Entering her ninth season as head coach of the women's basketball team at Alabama State University, Freda Freeman-Jackson has established herself as one of the top coaches in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Under her guidance, the Lady Hornets have become known for their tenacious, hard-nosed playing and commitment to great defense. Her teams are also fan favorites; their up-tempo, end-to-end style keeps crowds on the edge of their seats.

While Freeman-Jackson is committed to training competitive basketball teams, she remains focused on developing the whole student-athlete.

"We only recruit young ladies who understand that academics will be their priority," Freeman-Jackson said. "Our student-athletes will excel in the classroom and on the court."

Last season saw Freeman-Jackson meet both of these goals. Though little was expected of her young team, they finished only three points short of shocking the SWAC and winning the conference tournament.

At the same time, three of her players maintained perfect 4.0 grade point averages throughout the hectic basketball season.

"Being a good basketball player is not enough,"Freeman-Jackson preaches. "You are in college to be a good college student. If we as coaches don't emphasize that, we are not doing our jobs."

Overall, Freeman-Jackson has posted a 129-77 record. The 2002-03 season was Freeman-Jackson's best. ASU went 20-11 overall and 15-3 in the SWAC. In the process, the Lady Hornets earned a share of their first-ever regular-season conference crown, won the program's second SWAC tournament title and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time. She was also named SWAC Coach of the Year.

The 2003-04 campaign was also special for Freeman-Jackson. On Feb. 28, 2004, she set the school record for most career victories with 108.

That season, Freeman-Jackson led ASU to its second consecutive regular-season SWAC championship, a feat never before accomplished. The Lady Hornets finished the year 19-9 overall and 15-3 in the SWAC, following the rocket-like ascension the program has taken since Freeman-Jackson took over in 1998. In her first season, she took a program that had suffered through three consecutive - and five of six - losing seasons and made it a winner.

Freeman-Jackson has produced some of Alabama State's best players during her tenure. She coached all-time leading scorer, Shameka Jackson; all-time leading rebounder, Crystal Kitt; as well as 1,000-plus point scorers, Chrishutta Lewis and Nichole Miller.

During her playing days, Freeman-Jackson was a stellar forward for the Lady Hornets from 1980-1984. In her senior season, she earned First Team All-SWAC Honors. Freeman-Jackson began her coaching career at ASU, where she was a graduate assistant and assistant coach under her predecessor, the late Ron Mitchell.

In 1991, Freeman-Jackson became the head girls' coach at Loachapoka High School. In her first season at LHS, she broke the school's three-year losing streak by winning her first five games of the season. Two years later, the Lady Indians competed in their first regional championship and she was named Southeast Coach of the Year.

Freeman Jackson is a 1984 graduate of ASU. She also holds master's degrees in both counseling (1986) and physical education (1991).

Freeman-Jackson is married to Lewis Jackson, head men's basketball coach at Alabama State. They have one daughter, Bianca.