Francesca “Chessie” Jackson, who helped two New England colleges reach the NCAA Division III women’s basketball playoffs, has joined the University of Rochester women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach. Jackson succeeds Melissa Kraft who coached at Rochester in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
She was a four-year starter at Williams College who helped the Ephs to NCAA playoff bids in 2009-10 and 2010-11. Williams advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAAs in the 2009-10 season. Over her four-year career, the scored 1,346 points (fourth all-time) and collected 635 rebounds (eighth all-time). She earned First Team honors from the New England Small College Athletic Conference as a senior in 2010-11 as well as First Team All-New England Women’s Basketball Association honors in her senior year. In her junior season, Jackson was named Second Team All-NESCAC. She graduated with a baccalaureate degree in political science – American politics in 2011.
Following her graduation from Williams, Jackson accepted an assistant coach’s position at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She coached at Smith for two seasons, helping the team to the Eastern College Athletic Conference championship in 2011-12 with a 23-6 final record. A year later, Smith was selected for the NCAA Division III basketball championships and reached the second round of the tournament. The Pioneers finished 23-5. In their opening round game, the Pioneers upended eighth-ranked Southern Maine on the road. Three Smith players earned All-New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) honors last season.
Jackson completed her master of science degree in exercise and sport studies at Smith. She was a teaching fellow for undergraduate courses in her specialty.
