BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University head women’s basketball coach Jennifer Sullivan has named her coaching staff, as announced on Wednesday. In her first year at the helm, Sullivan will be joined by Jessica Jackson, Kenzie Kostas and Matt Ruffing as assistant coaches, and Arianne Stinson as the director of basketball operations.
“When assembling a staff, my top priority was identifying people who will bring great energy and passion to the office and on the court,” said Sullivan. “This group will bring all of the above along with each having a strong work ethic and valuing relationships.”
Jessica Jackson, Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Jackson served as the director of recruiting operations the previous two seasons at Tennessee. She will be joining forces with Coach Sullivan once again as the Owls’ assistant coach/recruiting coordinator. During her previous two seasons at Rocky Top, UT produced a combined 38-18 overall record and 19-10 mark in SEC play, while earning a spot in the SEC Tournament semifinals in 2021 for the first time in five years. UT’s four-player signing group in 2021 was rated as the No. 9 by ProspectsNation.com and No. 15 by HoopGurlz/espnW.
“I am so happy that I will continue to work alongside Jessica,” said Sullivan. “She has a great basketball mind and is passionate about winning. At Tennessee, I enjoyed watching her ability to connect with our young women and others in the athletic department. Jessica is a relationship builder and a strong recruiter and I’m excited to have her with us.”
“I am extremely excited to be joining Coach Sullivan’s staff here at FAU,” said Jackson. “Having worked with her at Tennessee, I know our core values are in alignment. I believe in her vision as we build toward success on and off the court, and I can’t wait to get to work!”
A graduate and former player for Western Carolina, Jackson has also made stops at Missouri State, Samford and Appalachian State in assistant coach and recruiting coordinator roles. At WCU, Jackson dished out a team-high 117 assists as the starting point guard for the Catamount’s NCAA Tournament team in 2009. She finished her college career with 475 points and 279 assists in 113 games. Jackson graduated from WCU in 2010 with a marketing degree and earned her master’s in adult and community college education from North Carolina State in 2012. For Jackson’s full bio, click HERE.
Kenzie Kostas, Assistant Coach
Kostas will serve as an assistant coach and reunites with Sullivan after playing for her at Missouri State. Arriving to Boca Raton from the Show Me State, Kostas has spent the previous five seasons at Central Missouri, four as an assistant and one as a graduate assistant. Since becoming a full-time coach, Kostas led the Jennies to a 105-19 record with two MIAA regular season championships, an MIAA Tournament Championship, two NCAA Regional Championships and a National Championship.
“Kenzie is a future star in this business and I’m extremely thankful to have her join us at FAU,” said Sullivan. “She is one of the smartest and toughest players I have coached and she understands what it takes to be a great leader. She will be a great communicator to our student-athletes and bring a championship mentality to our program.”
“I’m excited to join Coach Sullivan’s staff as an assistant,” said Kostas. “I’m appreciative of the opportunity to build on the many things she taught me as a player, and I’m looking forward to doing so in Paradise.”
Kostas gained national recognition in 2020 after being honored as one of the WBCA Thirty Under 30. A graduate of Missouri State with a degree in elementary education in 2016, Kostas played for the Lady Bears, making over 100 career starts. She was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference Selection, including being named to the All-MVC First Team in 2015 and 2016. At her time of graduation, she was one of three players in school history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 steals, 200 assists and 50 career blocks. Kostas earned her master’s in educational technology from Central Missouri. For Kostas’ full bio, click HERE.
Matt Ruffing, Assistant Coach
Ruffing makes his way to FAU after spending the pervious 10 years at Evansville. Ruffing spent his first five seasons with the Aces as an assistant and assumed head coaching duties on an interim basis before earning the full-time position on Dec. 21, 2016. Ruffing helped lead the program to an 11-win improvement in his first full season as a head coach in 2016-17, which included a huge 69-59 win over Missouri State at the 2017 MVC Tournament. During his time in Evansville, Ruffing coached a pair of productive scorers, including the program’s all-time leading scorer in Sara Dickey who accumulated 2,187 points.
“After talking with Coach Sully about her goals for this position and her vision for the program, I knew joining her and becoming a part of the FAU family was a special opportunity,” said Ruffing. “I can’t wait to work with our talented student-athletes and the outstanding staff Coach Sully has assembled. I’m looking forward to Winning in Paradise!”
“I’m excited to add Matt to our staff and I know he will make an impact on the court and in recruiting,” said Sullivan. “He brings experience and knowledge as a former head coach and assistant. We are lucky to have him and I can’t wait to work with him.”
Ruffing also previously coached for four seasons at Akron, where he started out as a graduate assistant before being promoted to an assistant for the next three years. He worked closely with the post players, including Rachel Tecca who developed into a Mid-American Conference First Team choice in 2011, the third Zip in program history to earn the recognition. Before Akron, Ruffing was a student assistant and head manager for the Dayton women’s basketball team. For Ruffing’s full bio, click HERE.
Arianne Stinson, Director of Basketball Operations
Stinson rounds out Sullivan’s staff as the director of basketball operations. Familiar as anyone with the program, Stinson is approaching her fifth year on the Owls’ staff. As the director of basketball operations, Stinson will coordinate the team’s travel and practices, as well as serving as the liaison between the basketball office and departments around athletics. Stinson also played a significant role in the Owls’ recruiting efforts as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator, and in the team’s big jump in the Conference USA standings, which included FAU’s first C-USA Tournament quarterfinals appearance.
“Minutes after meeting Arianne, I knew I wanted her to be a part of our staff,” said Sullivan. “Her work ethic and attention to detail is invaluable at her position. I love her enthusiasm for community outreach and engagement and I know she will make it a priority to take great care of our student-athletes.”
“I am very thankful and excited to continue to help build this amazing program with Coach Sullivan,” said Stinson. “I deeply value all of the relationships I’ve built thus far here at FAU and look forward to building more.”
Prior to FAU, Stinson served as a site coordinator at Playworks, a leading national nonprofit that serves more than 1,200 schools in 23 U.S. cities. Stinson also spent two seasons (2014-16) at North Dakota State as the women’s basketball director of basketball operations. A native of Oakdale, Minnesota, Stinson has experience as a head varsity girls’ basketball coach at several high schools. Stinson played two seasons at Concordia St. Paul University from 2009-11 and graduated from there in May 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. For Stinson’s full bio, click HERE.
*All hires pending a background check
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