Penn State women’s basketball head coach Carolyn Kieger has announced the addition of Sarah Jenkins to her coaching staff ahead of the 2021-22 season. Jenkins comes to Happy Valley after spending the last four seasons at the University of Delaware, including the past season as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.
“We are ecstatic to welcome Sarah to our Penn State family,” said Kieger. “She brings a passion for her players and the game that is inspiring. I have watched her work from afar and can’t wait to be sharing the same sideline and building upon our shared mission of bringing Penn State back to the top. Her recruiting relationships will make an immediate impact to our program, as will her ability to mentor and develop players. Happy Valley is going to love her personality and the energy she puts into all she does.”
“I am thrilled to be joining Coach Kieger and her awesome staff,” Jenkins said. “I whole-heartedly believe in her vision to bring a championship to Happy Valley. Coach Kieger is a winner with a championship mindset. I am grateful and excited to be on this journey with her!”
Jenkins, who owns seven years of Division I coaching experience, has spent the last four seasons on staff at Delaware. Jenkins held the title of assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with the Blue Hens from 2017-20 before being elevated to associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the 2020-21 season.
Jenkins was instrumental in guiding Delaware to its best season in nearly a decade in 2020-21 as the Blue Hens won the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular-season championship, advanced to the WNIT semifinals and finished the season with a 24-5 overall record. Jenkins helped mentor three All-CAA picks in 2020-21, including CAA Player of the Year Jasmine Dickey.
Jenkins was named as one of the Top 50 Division I Women’s Basketball Assistant Coaches by Silver Waves Media in 2020. The Blue Hens were 71-50 overall and 46-26 in conference play during her four seasons on staff. Primarily working with the perimeter players, she developed a CAA Player of the Year and a multitude of All-Conference picks during her tutelage.
Prior to her time at Delaware, Jenkins spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Georgetown, her alma mater. The Bowie, Maryland native helped guide the Hoyas to back-to-back WNIT appearances in 2016 and 2017. She developed a pair of All-BIG EAST selections, including BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Dorothy Adomako.
Jenkins spent more than eight years in the high school coaching ranks prior to the return to her alma mater in 2014. She made stops at The Geneva School (Fla.) and Winter Park High School (Fla.) where she led her squads to a pair of district championships as well as two regional final appearances.
Jenkins began her collegiate playing career at the University of Maryland, but transferred to Georgetown where she played four years of basketball and graduated in 2005 with bachelor’s degrees in both English and sociology. As a student-athlete, Jenkins was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star and served as a two-year team captain.
