| Title: | Head Tennis Coach |
| Phone: | (423) 636-7300 x-5732 |
| Email: | ajackson@tusculum.edu |
| Alma Mater: | Alma Mater: Appalachian State, 2007 |
Adam Jackson officially took the helm of the Pioneer program on Oct. 26, 2015. Since his arrival, he has continued the winning tradition for the Tusculum tennis teams guiding the Pioneers to a combined 143-55 overall record, including 69-21 in South Atlantic Conference play.
His first Tusculum women's season in the spring of 2016 was successful as the Pioneers went 19-5 overall and finished second in the conference with a 10-1 SAC worksheet. Four Pioneers garnered All-SAC recognition, including first team selections Franziska Funke and Kealee Heffner.
His second women's team in 2016-17 had a banner year as Tusculum went 20-7 overall and finished runner-up in the league with a 9-2 SAC mark. The Pioneers mounted a magical postseason run which included three straight wins, including a thrilling 5-4 victory over No. 33 Wingate to claim the South Atlantic Conference Tournament title, the fourth in school history. Three Pioneers earned All-Conference accolades, including rookie Katarina Majorova who was named the 2017 SAC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Year. Funke also garnered SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player laurels as well. Tusculum earned the program its ninth NCAA II postseason appearance and finished the year ranked 40th in the nation.
The Pioneer women's tennis program reached new heights during the 2017-18 season, going 21-3 overall and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship tournament. Tusculum was ranked as high as 13th in the ITA Division II Women's Tennis poll and finished the season ranked 14th, while its 21 victories were one shy of the program record set in 2013-14. The Pioneers had six wins against ITA ranked teams, with all three losses coming to NCAA tournament qualifiers. Tusculum had four players named All-Conference in both singles and doubles, with Funke and Majorova joined by sophomores Annie and Caitlin McCullough.
The 2018-19 season brought the added accolades of bringing Tusculum the SAC regular-season championship with a perfect 10-0 league record, highlighted by an epic 4-3 win over 11th-ranked Wingate. The Pioneers would fall to Wingate in the SAC finals, but earned a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Tusculum finished the year with a 17-4 record, including a 4-4 mark against ranked teams. Jackson was recognized as SAC Coach of the Year while Annie McCullough became the first Pioneer since Lesley Murray (2001-04) to earn SAC Player of the Year honors. Six Tusculum players took All-Conference accolades, with Annie and Caitlin McCullough first-team in both singles and doubles.
Despite the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, there was much to celebrate as the McCullough sisters advance to the Division II finals at the prestigious ITA Cup. Annie McCullough was honored as an ITA All-American in singles and in doubles along with Caitlin, as the duo completed the season with a career doubles record of 54-12.
Jackson came to Tusculum after serving on the coaching staff at NAIA national power Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia. During Jackson’s tenure at Georgia Gwinnett, the men’s program captured two NAIA national championships in 2014 and 2015, while posting an impressive 37-2 record over the last two years. The GGC women’s team won the 2014 NAIA national title, while the 2015 club finished as national runner-up.
While at GGC, Jackson coached 14 ITA All-Americans, while nine student-athletes garnered honorable mention recognition. He also mentored 2015 NAIA Men’s Tennis Scholar Athlete Matias Hatem.
In 2015, the GGC men faced a challenging schedule while posting a 16-2 worksheet with wins over 11 nationally-ranked teams, including 2014 NCAA Division II national champion West Florida. The GGC women’s program, led by Valeria Podda, the nation’s top-ranked player, and featuring a line-up of five All-Americans, lost 5-4 in the NAIA national final to Auburn-Montgomery, to wrap up an 11-7 campaign.
The GGC men's squad went 21-0 in 2014, capping an undefeated campaign with a 5-1 win over defending champion Embry-Riddle in the NAIA championship match. During their unbeaten run, the Grizzlies knocked of three NCAA II ranked opponents, including No. 2 Armstrong State, No. 7 Lander and No. 21 USC Aiken. The Grizzlies were recognized with six NAIA All-Americans, including three first team honorees.
The 2014 GGC women's squad defeated Embry-Riddle in a dramatic 5-4 contest to capture the program’s first NAIA national title. The Grizzlies had eight NAIA All-Americans on the season, including a pair of first team players. During the year, the GGC women posted an impressive 18-4 record and earned victories against opponents from all three NCAA divisions.
Jackson also served as the head teaching professional at The Georgia Club, a premier country club located in Statham, Georgia from 2014-2015 and carries the highest certification from the Professional Tennis Registry.
He served on the faculty and coached tennis at Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia where he led them to state tournament appearances from 2010-2013.
The Watkinsville, Georgia native started his collegiate playing career at South Atlantic Conference member Wingate University and was a member of the Bulldogs’ 2002 NCAA Division II Tournament team.
Jackson is a former Georgia state champion at Oconee County High School, and he's continued to play, earning the Georgia Games men's open title in 2013.
He earned his Bachelor’s degree in English from Appalachian State University in 2007 and followed with his Master’s degree in secondary education (M.A.T.) from Piedmont College in 2010.
Jackson and his wife, Dana, are the proud parents of two sons, Gus and Jake.
Jackson’s Year-by-Year Coaching Record
Year School Overall Pct. SAC Pct. SAC Finish
2015-16 Tusculum 16-5 .762 10-1 .909 2nd
2016-17 Tusculum 20-7 .741 9-2 .818 T2nd
2017-18 Tusculum 21-3 .875 9-1 .900 2nd
2018-19 Tusculum 17-4 .810 10-0 1.000 1st
2019-20 Tusculum 6-3 .667 2-1 .667 ---
Totals 80-22 .784 40-5 .889
