FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Fort Valley State University athletic department, Wildcats alumni and fans mourn the loss of beloved former head men's basketball coach, Samuel "Sammy" Jackson.

Jackson guided the Wildcat men's basketball program from 2011-18 and directed the program to its last two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship appearances coming in 2013-14 and 2016-17 campaigns. His 2013-14 squad posted a program best 21-9 season record and run to the league's title contest. Jackson also made an impressive run for the 2016-17 end of the year where his Wildcats came with a bucket, 64-62, of defeating Clark Atlanta for the SIAC title.

In his seven seasons at The Valley, Jackson won 83 contests with four double-digit victory years to his credit. Jackson's biggest accomplishments at FVSU, though, were his connections with and the differences he made guiding the young men who played for him and the coaching staff he surrounded himself with during his tenure.

His former colleagues and players praised his mentorship and he was called "a connector of people who spent his life helping others."

Before arriving at FVSU, Jackson served as head coach at Savannah State (1999-2000) and he was an assistant coach at the University of Alabama, Georgia Southern and Alabama A&M.

Jackson was a standout player at the University of Montevallo. He would go on after college and played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association.

The FVSU athletics department's thoughts and prayers go out to the Jackson family as Sammy will be greatly missed.

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