William Paterson University Athletics

Jessica Jacobson was tabbed in August of 2021 to lead the WP Softball program as the Pioneers’ head coach. Jacobson brought to Wayne more than a decade of Division I coaching experience following a four-year playing career at The College of New Jersey.
 
Most recently, she was the assistant/pitching coach at the University of Connecticut (2019-21), managing the pitching staff and bullpen as the Huskies earned a runner-up finish in the 2021 BIG EAST Tournament. Additionally, she directed all pitcher recruiting, managed team administrative support staff, established and executed goal-setting strategies for all members of the program, built alumnae relations and fundraising efforts, managed camps, and fostered both student-athlete development and a championship team culture.
 
Jacobson was the associate head coach (2011-19) and assistant/pitching coach (2009-10) at Elon University. While there, her pitching charges broke numerous program season and career records, including the school’s first two female all-Americans in Kara Shutt ’18 and Tomeka Watson ’13. The program’s recruiting coordinator, she assisted the head coach with every aspect of the program while managing the full scope of the pitching staff. Among her recruits was Emily Roper ’17, her class’s valedictorian.
 
Jacobson has New Jersey coaching ties, serving as an assistant at Saint Peter’s University (2010-11) and Drew University (2008), and she also was a graduate assistant/pitching coach at the University of New Haven (2008-09).
 
Jacobson was the winner of the 2007 HONDA Inspiration Award, given annually to one female NCAA student-athlete who has overcome adversity to excel in her sport, showing strength in character and setting an example for young women. She was a second-team all-region and all-New Jersey Athletic Conference selection during her playing career at TCNJ (2003-07).
 
She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and psychology at TCNJ in 2007, and a master’s in management of sports industries at New Haven in 2009. She also has expanded her own professional credentials as a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and UConn’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and graduated from the Women’s Coaches Academy administered by WeCOACH and the NCAA.

Jacobson’s WP Coaching Highlights
- Thirty-nine wins across two seasons (2022-2023)
- One NJAC Tournament appearance
- Three all-region performers
- Six all-NJAC honorees
- Six academic all-district selections
- Twenty-nine NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes
- Twenty spots on the Academic All-NJAC Team
- Eight inductees into Chi Alpha Sigma
- Fifty-three Dean’s List selections