Augustana volleyball head coach Jen Jacobs enters her eighth year at the helm of the Vikings in 2024.
Jacobs was named the 10th head volleyball coach at Augustana University in March of 2017.
In just seven seasons as head coach, Jacobs has a winning percentage over .580 with a record of 103-74. In 2023, Jacobs saw a pair of players earn NSIC First Team All-Conference honors. Jacobs coached the NSIC Libero of the Year in Erika Bute and first time All-NSIC honoree Kia Kriener.
Throughout her career at Augustana, Jacobs has seen seven players earn first team All-Conference and four All-Conference second-team selections.
Jacobs has had an incredible run with libero development, as Erika Bute and Tahylr Banks have combined for seven All-NSIC honors, 12 NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors, four NSIC Libero of the Year honors, three All-Region nods, and an All-American nod.
Prior to coming to Augustana, Jacobs was the volleyball assistant coach and assistant athletic director at Augsburg College from 2012-2017.
Jacobs joined the Augsburg Athletic Department in 2012 as the assistant director of NCAA compliance and assistant volleyball coach, under the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority/Women’s Internship grant. In 2014, Jacobs was promoted to assistant athletic director of external relations/inclusions & diversity under the NCAA Division III Strategic Alliance Matching grant. She also served as advisor to the Augsburg Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Prior to Augsburg, Jacobs was the dean of students at Richfield High School. Jacobs served as the chair of the staff development committee related to equity and inclusion along with serving as a ranking member of the administrative team. Jacobs has an extensive background in providing professional development on inclusion/equity and conflict management. Jacobs also served on numerous school, district, and community committees, along with creating a parent involvement education program aimed at college readiness for underrepresented families.
Jacobs began her career in K-12 at Harding High School (St. Paul, Minn). Jacobs served as Harding’s Coordinator of the College and Career Center and Behavior Intervention Program Coordinator. She was a member of Harding’s Staff Development Committee and advised students of color in academics and post-secondary planning.
At Richfield High School (Richfield, Minn), Jacobs was the African-American Outreach Director and served as the liaison between more than 200 African-American students and families and the school staff and administration within the district. She provided academic, social and emotional support, along with assisting college-transition planning for more than 50 families of other diverse backgrounds.
In addition, Jacobs was the chair of the Richfield Primary Staff Development Committee on Equity and Diversity, serving all teachers and school professionals in the district. Jacobs facilitated ongoing training sessions as an integral part of the staff development equity and diversity plan, while also supporting school administration in day-to-day operations, including student conduct, safety and discipline.
Previous Coaching Experience:
Assistant Coach: Richfield High School (2009-2011)
Head Coach: St. Paul Harding High School (2005-2008)
Assistant Coach: Minnesota State University Mankato (2004)
Assistant Coach: Northern Light Volleyball Club (2005-2016)
Assistant Coach: Augsburg University (2012-2017)
Throughout the years, Jacobs has continuously and successfully coached high school, club and intercollegiate volleyball, sharing her love for the game. She was a standout student-athlete at Minnesota State, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and then obtaining her Masters in Educational Administration at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in 2009. Jacobs has coached numerous collegiate All-Americans and has won a club National Championship.
Jacobs played for four seasons at Minnesota State, (2000-03) where she ended her career as a three-time All-North Central Conference performer. She was twice named AVCA All-Region and earned All-America Third team honors as a junior in 2002. Jacobs still owns the career record at MSU with 1,623 digs and ranks second all-time in MSU history with 1,555 career kills. Also held the kill record for 10 years and the dig record for eight, inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 2016.
Jacobs is certified in the Intercultural Development Inventory which assesses intercultural competence-the capability to shift cultural perspective and appropriately adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonalities. Through becoming certified, Jacobs has the capacity and specialty to lead organizations, groups and individuals in transformative changes in equity and diversity.
She also has solidified herself as a premier speaker on diversity and inclusion, presenting at events such as the NCAA Inclusion Forum, the University of Minnesota Tucker Center Coaches Symposium and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Convention.
Jacobs was also noticed in, “People to Watch: 10 people you should know in 2020” from the Argus Leader.
Jacobs is married to Scott Schmidt, resides in Sioux Falls with her daughter Juniper, born in 2019 and a great dane “Mikey”.