Kerrick Jackson has been named the new head baseball coach at the University of Missouri.
The university announced Jackson’s hiring Saturday night. Jackson had been the head coach at the University of Memphis, leading the Tigers to 29 wins this season. It was Memphis’ first winning season since 2017.
Jackson, who previously had been an assistant at Missouri from 2011-15, replaces Steve Bieser. Bieser was fired last week after seven seasons at Missouri.
“It’s a great honor to come back to the University of Missouri and lead the baseball program,” Jackson said in a release by the university. “I have seen this program at its championship best and understand both what it takes to get there and the importance of baseball to the state, region and within the Southeastern Conference. My family and I are looking forward to returning to a University and community which we love. I am grateful to (Missouri athletic director) Desireé Reed-Francois and the search committee for trusting me with this tremendous opportunity.”
A native of St. Louis. Jackson spent two years at St. Louis Community College-Meramec, where the team finished third at the JUCO World Series in 1995. Following that, he played at Bethune-Cookman University in 1996 before concluding his paying career in 1997 at the University of Nebraska.
“We set out to find a leader of high character with success rejuvenating a program, and we certainly found that in Kerrick Jackson,” Reed-Francois said in the release. “He’s a tireless recruiter, fierce competitor and a coach with deep roots in the Midwest. Coach Jackson knows what success looks like in college baseball, specifically at Mizzou. He has a vision for success and a tremendous amount of experience at all levels of baseball. I look forward to him building on our traditions and returning us to the national stage.”
Jackson served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in his previous stint at Missouri, working with the Tigers’ hitters, outfielders, and infielders. Missouri made back-to-back trips to the Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship in 2011-12, culminating with the program’s first Big 12 title in 2012. The Tigers had multiple nationally ranked recruiting classes, including 24th in 2012, 12th in 2014 and a consensus top-30 class in 2015.
Before heading to Missouri, Jackson served as the Midwest Area Scouting Supervisor for the Washington Nationals from 2008-10, overseeing Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas.
His other collegiate coaching stops include assistant stints at St. Louis Community College-Meramec (2008), Nicholls State (2006-07), Jefferson (Mo.) College (2004-05), Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College (2003), Emporia State (2002) and Fairfield (2001). Jackson also has extensive experience in the summer collegiate leagues, as he has coached in the Cape Cod League and New England Collegiate Baseball League.