University of Tennessee Athletics
Jackson Among Finalists For WBCA Coaches’ All-America Acclaim
March 26, 2024 | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA – Tennessee standout Rickea Jackson is among 52 regional finalists for the 10-member NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America Team, the WBCA announced on Tuesday.
Jackson, whose college career and playing days on Rocky Top came to a close in the NCAA Tournament on Monday night, has previously been named to the WBCA's All-America squad three times in an honorable mention capacity.
Already this season, she has picked up All-America honorable mention acclaim for the second consecutive year from the Associated Press and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association as well as All-SEC First-Team status for the second year in a row from the league's coaches and the USA TODAY Sports Network. She remains a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award, which goes to the nation's top small forward.
The 6-foot-2 fifth-year performer from Detroit led Tennessee and finished as the official SEC leader in scoring this season at 20.2 points per game and contributed a team-high 8.2 rebounds per contest while adding 2.3 assists per outing. Her scoring average is the ninth-best ever recorded by a Lady Vol, and she is one of just six all-time to average 20 or more in a campaign. She joined Patricia Roberts (29.9), Chamique Holdsclaw (23.5, 21.3, 20.6), Cindy Brogdon (21.7, 20.1), Candace Parker (21.3) and Bridgette Gordon (20.8, 20.4).
Jackson shot 48.5 percent from the field and 78.0 percent from the free throw line after overcoming an early-season injury that sidelined her for eight games. Jackson also tied for the team lead in charges taken with six.
In match-ups against ranked teams, Jackson elevated her play even more, putting up 25.0 ppg. and 10.0 rpg. in those contests. Over UT's last 11 outings, which included three meetings with No. 1 South Carolina, one with No. 8 LSU and another with No. 11 NC State, the Big Orange star averaged 22.5 ppg. and 8.4 rpg. while shooting 52 percent from the field and 79 percent from the charity stripe.
The fifth-year standout recorded four double-doubles this season and 13 games with 20 or more points scored, including two with 30-plus. The number of 20+ efforts increased her two-year total on Rocky Top to 29, which ranks as the fifth-best ever by a Lady Vol behind only program legends Chamique Holdsclaw (83), Bridgette Gordon (58), Candace Parker (48) and Tamika Catchings (37). All of those players except Parker (three) spent four seasons at Tennessee.
Also reflective of her scoring prowess, Jackson has tallied 1,176 points in only 60 games at UT, ranking No. 35 on a UT all-time scorer's list that primarily features players who spent three or four seasons in Knoxville. Her 19.6 career average finished at No. 4 among Lady Vols, winding up behind only Patricia Roberts (29.9), Cindy Brogdon (20.8) and Chamique Holdsclaw (20.4) while finishing just ahead of Candace Parker and Jill Rankin (19.2).
For career point production, she has generated 2,261 in 127 collegiate contests, ranking sixth among anyone who has played at UT, including transfers. In 2023-24, she passed Tamika Catchings (2,113) and Candace Parker (2,137) and finished behind only Cindy Brogdon (3,204), Chamique Holdsclaw (3,025), Jill Rankin (2,851), Bridgette Gordon (2,462) and Patricia Roberts (2,447).
Jackson will now turn her focus toward the WNBA Draft, which will be held April 15 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. The event will be carried live on ESPN with exclusive coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Tennessee has had first-round picks taken in the past three WNBA Drafts, with Rennia Davis, Rae Burrell and Jordan Horston all going at No. 9 in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. Jackson is a unanimous pick in mock drafts to have her name called among the top five selections.
Jackson, whose college career and playing days on Rocky Top came to a close in the NCAA Tournament on Monday night, has previously been named to the WBCA's All-America squad three times in an honorable mention capacity.
Already this season, she has picked up All-America honorable mention acclaim for the second consecutive year from the Associated Press and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association as well as All-SEC First-Team status for the second year in a row from the league's coaches and the USA TODAY Sports Network. She remains a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award, which goes to the nation's top small forward.
The 6-foot-2 fifth-year performer from Detroit led Tennessee and finished as the official SEC leader in scoring this season at 20.2 points per game and contributed a team-high 8.2 rebounds per contest while adding 2.3 assists per outing. Her scoring average is the ninth-best ever recorded by a Lady Vol, and she is one of just six all-time to average 20 or more in a campaign. She joined Patricia Roberts (29.9), Chamique Holdsclaw (23.5, 21.3, 20.6), Cindy Brogdon (21.7, 20.1), Candace Parker (21.3) and Bridgette Gordon (20.8, 20.4).
Jackson shot 48.5 percent from the field and 78.0 percent from the free throw line after overcoming an early-season injury that sidelined her for eight games. Jackson also tied for the team lead in charges taken with six.
In match-ups against ranked teams, Jackson elevated her play even more, putting up 25.0 ppg. and 10.0 rpg. in those contests. Over UT's last 11 outings, which included three meetings with No. 1 South Carolina, one with No. 8 LSU and another with No. 11 NC State, the Big Orange star averaged 22.5 ppg. and 8.4 rpg. while shooting 52 percent from the field and 79 percent from the charity stripe.
The fifth-year standout recorded four double-doubles this season and 13 games with 20 or more points scored, including two with 30-plus. The number of 20+ efforts increased her two-year total on Rocky Top to 29, which ranks as the fifth-best ever by a Lady Vol behind only program legends Chamique Holdsclaw (83), Bridgette Gordon (58), Candace Parker (48) and Tamika Catchings (37). All of those players except Parker (three) spent four seasons at Tennessee.
Also reflective of her scoring prowess, Jackson has tallied 1,176 points in only 60 games at UT, ranking No. 35 on a UT all-time scorer's list that primarily features players who spent three or four seasons in Knoxville. Her 19.6 career average finished at No. 4 among Lady Vols, winding up behind only Patricia Roberts (29.9), Cindy Brogdon (20.8) and Chamique Holdsclaw (20.4) while finishing just ahead of Candace Parker and Jill Rankin (19.2).
For career point production, she has generated 2,261 in 127 collegiate contests, ranking sixth among anyone who has played at UT, including transfers. In 2023-24, she passed Tamika Catchings (2,113) and Candace Parker (2,137) and finished behind only Cindy Brogdon (3,204), Chamique Holdsclaw (3,025), Jill Rankin (2,851), Bridgette Gordon (2,462) and Patricia Roberts (2,447).
Jackson will now turn her focus toward the WNBA Draft, which will be held April 15 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. The event will be carried live on ESPN with exclusive coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Tennessee has had first-round picks taken in the past three WNBA Drafts, with Rennia Davis, Rae Burrell and Jordan Horston all going at No. 9 in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. Jackson is a unanimous pick in mock drafts to have her name called among the top five selections.
Players Mentioned
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