rising Star" Award, presented to five associate or assistant coaches by BasketballScoop.com and ONS Performance in recognition of recruiting, player development, team development/scouting, leadership, and administration.
Prior to going to James Madison, she spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Bucknell (2004-05). In her short tenure there she played a key role in recruiting Patriot League All-Rookie Team honorees Hope Foster and Kesha Champion, who went on to garner league player of the year and defensive player of the year honors, respectively, while leading the Bison to a 20-11 campaign and Patriot League crown in 2007.
Smith Carson began her coaching career as an assistant with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Fairfax (Va.) Stars, helping the squad, which featured future collegiate stars Marissa Coleman (Maryland), Brittany Mitch (Duke), Abby Robertson (Virginia), and Laura Haskins (Virginia Tech), to the 2003 15-Under AAU National Championship.
One of the finest players in Furman women's basketball history, she led the Paladins in scoring and rebounding and earned first team All-Southern Conference honors and team MVP accolades as a sophomore, junior, and senior. The standout forward was named SoCon Player of the Year in 1998 & '99 and served as team captain her final two seasons. She also garnered three SoCon Academic Honor Roll tabs.
As a freshman, she helped Furman to a SoCon regular season championship and as a senior keyed the Paladins to a 20-11 season, SoCon Tournament championship, and the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance.
Many of her statistics rank among the finest ever posted by a Paladin, including points (1,920/2nd), points per game (16.8/4th), rebounds (1,057/2nd), rebounds per game (9.3/7th), and blocks (99/4th). She scored a school record 37 points against Middle Tennessee State her junior year, and her 724 career free throws and 52 double-doubles (points-rebounds) are still program standards, as are her 12 SoCon Player of the Week scrolls.
Honored as Furman's 1999 Edna Hartness Female Athlete of the Year, she was inducted into the University's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 in her first year of eligibility and last November became only the third player in program history to have her jersey (No. 22) retired.
Following graduation in 2000 with a degree in health and exercise science, she played for professional teams in Belgium and Israel for two years before entering the coaching ranks.
She is married to Rob Carson, the assistant director of Student-Athlete Services at James Madison.
What They Are Saying About Furman's Jackie Smith Carson:
"The hiring of Jackie Smith Carson represents a signal moment in the history of Furman basketball. As a former Paladin player now set to become our head coach, she is uniquely qualified to chart what I'm confident will be a very bright future for our women's basketball program. She was a superb student-athlete and promises to be an equally great coach."
Dr. David E. Shi, President, Furman University
"I am delighted that Jackie Smith Carson is returning home to Furman to assume the head coaching position for our women's basketball team. She will be a dynamic and winning coach, just as she was a successful player. I am looking forward to doing all I can to support her and the fine scholar-athletes who participate in the women's basketball program."
Dr. Rod Smolla, Incoming President, Furman University
"Jackie has been instrumental in the success of our women's basketball program at James Madison. She has been an excellent recruiter. Her ability to teach to student-athletes technical skills instruction and relate to them on a personal basis is exemplary. She has a incredible presence and is a wonderful person. We will deeply miss her and her husband Rob at James Madison. This is a good move for her professionally and Furman University has hired a very good coach."
Jeff Bourne, Athletics Director, James Madison University
"Jackie is a remarkable young woman, who from the moment I met her I knew was destined to be a head coach. She will be successful because she works hard and is passionate about developing student-athletes on and off the court."
Krista Kilburn-Steveskey, Head Coach, Hofstra University
"Coach Jackie Smith Carson can only be described as first class. She is quite frankly a special individual who has the drive, connections, and heart to take Furman University to national prominence. Jackie has surpassed the diamond in the rough stage and is truly prepared to shine. Furman has made a brilliant decision in bringing one of its daughters home."
Shanice Taylor, Head Coach, North Texas University
"I want to congratulate Furman on getting a diamond in Jackie. She is truly one of the top young coaches in the country and has had the opportunity to tutelage under an outstanding coach in Kenny Brooks at James Madison. In addition, she is a great person. She is one of my favorite people in the profession."
Jeff Williams, Head Coach, LaSalle University
"Jackie will be a tremendous asset to Furman University, just as she was as a player. She will be a role model for all of her players as well as the Furman community. The biggest compliment I can give Jackie is I would want my daughter to play for her. Jackie was a relentless competitor as a student-athlete. This trait has served her well as an assistant coach and will lead her to many future successes as a head coach. Jackie embodies everything Furman University stands for both academically and athletically. I have every confidence she will lead this program back to greatness."
Tim Taylor, Associate Head Coach, University of Virginia
