Ricky Jackson is in his seventh season as the head men’s basketball Coach of the Claflin University Panthers. Jackson joined the Claflin staff in 2013 after serving as the men’s top assistant at Shaw University.
Jackson’s teams have made improvements in each of his previous six seasons. After winning just 10 games in his first season, his teams have won 16-plus games in each of the next five campaigns. During 2017-18 campaign, Jackson led his team to a program best 26-7 and the most since Claflin moved to the NCAA Division II ranks. The 2018 Panthers also won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) tournament title obtaining the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Regionals, winning the programs second NCAA Regional game -- the first in nine years.
In the Panthers second season (2019-20) in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Jackson led his team to the semi-finals of the CIAA Basketball Tournament. His team finished the 19-20 campaign one game under .500 (15-16) with a conference record one game over .500 at 9-8. In the team’s first season (2018-19) in the conference, the Panthers finished with a 13-14 overall record and was third in the CIAA Southern Division with a conference bill of 9-9.
In 2016-17 campaign, Jackson’s team won 17 games and a share of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) East Division title and in the 2015-16 season, his team was in the mix for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division title, tying Morehouse for second place in the division, just one game behind divisional champion Benedict. His 2015-16 team also reached the semi-final round of the SIAC Tournament, which was the first time since the 2009-10 season.
During his time at Claflin, Jackson has coached a SIAC Defensive Player of the Year, along with several SIAC first and second team members as well as all-tournament selectees.
Prior to his stint at Shaw, Jackson served as head coach of the Gloucester County College men’s basketball program. Jackson began his career at Gloucester County College (GCC) as an assistant coach in 1996. In 2001-2002, he took over the reins of the GCC program and compiled an impressive overall record of 184-46, a .810 winning percentage.
During his seven-year tenure at GCC, his teams won the Region XIX championship three times. In 2005-2006 his team reached the championship game of the NJCAA Division III National Championship before falling to North Lake College of Texas. His 2003-2004 team finished fourth in the NJCAA Division III National Championships, losing to eventual champion Sullivan County. In 2006-2007, GCC finished seventh in the NJCAA Division III. GCC won the Roadrunner Holiday Basketball Classic six times in his seven seasons as coach.
Jackson began his coaching career in 1989 as a student assistant while matriculating at Virginia Union University under the leadership of the legendary Dave Robbins. Upon graduation in 1992, Jackson returned to his hometown of Philadelphia, Pa. where he continued his coaching career at Ridley High School in Ridley, PA. Jackson then progressed to the AAU circuit before arriving at GCC.
Jackson received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Union in Richmond, Va. and a Master’s Degree in Human Services Administration from Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. In November 2019, he earned a Doctor of Education (Sports Management) at Northcentral University in Prescott Valley, Ariz.
Outside of basketball, Coach Jackson enjoys cooking and spending quality time with his family.
