Kansas City Women’s Basketball Head Coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett has officially finalized the program’s staff for her first season at the helm of the Roos. Jackson-Durrett will be joined on the sidelines by Paul Fessler, Jessica Grayson, Sandra Abston and Jazzmun Holmes.
PAUL FESSLER | ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
Fessler brings over 25 years of coaching experience to Kansas City, including five years as an assistant/associate head coach at Bradley University from 2016-21. Prior to his time at Bradley, Fessler spent 16 years as the head coach at Concordia-St. Paul and four years as the leader at Annoka Ramsey Community College.
In the 2020-21 season, Fessler’s Bradley squad got hot at the right time, defeating Northern Iowa, Loyola Chicago and Drake en route to the program’s first-ever conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament bid.
During his time at Bradley, Fessler helped lead the Braves to an improvement in the win category in each of his first four seasons, including the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in program history and a program record 22 wins in 2019-20.
Originally from Sutherland, Iowa, Fessler graduated with a degree in physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1988. He was inducted into the Minnesota Girl’s Basketball Hall of Fame inn 2012, has served on the NCAA Regional selection committee and was the NSIC representative to the WBCA.
Fessler is married to his wife, Shelly, and the pair have a daughter, Jade.
JESSICA GRAYSON | ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
Grayson will join the Roos from Oklahoma State, where she spent the 2021-22 season. Overall, she brings fifteen years of collegiate coaching experience. Most notably, she put together an impressive five-year run as an assistant at Stephen F. Austin from 2015-2021, aiding the Ladyjacks to a 122-31 record. In those five years, Stephen F. Austin qualified for four post-season tournaments, including a trip to an NCAA Tournament, two WNIT appearances and a WBI appearance.
Grayson’s mentorship over the years developed 14 All-Southland Conference performers, one Player of the Year, one Newcomer of the Year, one Southland Conference Tournament MVP and five Missouri Valley All-Conference selections.
Prior to Stephen F. Austin, Grayson made stops as an assistant coach at Illinois State (2013-16), Austin Peay State (2010-12), and Tennessee Martin (2007-10), along with serving as a graduate assistant at Valdosta State (2005-07).
The McMinnville, Tenn. native played basketball at Columbia State Community College, earning NJCAA All-American honors. She then transferred to Austin Peay State University, where she graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Human Performance. Grayson also earned her Master’s degree in health and physical science at Valdosta State.
SANDRA ABSTON | ASSISTANT COACH
Abston will bring Summit League experience to the Roos’ sidelines, spending the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at North Dakota State. In her single season at Fargo, she helped aid the Bison to a sixth-place finish in the Summit League standings.
Prior to her time in North Dakota, Abston began her coaching career in Sweden. She began as the head coach of the Fryshuset Basket Girls’ U17 First Division team, leading six players to Swedish National Team Invitations. Her success was recognized and she was brought up as an assistant coach for the Fryshuset Basket Women’s Division I team, where she spent two years.
Abston enjoyed a successful playing career as well, playing collegiate ball at Georgia Tech, George Mason and Emporia State. During her time at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She owns the George Mason single-game three-point record (7), and is 11th in the Patriots’ all-time three-pointers list (131). In her final season at Emporia State, she averaged 13.0 points and 5.9 rebounds, leading the Hornets to a NCAA DII Sweet 16 berth.
After her collegiate career, Abston played professionally in Germany for Tv Saarlouis Royals. She was also a member of the Swedish National Team from 2007-13, and won a Swedish National Championship with 08 Stockholm in 2010.
JAZZMUN HOLMES | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Holmes and Jackson-Durrett know each other well: Jackson-Durrett coached Holmes at Mississippi State from 2015-19, and the two worked together on Vic Schaefer’s staff at Texas from 2020-22.
During the 2021-22 season, Holmes served as the Longhorns’ Coordinator of Player Development, aiding the squad during its Big 12 Tournament title and subsequent NCAA Elite Eight runs. Texas players also saw heightened ceilings throughout the season, with Rori Harmon earning Freshman of the Year and All-Big 12 Second Team honors, Joanne Allen-Taylor joining her on the Second Team, and Aliyah Matharu and Lauren Ebo earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 nods.
In 2020-21, Holmes was a Graduate Manager as Texas made its first NCAA Elite Eight run in five years. The Longhorns finished the season 21-10, defeating (11) Bradley, (3) UCLA and (2) Maryland as a six-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
From 2015-19, Holmes was a standout point guard at Mississippi State, making four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including two-straight national runner-up finishes in her sophomore and junior years. She left as the program’s all-time wins leader, amassing 132 victories in her four-year career.
Originally from Gulfport, Miss., Holmes received her degree in Human Development and Family Sciences from Mississippi State in 2019.
https://kcroos.com/news/2022/4/11/womens-basketball-jackson-durrett-fills-coaching-staff.aspx
Tagged with: Kansas City The Summit League
