University of Tampa women's basketball coach Tom Jessee has announced the addition of Tommy Jones as an assistant coach on his staff. Jones previously spent two seasons as an assistant coach on the University of Tampa women's basketball staff, and returns with additional experience to his highly successful coaching career.
Jones brings over 30 years of experience in teaching, training, conditioning, and team building with a high level of achievement throughout his career. While working as a personal trainer, Jones previously served as the athletic director and physical education teacher at St. Peter Claver Catholic School in Tampa. His most recent stint came from 2019-21 after previously holding the same position from 1999-2002. He also served as the head coach for the boy's basketball team, and successfully instituted the Presidential Physical Fitness Program at the school.
He previously spent six seasons as the head women's basketball coach at the College of Central Florida. In just a few short years, he revitalized the Lady Patriot basketball program back to its winning ways. Jones led CF to a runner-up finish in the Mid-Florida conference and three straight FCSAA state tournament appearances. Three of four sophomores signed with four-year institutions and two Lady Patriot players received MFC First Team All-Conference honors. He led the PAtriots to a national top-10 ranking and was also named the 2014-15 Mid-Florida Conference Coach of the Year.
In 2016, Jones led the Lady Patriots to back-to-back FCSAA State Basketball Tournament appearances after finishing third in the Mid-Florida Conference (MFC). On the year, he landed four MFC All-Conference selections, a FCSAA First Team All-State honoree in Marcella Rocha, and the state and conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Thais Oliveira, an East Carolina University signee.
In 2015, Jones led the women's basketball program to its first MFC title in more than four years and broke into the NJCAA national poll for the first time in recent memory. He also led the Lady Patriots to their first FCSAA State Basketball Tournament appearance in more than six years, falling to eventual NJCAA National Champions Chipola in the semifinals. Jones developed newcomer Thais Oliveira into one of the top shot blockers in the country, finishing Top 10 in NJCAA and No. 2 in the state.
Serving as an assistant coach for UT from 2011-13, he was part of a staff that guided the Spartans to a top 10 national ranking. Previous to Tampa, Jones was the head women's basketball coach at Hillsborough Community College from 2008-11, after previously guiding the HCC men's program from 2005-07. He led the Hawks to a 67-42 record and consecutive trips to the state tournament. In his second season, they were co-conference champions and set the school record for most wins in a season with 23. The Hawks had won less than eight games in each of the previous six seasons before Jones took over. Under Jones' watch at HCC, 10 players moved on to play at the NCAA Division I and II levels. He also coached three conference players of the year and two McDonald's All-Americans.
Aside from his time coaching the women's programs at CCF, HCC and UT, Jones also held coaching positions at The Cambridge School (assistant girls basketball coach, 2001-05), Tampa Catholic High School (assistant girls basketball coach, 1999-2001), St. Peter Claver Catholic School (boys basketball coach, 1999-2000) and Tampa Preparatory School (assistant boys basketball coach, 1991-99).
A graduate from the University of Florida, Jones resides in Tampa, Fla. with his wife, Kimberly Hannah-Jones, daughter, Kai, and son, Thomas.
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