Missouri Hires First Black SEC Baseball Head Coach, Has HBCU Roots

Missouri announced the hiring of the SEC's first black baseball head coach.

Kerrick Jackson became the 15th head baseball coach of the University of Missouri and the first black SEC to lead one of the conference's programs.  Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois announced Jackson's appointment according to the school's athletic department's website.

This season, Jackson coached the University of Memphis to 29 wins, marking their first winning season since 2017. He previously served as a Mizzou assistant from 2011-15.  Jackson is highly regarded in the baseball community for his player development, recruiting, and talent evaluation expertise.

Welcome to the #Mizzou family! 🐯⚾️ pic.twitter.com/DcfzLwPGJD

— Mizzou Baseball (@MizzouBaseball) June 4, 2023

"It's a great honor to come back to the University of Missouri and lead the baseball program," Jackson said.  "I have seen this program at its championship best and understand both what it takes to get there and the importance of baseball to the state, region, and within the Southeastern Conference.  My family and I are looking forward to returning to a University and community which we love.  I am grateful to Desireé Reed-Francois and the search committee for trusting me with this tremendous opportunity."

Kerrick Jackson; Credit: Southern University Athletics

From 2018-20, Jackson was the head coach at Southern University. He led the team to an impressive 32 wins, a conference championship, and a spot in the NCAA Tournament in the following season.  This success earned him the SWAC and Louisiana Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year awards.   Notably, he took a team with only nine wins in 2018 and propelled them to great heights.  His 2018 Jaguar team boasted the athletic department's highest men's team GPA and received national recognition for its community service efforts.

"We set out to find a leader of high character with success rejuvenating a program, and we certainly found that in Kerrick Jackson," Reed-Francois noted.  "He's a tireless recruiter, fierce competitor, and a coach with deep roots in the Midwest. Coach Jackson knows what success looks like in college baseball, specifically at Mizzou.  He has a vision for success and a tremendous amount of experience at all levels of baseball.  I look forward to him building on our traditions and returning us to the national stage.  We proudly welcome Coach Jackson, Talia, Zion, and Lazarus home to Columbia."

In 1996, Jackson was a member of the Bethune-Cookman University's team that won its first conference championship and NCAA regional appearance.   Later, he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from the University of Nebraska in 1999, following his playing career with the Cornhuskers in 1997.

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