SALT LAKE CITY—Shelley Jarrard, who led the Westminster women's basketball team to national prominence in 10 years as its head coach, has been named the school's Associate Athletics Director and Senior Women's Administrator by Shay Wyatt, Director of Athletics. Wyatt promoted long-time assistant coach Jenteal Jackson to replace Jarrard as head coach of the women's basketball program.
"I have been so fortunate to coach many amazing student-athletes at Westminster and am proud to have been part of their accomplishments," said Jarrard. "I have prepared my entire career for eventually moving into athletics administration and I am grateful that President Beth Dobkin and Shay Wyatt, Director of Athletics, have afforded me this opportunity. They have been incredible supporters of both me personally and Westminster women's basketball and I am thrilled at the opportunity to work alongside them in an administrative role. I am looking forward to helping all of our Westminster teams continue their success athletically and academically. The women's basketball program is in great hands with Jenteal (Jackson) and I am excited for what lies ahead for women's basketball and all of our programs at Westminster in the coming years."
Said Wyatt of Jarrard's promotion, "I would like to express my appreciation to Coach Jarrard for her work and leadership with our women's basketball program. Our women's basketball program has had an impressive run under Shelley's leadership. She, along with her assistants and student-athletes, have worked very hard to maintain our women's basketball program's tradition of success and establish a nationally competitive NCAA II program. I know Shelley is very proud of what's been accomplished and of the student-athletes she's had the privilege to mentor during her tenure. Together they have achieved much success, including championships, coach and player accolades and most importantly graduates, friendships and life-long memories. I'm looking forward our continued work together and know Shelley will provide valuable leadership, experience and support to our student-athletes and department as an administrator."
A former All-America basketball player at Vanderbilt who spent 17 years an assistant coach at Utah and Kansas State, Jarrard positioned Westminster as a nationally recognized and consistent top 25 program at both the NAIA and NCAA II levels in her decade at the helm. She was the WBCA NCAA II South Central Region Coach of the Year and a finalist for National Coach of the Year in 2018 and led the 2021 Griffin women's basketball team to the NCAA II Sweet Sixteen. Westminster's first-round NCAA II tourney win marked her 200th career victory. She finished her coaching career with a 201-80 mark (.715), averaging 20 wins a season. The historic 2021 season marked Jarrard's and Westminster's third NCAA II Tournament invitation since being awarded NCAA Division II status in 2018. During that time, Jarrard's teams played in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Championship game twice and finished third or higher in the standings the past three seasons.
Prior to Westminster's move from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to NCAA Division II status, Jarrard was a three-time Frontier Conference Coach of the Year, capturing three straight Frontier Conference regular season and tournament championships. Her teams made four NAIA tournament appearances, including trips to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16.
In addition to Jarrard's accolades, her players won a number of individual awards, including two NCAA II All-Tournament honorees and four named RMAC All-Tournament, along with (14) All-RMAC and seven RMAC All-Academic performers. She coached five NAIA All-Americans (along with two honorable mention All-Americans), two Frontier Conference Players of the Year, two Offensive Players of the year and two Defensive Players of the Year. Her teams also excelled in the classroom. Nine of her players were named NAIA Scholar-Athletes and 25 earned Academic All-Frontier Conference recognition.
Jarrard leaves the basketball program in good hands. Jenteal Jackson, Jarrard's assistant coach for the past nine seasons, becomes the fifth head coach in the program's history.
"I'm very pleased to announce Jenteal Jackson as the new head coach of our women's basketball program," said Wyatt. "Jenteal has been instrumental in the success of our program working alongside Coach Jarrard for the past nine seasons. She has successfully demonstrated her abilities as a college coach and has worked very hard for this opportunity. Jenteal knows our institution and program well and the work that it will take to sustain the success and tradition our women's basketball has experienced. She's very passionate about the college and our women's basketball program and possesses the experience and skills necessary to successfully lead and mentor our student-athletes. Our coaches, staff and I look forward to our continued work with Jenteal and supporting her efforts."
"I would like to thank Coach Jarrard for all her hard work, time and love she has put into this program. She has been incredible to work side-by-side with and learn from", Jackson said. "I would also like to thank Shay Wyatt and Westminster College for giving me the opportunity to lead the women's basketball team. I have poured my heart and soul into this college for over 10 years and I am extremely grateful and excited to lead this program. I love where we are right now and can't wait to work hard to see where we can go."
Jackson, a former two-sport athlete at Westminster, played three seasons on the women's basketball team from 2010-2012 after transferring from Brigham Young, and competed on the golf team from 2010-2013. She played 67 games in the Purple and Gold, dishing out 248 assists (3.7 per game), averaging nine points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. She played for two Frontier Conference regular season championship teams, making the postseason both years and advancing to the second round in the 2012 NAIA National Championship. She also starred for the golf team, playing 44 rounds in 17 tournaments, recording four individual wins, two individual and team Frontier Conference titles, while posting an average score of 79.52.
Jackson became a Westminster assistant basketball coach immediately following her senior season—a position she would hold from 2013-21—while also serving as the women's assistant golf coach (2013-15) and its head coach (2015-17). Jackson led Westminster to its first appearance in the RMAC Golf Championship in 2016.
The women's basketball team went 149-67 overall (NAIA and NCAA Division II) and 107-48 in conference play (Frontier Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) in Jackson's nine years as Jarrard's assistant. Jackson helped coach and recruit 89 all-conference, all-academic and all-America players.
Jackson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Westminster College in 2013. The Salt Lake City native prepped at Skyline High School.
