By Trevor Wenners
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Jasen Jonus is always ready when his number is called.
Young professionals are encouraged to make a strong first impression, work hard, take advantage of opportunities and eventually reap the benefits. Jonus is living proof that this equation works.
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It may have been difficult to imagine when he began his LaGrange College tenure as a graduate-assistant coach for the men's basketball program in 2013, but now he is the leading voice of the women's basketball and men's and women's cross-country programs.
"It is an incredible honor to be named the women's basketball head coach at LaGrange," said Jonus. "I am thankful for the opportunity and unconditional support of President Dan McAlexander, First Lady Celeste Myall and Athletic Director Jennifer Claybrook in this transition for my coaching career. The LaGrange women's team has and always will be special to my family. My wife, Dr. Hunter Connell Jonus, was a member of the program during the 2010-14 seasons. We are both beyond excited for the future of the women's program and my potential to impact it as a young coach."
Jonus has proven that he is more than capable of running his own program. He has done an outstanding job with the cross-country teams during the past two seasons and will enter his third year at the helm of the program in 2020.
Holly Moreland earned 2018 USA South All-Conference Honorable Mention honors and Bryan Storie finished first overall out of 45 runners at the Middle Georgia Invitational during the 2019 season.
Jonus compiled a remarkable basketball career at Birmingham-Southern (2009-12), and then played semi-professionally for the Birmingham Blitz (2012-13) in the American Basketball Association (ABA). After his playing days were over, the Boaz, Alabama, native accepted a graduate-assistant position, under men's basketball head coach Kendal Wallace, for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons at LaGrange.
Jonus stayed on staff during the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach, and then was named the head coach for the varsity-reserve team prior to the 2016-17 campaign. During the past three seasons, Jonus was the associate head coach, serving as Wallace's right-hand man.
During his seven years with the men's basketball program, LaGrange captured three USA South Championships and advanced to four NCAA Division III Tournaments.
"Coach Wallace has instilled me with many valuable insights about the game of basketball and about leading a team of young athletes," said Jonus. "When coaching together, we complemented each other well. At times, Wallace is vocal, where my style leads more by example day in and day out. I have learned from Wallace to be an effective leader that I do have to be vocal. I am incorporating that by coaching through positive motivation."
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Jonus is ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work in preparation for the 2020-21, women's basketball season. Matthew Snyder and Riley Chlupacek '19 will be entering their first and second years, respectively, as assistant coaches on the women's basketball staff.
Rising senior guards Jahpera McEachin and Daijah Cousins will be two of the Panthers' go-to players and have the potential to be an elite backcourt in the USA South.
McEachin was named to the 2020 USA South West Division Second Team, leading the team in points (10.6), steals (1.2) and minutes (24.5) per game. Cousins led the conference in free-throw percentage (82.5, 66-for-80) and led the team in made free throws, while averaging the second-most points (7.8) on the squad.
"Our immediate goal for the 2020-21 season is to develop a championship mindset from Day 1," said Jonus. "This starts in team meetings, practices and games, but extends to the classroom and everyday life on campus. We will constantly compete and grow during our regular-season games and hopefully come on strong in conference play. The main goal for the end of every season in the future is to make the conference tournament, peak at the right time and make the NCAA Tournament. Any team can make a run at that point. We just have to do the work to get there."
Two weapons for the Panthers this season will be depth and versatility. LaGrange returns some strong low-post players in Nadia Montour, Nia Johnson, Breonna Glover, Morgan Grant, Jada Strickland, Makayla Phillips and Adreona Bowen.
The Panthers will be able to space the floor, largely due to a trio of exceptional 3-point shooters in Megan English, Catherine Skebo and Hayleigh Reeves. Jada Brown and Jalaya Lewis can do a little bit of everything on the court, as they are tenacious on-ball defenders and drive aggressively to the basket.
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The Panthers finished 15-11 during the 2019-20 season and return all but five players from that group. Jonus likes the fact that many of his student-athletes can play multiple positions on both ends of the court.
"As a staff, we envision an exciting brand of basketball both offensively and defensively," said Jonus. "We have an outstanding group of players returning. I have spoken with the team and it feels like the players will truly enjoy this style of the game. Fans should expect to see a team that competes as hard as they can every second of play in every game. It will definitely be an exciting time to come watch Panther basketball."
McEachin reached double figures in scoring during 15-of-26 games last season. She currently ranks eighth in the program's record book in career scoring average with 10.3 points per game.
"I am beyond excited to be led by Jonus this year," said McEachin. "The passion that he has for the game is outstanding. He is genuine and caring toward our team. I believe that he will be the key to our success this coming season."
Jonus, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in education from Birmingham-Southern and a Master of Arts in teaching from LaGrange, has morphed into a rising star in the coaching industry. The LaGrange community has watched Jonus grow up during the last seven years and he is thrilled to deepen his relationship with the institution.
"Hunter and I are blessed that this move will keep us in the amazing community that is the city of LaGrange," said Jonus. "The support of my colleagues within the athletic and academic departments at the college and from friends within LaGrange is overwhelming and truly means the world to us. We are excited to continue our lives here and hope to have a long-lasting impact on the place that has given us so much and we love so dearly."
Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
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