Evansville’s Jacobsma named Central women’s basketball coach
Central College
PELLA—Mike Jacobsma, a University of Evansville (Ind.) assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, was named head women’s basketball coach at Central College by athletics director Al Dorenkamp.
Jacobsma, an Ocheydan, Iowa native, also gained experience as an assistant at Colorado School of Mines and Wayne State (Neb.). He replaces Jerry Nikkel, who retired after three years as Central’s head coach.
“Mike has prepared himself well for this opportunity to lead our women’s basketball program to a bright future,” Dorenkamp said. “He has experience in a small college setting and recruiting student-athletes with high levels of academic achievement as an associate head coach at the Colorado School of Mines and Wayne State. He has been a recruiting coordinator and has a wealth experience in that area. He is a strong relationship builder and knows Iowa well, as he grew up in northwest Iowa.
“Mike’s values and passion for coaching the women’s game fit well with our philosophy at Central College. He and his wife will be wonderful additions to our community and staff.”
A member of the Evansville staff since 2008, Jacobsma worked with former coach Misty Murphy, who helped the Purple Aces win the 2009 Missouri Valley tournament and earn a berth in the NCAA tourney.
“Mike is a great recruiter who is very energetic and knowledgeable about the game of basketball,” Murphy said. “He has experience in every facet of running a basketball program.”
Jacobsma coached at Colorado School of Mines from 2003-08 and was named associate head coach in his final season there. He was a graduate assistant and interim assistant at Wayne State from 2001-03. He received a bachelor’s degree there in 2001 and a master’s degree in 2003.
Also a veteran clinician, Jacobsma has worked camps at South Dakota, Creighton and Iowa State, among other schools.
Jacobsma inherits a Central program which captured the 1993 NCAA Division III championship while earning eight NCAA tournament berths and winning six Iowa Conference titles, but struggled to a 5-20 mark with a young squad in 2010-11.
“Women’s basketball has a rich tradition at Central and we can get back to that level,” Jacobsma said. “I truly believe that.”
The Dutch will play with energy, he promised.
“My style is up-tempo,” he said. “We want to get up and down the floor. We’ll be aggressive defensively, getting after it with a lot of pressure.
“We want to compete hard and play with heart, guts and a sense of Dutch pride every night.”
But Jacobsma wants Central players to get more out of their participation than victories.
“I want the players to be champions on and off the court,” he said. “I want them to be lifelong learners and to be successful in everything they do. Basketball puts you in some adverse situations and you have to learn how to overcome that. I want to help them develop those characteristics, skills and traits they need so that they take that with them in the jobs and cities where they work and become leaders.”
Jacobsma is excited about the process.
“I want to help players discover who they are as basketball players and as people,” he said. “I can impact their lives and they can impact mine as well.”
Jacobsma begins his duties at Central June 1.
