Jessica Turner was named Head Coach of the Skidmore women's basketball program in June of 2018. Turner immediately guided Skidmore to the Liberty League playoffs during the 2018-2019 season, and Thoroughbreds were back in both the playoffs again during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons.
The 2022-2023 season marked one of the best seasons in program history with The Skidmore women’s basketball team winning the Liberty League title for the first time since 2018, breaking Ithaca’s streak of three Liberty League Championships in a row. In addition, the Thoroughbreds totaled 23 victories to break the program's previous win record of 21. Also, the program reached new heights on the national stage after defeating Johns Hopkins University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the program's first NCAA Tournament win. Statistically, Skidmore tied for the lead the region with 29.0 defensive rebounds per game, and also finished second in the region and ninth nationally opponents' field goal percentage at 32.3 percent.
Turner also had her first All-Region honoree in Julia Blanck during the 2022-2023 campaign, as she finished as the Liberty League leader in blocks (62), blocks per game (2.1), and rebounds (285). She is among the top-50 in the nation in blocks and blocks per game. Blanck was also a First Team All-Liberty League selection during the 2022-2023 season.
Off the court, Turner has had 24 players named to the Liberty League Women's Basketball All-Academic Team during her five-year career at Skidmore and 19 players recognized by the Skidmore Athletics Thoroughbred Society (achieving a GPA of 3.67+ in a semester)
Prior to Skidmore, Coach Turner spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Middlebury College. During Turner's five seasons at Middlebury, she helped guide the Panthers to 64 wins, four consecutive trips to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament, as well as a #14 ranking in the 2016-2017 WBCA Division III Academic Top 25. She also assisted in the recruitment of the 2016 NESCAC Rookie of the Year. Off the court, Turner was a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in the Middlebury athletic department, and also assisted in overseeing game-day operations for various varsity athletic teams.
Prior to Middlebury, Turner started her collegiate coaching career at Green Mountain College as an assistant coach for three seasons. She also coached for the Spartan AAU Program in Castleton, Vermont in 2012 and 2013.
A 2009 graduate of Castleton University, Turner (Jessica Banks) was a four-year standout for the Spartan basketball team. She was a three-time North Atlantic Conference (NAC) All-Conference selection, earning first-team honors her final two seasons. A two-time team Most Valuable Player, Turner is among the program's top-five career lists in both scoring (1,120) and assists (426). In 2019, Turner (Banks) became the 16th member in the history of the women's basketball program to be inducted into the Castleton Athletics Hall of Fame.
Turner resides in nearby Wilton, NY with her husband, Robert, son, Robert Jr, daughter, Jayla and mother, Leslie.
| COACHING RECORD BY YEAR |
|
|
OVERALL |
CONFERENCE |
|
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
W |
L |
W |
L |
POSTSEASON |
| 2018-19 |
Skidmore College |
9 |
17 |
8 |
10 |
Liberty League 1st Round |
| 2019-20 |
Skidmore College |
7 |
18 |
5 |
13 |
None |
| 2020-21 |
Skidmore College |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Season Canceled |
| 2021-22 |
Skidmore College |
14 |
10 |
9 |
9 |
Liberty League 1st Round |
| 2022-23 |
Skidmore College |
23 |
6 |
16 |
2 |
NCAA Tournament 2nd Round, Liberty League Champions, First NCAA Tournament win, School Record for wins, Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year, d3hoops.com Region III Coach of the Year |
| 2023-24 |
Skidmore College |
22 |
5 |
16 |
2 |
Liberty League Championship Game |
| 6 SEASONS |
TOTAL |
75 |
56 |
54 |
36 |
|
|
PERCENT |
.573 |
.600 |
1 Conference Championship
1 NCAA Tournament Appearance |
updated, May 2023
