YPSILANTI, Mich. — Eastern Michigan University Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced the hiring of Alicia Groveston Jackson as the first head coach in EMU lacrosse history today, Sept. 15. Eastern, which announced that it would be adding women's lacrosse as the 19th varsity sport on Nov. 6, 2019, begins play in the 2022-23 academic year. Groveston Jackson will begin her duties at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 16.
"Hiring the head coach of a brand new program is a particularly crucial selection," said Wetherbee. "I am excited to get a caliber of coach like Alicia to help us build a solid foundation for our lacrosse program, she will help us compete for championships in the Mid-American Conference. Having already started a lacrosse program at another institution, she is well respected and nationally known in the lacrosse community. Our goals for the program are fully aligned with our top priorities of building champions for life and providing an incredible student-athlete experience."
Groveston Jackson helped establish the team at Grand Valley State University and built it as one of the premier women's lacrosse programs at the Division II level. During her time at GVSU, Groveston Jackson was a five-time Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) coach of the year while leading her team to six regular season championships, four GLIAC Tournament championships, and the first-ever NCAA postseason appearance in the 2016 campaign.
In her seven seasons at Grand Valley, Groveston Jackson coached 50 All-GLIAC players, the 2018 midfielder and goalkeeper of the year, five GLIAC Defenders of the Year, 13 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Region players, six IWLCA All-American players and four 2012 All-Independent Lacrosse Second Team Members.
"I am extremely honored and excited to be named the inaugural head coach for lacrosse at Eastern Michigan University," Groveston Jackson added. "I am humbled to become a part of and contribute to the rich athletic tradition at EMU with the addition of the lacrosse program. I look forward to having our program make a positive impact at Eastern in the classroom, in the community, and on the lacrosse field. Our goal will be to help develop strong, resilient, passionate and problem-solving young women who will change the world around them for the better. I would like to thank Scott Wetherbee and Stacie McMullen for this incredible opportunity and for their trust, confidence and support. I cannot wait to get started creating the foundation for our culture and building relationships while recruiting outstanding student athletes for our first class of Eagles."
Nationally, Groveston Jackson served as the IWLCA President for three years where she was a spokesperson for over 1,700 coaches and 550 member organizations, while also serving as a US Lacrosse Coach Development Committee Chair for one year and multiple NCAA Committees.
Professionally, Groveston Jackson was awarded with the 2016 IWLCA Nike Presidents Cup Award, which is awarded to the individual who has worked to promote, develop and enhance the intercollegiate women's lacrosse game. In 2011, she was awarded the IWLCA Service Award, which is given to the individual who has committed themselves to the betterment of the intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association.
Most recently, Groveston Jackson was on the staff at the University of Michigan as the director of operations for the women's soccer program. Her primary duties included managing the team schedule and coordinating all team travel and logistics.
Aside from her collegiate coaching career, she also took on the responsibilities of head girl's lacrosse coach at Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. during the 2020 campaign. Groveston Jackson also created and coached for six years with the Rapid Lax Lacrosse Club in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Before arriving in Allendale, Groveston Jackson was the head coach at Gannon University. She led GU to a 12-4 record during the 2009 campaign and a final IWLCA ranking of No. 8. The Knights finished 5-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), but failed to make the PSAC Tournament on a tiebreaker . In addition to an outstanding season on the field, Gannon's 2009 lacrosse team earned the IWLCA Merit Award for having the second-best team GPA (3.34) in NCAA Division II lacrosse.
Groveston Jackson spent the 2008 season as an assistant coach at NCAA Division II member Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. The Crusaders posted a 12-7 record, including a 7-4 league mark against Conference Carolina opponents. The squad was also nationally-ranked throughout the season in the IWLCA Top 10 poll .
An Academic All-American at Salisbury University, she spent three years prior to coaching at Belmont Abbey in private business. She started her coaching career as an assistant coach at Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin, Md. for two seasons where she coached two All-Americans and helped guide Stephen Decatur to the regional championship.
The Annapolis, Md., native had a stellar playing career at Hartwick College for two seasons, before transferring to Salisbury for her final two years of eligibility. Groveston Jackson played field hockey and lacrosse while at Hartwick. At Salisbury, she earned all-conference and regional honors as a senior defender. In the process, she led Salisbury to an NCAA Regional Championship appearance.
Groveston Jackson graduated magna cum laude from Salisbury in 2003 with a degree in Communication Arts/Mass Media. Groveston Jackson later received her MBA from Salisbury in 2004, graduating cum laude.
EMU will be the seventh Mid-American Conference institution to sponsor the sport at the NCAA Division I level. Others in the MAC include Akron, Central Michigan, Detroit Mercy, Kent State, Robert Morris, and Youngstown State.