| Brad Jackson |
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360-650-3024, brad.jackson@wwu.edu
Brad Jackson is the winningest basketball coach in school history with 445 victories, and the longest tenured in any sport as he begins his 25th season. He ranks No.18 among NCAA Division II active coaches in victories and No.38 in winning percentage.
Western has made eight national tournament appearances in its history, Jackson has been the coach for six, including the epic run to the semifinals of the NCAA II National Tournament in 2001. Western also reached the NAIA National Tournament under Jackson's leadership in 1988 and 1994, and the NCAA tourney in 2005 and 2006. The Vikings have had 12 20-win seasons, Jackson has been at the helm for 10, including a school-record four straight in the mid-to-late 1980s as well as five of the last nine seasons.
Jackson, who has a 445-257 (63.4 percent) record at Western, earned Region, Little All-Northwest and Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2001. He was NAIA District 1 Coach of the Year in 1988, 1989 and 1990, as well as being Little All-Northwest Coach of the Year in 1988, NAIA Pacific Northwest Region I Coach of the Year in 1994 and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2009. Jackson also was an assistant coach for the West at the 1992 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival.
Jackson is a past chair of the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee where he was the Division II representative for five years.
Jackson also directs the highly successful WWU Basketball Camp. Begun in 1986, the camp has grown to be one of the largest in the northwest with alumni dotting the rosters of numerous colleges and universities as well as professional teams.
Jackson came to Western in 1985 after five successful seasons as a high school coach - four at Olympia and one at Eastside Catholic - in which he led his teams to four state playoff appearances. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Seattle Pacific for five seasons.
A graduate of Washington State, he was a three-year letter winner in basketball, serving as team captain and leading the PAC-8 in assists (5.7 avg.) as a senior in 1973-74. He also played baseball for the Cougars as an outfielder for two seasons.
In high school, Jackson lettered three years each in baseball, basketball and football at Hudson's Bay High School in Vancouver, Wash. He averaged 23.0 points a game as a senior in basketball, earning all-America and all-state honors.
The 57-year old Jackson earned a bachelor's degree from Washington State in 1975 and a master's in athletic administration from Seattle Pacific in 1977. He and wife Debbie (formerly Halle), a four-time NCAA All-America gymnast at Seattle Pacific and a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame, have two grown children, daughter Lynsey and son Kyle.
In 25th year as Western head coach, the longest tenure in any sport in school history ... Also Vikings' Associate Athletic Director ... Past chair of NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee, serving five years as Division II representative ... Overall record is 445-257, a winning percentage of .634, both wins and percentage being program bests ... Ranks No.18 among NCAA II active coaches in victories and No.38 in winning percentage ... Named National Association of Basketball Coaches/NCAA II West Region, Northwest Small College and Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year in 2000-01 ... Directed Vikings to 27-4 record, Pacific West Conference and West Regional titles, and national semifinals ... Also led Western to NAIA national tournament appearances in 1988 and 1994, and NCAA tourney in 2005 (regional semifinals) and 2006 (regional final) ... Has guided Vikings to 17 league/district/region playoff appearances, reaching final nine times and winning three titles ... Assistant coach for West team at 1992 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival ... Named NAIA District 1 Coach of the Year three times (1988-91), NAIA Pacific Northwest Region I Coach of the Year once (1994), Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year twice (2005, 2009), and Little all-Northwest Coach of the Year twice (1988, 2001) ... Has directed Western to nine 20-win seasons, including four straight from 1986-90, a school record ... In 1987-88, led Vikings to first district championship and national tournament appearance in 16 years ... Very successful high school coach prior to coaching Vikings ... Led Eastside Catholic High School (Bellevue, WA) to first-ever Class AAA state playoff berth in 1984-85 ... Also coached four seasons at Olympia High School, directing Bears to three Class AA state playoff appearances ... His 1980-81 OHS team reached final eight at the state tournament ... Assistant coach for five years at Seattle Pacific University under head coach Keith Swagerty ... Obtained master's degree in athletic administration at SPU in 1977 ... Standout guard at Washington State University, leading then Pacific-8 Conference in assists (5.7 avg.) as senior in 1973-74 ... Also was Cougars' team captain that season ... Played under three coaches at WSU (Marv Harshman, Bob Greenwood and George Raveling) ... Graduate assistant coach one year for Cougars, while completing bachelor's degree (1975) ... Earned all-America, all-state and all-conference honors in basketball at Hudson's Bay High School (Vancouver, WA), averaging 23.0 points as senior ... Lettered three years in baseball, basketball and football ... 57 years old ... He and wife Debbie (formerly Halle, four-time NCAA All-America gymnast at Seattle Pacific and a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame), have two grown children, daughter Lynsey and son Kyle.