EVERETT — After serving as an assistant for the past three seasons, Jay Franco was named the next head women’s basketball coach at Everett Community College, the school announced Monday.
Franco replaces former program leader Jeannie Thompson, who stepped down from the position at the beginning of March. Franco is the ninth head coach in the program’s 45-year history. It’s Franco’s first head coaching job.
“He’s somebody who fits well with our culture and understands what we’re trying to build as a program,” Trojans athletic director Garet Studer said. “Our student athletes always have great things to say about Jay in terms of his positivity and truly helping out our athletes develop.”
Prior to joining the program as an assistant women’s basketball coach as well as the school’s strength conditioning coach ahead of the 2020-21 season, Franco spent time as an assistant coach at Everett High School. He also graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.
Former EvCC players Sydney VanNess, ThuyVi Tran, Mikail Montez and Kinslee Gallatin all went on to play at four-year universities during Franco’s tenure as an assistant, while the program has reached the NWAC playoffs five times in the past eight seasons.
“He’s proven in the sense that he’s going to go work hard,” Studer said. “It’s one of those deals where everyone starts somewhere, and this is an opportunity to give somebody a chance that could be a really good head coach in the upcoming years. We’re really excited about him moving forward.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
