Jessica Barber - Women's Basketball Coach

Jessica Barber

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
jessica.n.barber@usm.edu

Barber arrives in the Hub City after spending the last four seasons at ULM. She brings a wealth of knowledge of the game of basketball, a proven record of success and deep ties to the state of Louisiana and the New Orleans metro.

“After several years of trying to out-recruit, out-score and out-work Southern Miss women’s basketball, it’s exciting to join Coach McNelis and her program,” said Barber. “Working the past four years for Coach Brooks Williams has prepared me for this opportunity. I’m anxious to get to know the returning members of the team as people instead of opponents. The staff that Coach McNelis has put together and the signees for this upcoming season are first class. It will be an honor to go to work with them daily.”

“Coach Barber brins a wealth of experience from many different levels of coaching and relating to different cultures,” said McNelis. “I have had the opportunity to watch Coach Barber’s growth in our coaching profession. She posses a great work ethic and a willingness to get it done. Her love for people impacts everyone around her, especially the players she has coached. I am excited to have her get to know our players and work with them daily on and off the court.”

“As our recruiting coordinator, I know Coach Barber will bring her own special touch to Hattiesburg. She has created a name for herself in the women’s basketball world. Everyone knows Jessica for her relentless work ethic and her ability to build relationships with people from all walks of life.”

In her four years at ULM, Barber worked under former Lady Eagle assistant Brooks Donald-Williams, pushing the Warhawks program forward on and off the court. As the Warhawks’ associate head coach, the program posted a high-water wins mark in 2022-23. Graduate center Emma Merriweather earned Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Sun Belt Third Team after her stellar season.

In 2019-20, ULM’s Gara Beth Self earned the admiration of Sun Belt coaches, bringing home the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year award for her debut year.

Barber roamed the sidelines of the New Orleans’ AAU circuit as a coach with the New Orleans Dominos from 2005-18. There she had the opportunity to work under the team’s founder, Charlie Domino, before taking over a head coaching position herself.

Prior to her tenure in Monroe, Barber worked in the Washington Parish School System as a Behavior Interventionist for two years. She led Pine High School (Franklinton, La.) as their head coach from 2018-19. The Raiders finished 13-14, an improvement from the prior year’s 10-17 mark. Barber worked as an assistant at crosstown Franklinton High School for the 2017-18 season, posting a record of 19-12 with the Demons.

Before returning home to Washington Parish, Barber led the storied Edna Karr (New Orleans, La.) Cougars to a 140-57 record. In six seasons on Huntlee Drive, Barber captured four-straight district titles from 2013-14 to 2016-17 (Class 4A-9 2013-14, Class 4A-10 2014-15 to 2016-17). The 2014-15 and 2015-16 squads advanced to the LHSAA Semifinals, the best the Cougars have done in school history.

Her efforts in Algiers were recognized by the Louisiana High School Coaches’ Association as she collected three District Coach of the Year honors (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16), including a selection as the State Farm/New Orleans Pelicans Louisiana High School Coach of the Year. Additionally, 12 Cougars made their way to the ranks of college basketball under Barber’s tutelage.

Barber’s pioneering abilities were on full display in her two seasons at Greater Gentilly High School (New Orleans, La.). Greater Gentilly opened in 2009 as part of a post-Hurricane Katrina education initiative and Barber became tasked with assisting in starting a boys basketball program. She led the Leopards’ boys teams for two seasons before moving to Edna Karr. Greater Gentilly later merged with Thurgood Marshall Early College High School to form Lake Area New Tech Early College High School. The school later became John F. Kennedy High School and operates out of the original Greater Gentilly campus.

Barber’s run of high school coaching included a brief intermission in the collegiate assistant ranks. She joined DoBee Plaisance, a former Lady Eagle student assistant coach and Southern Miss graduate, at Loyola-New Orleans for the 2007-08 season and followed Plaisance to Thibodaux, La. to transform the Colonels women’s program in 2008-09.

The 2006-07 season gave Barber her first head coaching job at her hometown Franklinton High School. Her 13-14 first-year record is most impressive when considering the Lady Demons finished 3-21 the prior year. Barber, a 2001 graduate of FHS and native of Franklinton, La., led the Lady Demons through the 2006-07 season after five years as a student-athlete and student assistant in Mobile, Ala. for the Mobile Rams (NAIA).

A four-year letterwinner for Mobile, Barber excelled on and off the court, earning a spot on Gulf Coast Athletic Conference All-Academic Team four times from 2002-05. On the court, Barber ended her Rams career as the program’s all-time leader in assists. Mobile captured the 2002 GCAC regular season title and runner-up honors in 2005.

Over her four-year career, she helped the Rams to a 93-42 overall record and a 48-20 mark in GCAC play. Her efforts in 2004 earned her First-Team All-Conference honors and her debut performance in 2001 netted her the GCAC Freshman of the Year award.

After exhausting her eligibility, Barber began her coaching career as a student assistant for the program for the 2005-06 season. Mobile finished the year 23-6.

Barber lettered four times at Franklinton High School from 1998-2001, earning LHSBCA All-State honors in 2000 and 2001. In 2001, she earned District MVP honors and was named a Wendy’s High School Heisman candidate as well as a LHSAA All-Star Team Member and MVP. She also lettered in softball for the Demons, spending four seasons on the diamond.

A native of Franklinton, La., Barber earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Performance and Exercise Science from the University of Mobile in 2006. She is currently working towards a Master’s of Sport Administration and is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.