Valerie Jones begins her third season as the head women’s volleyball coach at SC State University. Jones, who joins the SC State Staff after spending the last two seasons as the head volleyball coach at Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, Ga., brings over 15 years of volleyball coaching experience to the Lady Bulldogs program. During her time at Whitewater, the Lady Wildcats appeared in back-to-back state championships and captured the 5-A Volleyball Georgia High School State Title in 2012.

In 2005 Jones became the first-ever head women’s volleyball coach at Kennesaw State University. She served in that capacity through the 2009 season. Prior to that, she had a successful stint as the women’s athletic coordinator and head volleyball coach at Joliet Junior College (2002-2005). While at Joliet, Jones complied a 44-36 record for a .550 winning percentage. In her second season (2003) she guided Joliet JC to a 25-17 record, a Top 10 ranking, and a berth in the Region IV championship match. In the following year she led her team back to the Region IV title match.

Jones’ coaching career has seen her spend time as the assistant volleyball coach at Northwestern University, University of California, Davis, and Utah State University. She began her college coaching career in 1996 as a graduate assistant at the University of North Dakota.

In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Jones has spent several years developing athletes throughout the volleyball club ranks. From 2012 to her current appointment, she served as the head coach of the 18-1’s of the Tsunami Volleyball Club. This past July, she coached her Tsunami team to the USA Girls' Volleyball 18-National Championship, finishing the tournament with a perfect 11-0 mark. She has also coached at the Total Complete Athlete (TCA) Volleyball Club, the Georgia Tempo One Volleyball Club, the Atlanta Boom Volleyball Institute, the Unlimited Volleyball Club and the Tampa Bay Juniors Volleyball Club.

Originally from Chicago, Illinois Jones received her Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science and sport studies in 1995 from the University of Tampa and her Master’s in physical education from the University of North Dakota in 1998.

While at the University of Tampa, she was a member of the women’s volleyball and women’s basketball teams. In 1994 she earned 2nd Team All-America volleyball honors and was named to the All-Region volleyball team. In that same year, she earned Sunshine State All-Conference honors in women’s volleyball. She is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).