Jackie Alexander Joins Illinois Women’s Basketball as Assistant Coach
The Illinois women’s basketball program has added Jackie Alexander to its coaching staff as an assistant coach. The announcement was made Wednesday. Alexander comes to Illinois after spending the 2023–24 season at Toledo, where she served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
Before her time at Toledo, Alexander held similar roles at East Tennessee State, Eastern Kentucky, Albany, and Air Force. She worked at ETSU from 2021 to 2023 and at Eastern Kentucky from 2019 to 2021. At both programs, she was heavily involved in recruiting and player development.
Alexander fills the spot left by Liza Fruendt, who departed after one season to join Missouri’s staff under her former college coach, Kellie Harper. As a player, Alexander competed for one season at Army West Point before transferring to the University of the Cumberlands, where she played from 2011 to 2014. After college, she served as a U.S. Army officer for three years.
Illinois head coach Shauna Green expressed enthusiasm about the hire, saying: “I’m so excited that Jackie is joining our famILLy. She brings a wealth of experience in both recruiting and on-court coaching. She’s a proven winner who understands what it takes to impact a program. I can’t wait to get started with her.”
Alexander also shared her excitement: “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join Coach Green’s staff and be part of the Fighting Illini family. I have great respect for what she’s built at Illinois and throughout her career. I look forward to contributing to the program’s continued success.”
Her recruiting connections in Ohio align well with Illinois’ existing efforts under Green, making her a strong strategic fit. Alexander also brings experience in leading recruiting departments and will now step into a Big Ten role with a program on the rise.
Since taking over in Champaign, Green has kept much of her core staff intact, with longtime assistants Calamity McEntire and DeAntoine “Cat” Beasley continuing to be part of the program. Green has only made one assistant coaching change each offseason, showing consistency that has helped stabilize and grow the team.
