Following up on our SWAC DIRT from earlier today…Donte’ Jackson has officially been named as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Alabama A&M. Here’s the release from the college:
Alabama A&M University President Dr. Daniel K. Wims and Director of Athletics Dr. Paul A. Bryant welcomed new AAMU head men’s basketball coach Donte’ Jackson during an introductory press conference on Thursday afternoon at the AAMU Event Center.
“We welcome a coach with an outstanding resume, one that has won at the highest levels,” Dr. Bryant said.
Jackson, who has compiled a 263-185 career record in 15 seasons, is a three-time Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Coach of the Year honoree, guiding Grambling State to three regular season conference titles in eight seasons, including a trip to the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
“I’m incredibly thankful to Dr. Wims and Dr. Bryant for this opportunity,” Jackson said. “I am excited to be on The Hill and look forward to bringing a winning culture to this outstanding institution.”
Jackson established himself as one of the best coaches in the conference during his first season at Grambling State, where he helped the program win its first SWAC Regular Season Championship in nearly 30 years (1988-1989). During the regular season, Grambling State enjoyed the nation spotlight as being one of the teams in NCAA Division I with the longest winning streak, which got as high as 11 games before a loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Jackson, which saw the team finish at 17-14 overall and 13-5 in SWAC play, earned several accolades, including SWAC Coach of the Year, NABC District 23 Coach of the Year and the Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year honor. In addition, Ivy Smith, Jr. was selected to the All-SWAC First Team, BOXTOROW All-American Team and a NABC District 23 Second-Team honoree.
His second season saw more success as the Tigers went 17-17 overall, finishing 10-8 inside SWAC play. Grambling State picked up a non-conference victory over Niagara in the Fort Myers Tip-Off Classic and headed into conference play winning two of its final non-conference games, which included victories over Portland and Southeastern Louisiana. GSU wrapped up his second season with a trip to the Collegeinsider.com Tournament, a first for the program, as the Tigers fell, 74-73, to UT-Texas Rio Grande Valley.
In the 2019-2020 season, Jackson’s third, the Tigers again reached the 17- win plateau, going 17-15 overall and 11-7 in conference play. Grambling State scored the most points in the Jackson era on November 8, a 147-52 victory over Eccelsia College. GSU also earned non-conference wins over Southwestern Louisiana and Louisiana-Monroe. The Tigers ended the year in the conference tournament, falling to Texas Southern in the quarterfinals.
During Jackson’s fourth year, Grambling State played a shortened season due to COVID as the Tigers went 12-12 overall and 9-6 in the SWAC. A 78-61 non-conference victory over Louisiana-Monroe highlighted the team’s success before conference play tipped off. GSU reached the SWAC Tournament Semifinals for the second time in three years, falling to
Prairie View A&M.
In the 2021-2022 season, Jackson’s squad went 12-21 overall and 9-6 in the SWAC. Notably, Grambling State’s highlighted non-conference win came at the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge Hosted by Chris Paul, a 74-59 victory over Morgan State. The Tigers concluded the year by reaching the SWAC Tournament semifinals for the third time in the Jackson era, falling to eventual champion Texas Southern.
The Tigers reached new highs under Jackson during the 2022-23 cam- paign. The Tigers finished the season 24-9, tallying its most wins in a single season since joining Division I in 1977.
GSU also defeated two Power 5 teams for the first time in school history, earning wins over Colorado and Vanderbilt. The Tigers won the SWAC Regular Season Title and reached the 2023 SWAC Championship Game. Jackson produced the SWAC Player of the Year in Cameron Christon and won the coveted SWAC Coach of the Year Award.
Jackson reached the pinnacle of the SWAC during the 2023-24 season, leading GSU to its first ever SWAC Tournament Championship win and berth in the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. The Tigers went 21-15 overall and 14-4 in conference play. Grambling State defeated Texas Southern 75-66 in the SWAC Title game. GSU went on to defeat Montana State 88-81 in the NCAA First Four, before falling to top-seeded Purdue in the first round.
During his final season at Grambling State, Jackson’s team went 12-22 overall and 7-11 in conference play. The Tigers received the eighth seed in the SWAC Men’s Tournament, beating Alabama A&M in the first round and defeating rival Southern in the quarterfinals. GSU fell to the eventual tourney champions, Alabama State, in the SWAC Semifinals.
Prior to GSU, Jackson spent three seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
In his first season at Stillman, the Tigers finished 17-10 overall and 13-6 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) enroute to a first- place regular-season finish in the conference. The Tigers were especially tough at home, ending the year with an 11-1 mark.
Jackson’s second year was Stillman’s most decorated season in school history. The Tigers finished 27-6, won the 2016 SIAC Championship Tournament and earned a berth in the NCAA tournament, where they defeated West Georgia in their first-round game. Jackson was named SIAC Coach of the Year, as well as BOXTOROW National Coach of the Year. Additionally, his team produced the SIAC Player of the Year, as well as Newcomer of the Year.
In June 2016, he was named interim athletics director and spent the year leading both the athletics department and the men’s basketball team. Despite the added duties, Jackson’s team performed very well on the court. The Tigers surpassed 20 wins for the second consecutive season (22-5) and had a 10-2 record at home. Stillman led the nation in margin of victory, defeating opponents by an average of 28.6 points per contest. The Tiger offense, which averaged 86.7 points per game, finished second in the country in field goal percentage (52.6%).
Prior to Stillman, Jackson led the men’s basketball program at Central State University (CSU) in Wilberforce, Ohio for four seasons. He took over the program in 2010 after serving as an assistant coach at CSU for seven seasons.
During his tenure as head coach at CSU, he went 68-42 and averaged 17 wins each season, including a 19-9 mark during the 2011-12 campaign. While serving as an assistant coach at CSU, he helped guide the Marauders to an NCAA tournament appearance and three Independent Conference Association regular-season titles. The team went 125-61 during those seven seasons.
Jackson graduated from CSU in 2003 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Education, and in 2008, he earned a Master’s of Science in Educational Leadership. He was a three-year letterwinner on the Marauder basketball team and earned all-conference and all-region honors during the 2001-02 season. He led the Marauders to the NAIA Division I National Tournament and a Sweet Sixteen appearance with a 24-8 record during 1999-2000 season. Jackson capped his stellar career by being selected as the recipient of the John W. Garland President’s Award, presented annually to a student-athlete who embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship through academic and athletic achievements.
Jackson is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended Alexander Hamilton High School. He was an All-City Conference player and received all-state honors his senior year of high school. Prior to attending Central State University, Jackson played one season at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (NCAA Division I).
