Sam Jones returns for his 18th season as the leader of the Waynesburg women’s basketball team in 2025-26.
Waynesburg posted its winningest season since 2017-18 in the 2024-25 campaign as the Yellow Jackets went 14-11 and finished seventh in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference standings. Waynesburg ranked seventh in NCAA Division III in bench scoring (32.2) and ninth nationally in rebounds per game (46.88).
Jones led Waynesburg to eight consecutive winning seasons from 2010 to 2018, with at least 14 wins in each of those years. During the stretch, Jones also led Waynesburg to back-to-back 20-win efforts (2010-11 and 2011-12). During just his seventh year on the bench, Jones became the program's all-time winningest coach, recording his 100th career win in a 69-67 victory at Bethany on February 14, 2015.
The 2016-17 Jackets featured a pair of 1,000-point scorers in then-junior Addy Knetzer and then-senior Katie Gehlmann. After picking up a win in the PAC tournament, Waynesburg not only qualified for the ECAC Tournament, but pulled several upsets en route to a spot in the championship game, where the Jackets took second at the event.
Speaking of Knetzer, she wrapped up one of the greatest careers in program history in 2018. She graduated ranked number two on the all-time scoring list (1,615 points), and first in rebounding (1,032). The Houston, Pennsylvania, native was a two-time first-team All-PAC pick and three-year selection overall.
During the 2010-11 season, Jones led his Jackets to a 20-8 overall record, including a 14-4 mark in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play and a slew of memorable moments. The Jackets secured not one, but two signature wins over 2011 NCAA qualifier Saint Vincent during the regular season. The first of those two victories came during a season-best nine-game winning streak. For the second-straight year, Waynesburg scored an opening-round victory in the postseason conference tournament and then came two points shy of advancing to the PAC title game.
For his efforts, Jones earned his first PAC Coach of the Year award and was joined three of his top players on the all-conference teams. Senior point guard Hannah Hunter led the way with a first-team nod, while junior guards Jessi Drayer and Brittany Spencer earned second-team and honorable mention nods, respectively. Hunter finished her senior campaign as Waynesburg's all-time leader in assists per game (5.3) and steals per game (2.9), while finishing second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg). She also set the school record for career assists and surpassed the 1,000-career point mark.
The 2010-11 campaign saw the Jackets enjoy a 21-9 overall record, the program’s best since 1994-95. The program also captured its first PAC tournament win since 2005-06, and capped the year by winning the school’s first ECAC South title as the top seed and host team.
During the 2008-09 season, his first as the leader of the Waynesburg women’s basketball team, Jones brought some national attention to the Yellow Jackets as he guided them to one of the biggest one-year turnarounds in all of Division III. Jones led the young team to an 8-18 season, a seven-win improvement from their 1-25 effort in 2007.
Jones came to the Yellow Jackets from the University of Mount Union, where he spent a total of four years as an assistant coach with both the men’s and women’s programs. While he only spent one year as the head assistant with the women’s program in 2006-2007, Jones was part of a Purple Raiders’ team that upset a pair of nationally-ranked opponents.
Before his work with the women’s team, Jones spent three years (2003-2006) with the Mount Union men. During that span, Jones helped develop five All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections and a pair of 1,000-point scorers.
Jones earned his Masters of Business Administration degree from Waynesburg after graduating from the University of Mount Union with a Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education and minors in education and exercise science.
He currently resides just south of Washington, Pa. with his wife Ruth-Ann. They are the proud parents of Hannah, Lucas, Rebekah and Nathan.
