Women's Basketball adds CJ Jones as associate head coach
Monday, April 13, 2026 | Women's Basketball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Head Women's Basketball Coach Tammi Reiss announced today that the team has hired former Virginia Associate Head Coach CJ Jones as the Gators' associate head coach.
"I am so happy to welcome CJ and his family to our Gators' Women's Basketball family," said Reiss. "CJ has proven himself as a program builder, and has led multiple teams to NCAA Tournament appearances. He values the importance of being a true student athlete and the importance of high academic achievement. CJ is a relationship builder, tireless recruiter and premier skill developer. He will pour into our student athletes, and help them attain success on the court and in the classroom."
"I'm honored and thankful for the opportunity to join this amazing staff that Coach Reiss is assembling," said Jones. "Her passion and commitment to development on and off the court is special, and speaks volumes to her continued success. This is a special opportunity to be part of a program with a strong vision, a commitment to excellence, and a culture built on toughness and development. My family and I are excited to experience Gators Nation and join the Gainesville community."
Jones makes his way to Gainesville after four years as a member of the Virginia coaching staff. While there, the team improved its win total each season, culminating in 2025-26 when the Cavaliers earned their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in seven years, and advanced to the Sweet 16. UVa went 22-12 during the season, and was ranked as high as 19th in the nation. That marked the most wins in a campaign for the Cavs, and their first national ranking, since the 2011-12 campaign. The team's 11 ACC victories were the program's highest total since the 1999-2000 season.
This past season, Jones was also selected to participate in the 2026 WBCA Next Generation Institute — a high-level educational program for experienced assistant coaches who aspire to become collegiate head coaches. The curriculum of the WBCA Next Generation Institute focuses on the CEO attributes needed to lead a program and be a problem-solver in today's ever-changing landscape of higher education and the enterprise of intercollegiate athletics.
Prior to working at Virginia, Jones served as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Missouri State. While there, he helped the Lady Bears to a 23-3 record and NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in his first season on staff, and saw post pupil Jasmine Franklin pick up Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year laurels. Additionally, Brice Calip was named the MVC Player of the Year, and the Lady Bears earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, matching the best in program history.
The Lady Bears ended the 2020-21 season ranked 14th in the USA Coaches Poll and 20th by the Association Press, took a 19-game winning streak into the Sweet 16 and posted the first unbeaten conference (16-0) and road (11-0) records in program history. Missouri State also set a school record for rebound margin at plus-10.8 and allowed 57.2 points per game, the program's lowest total in 47 years.
Jones spent six seasons at two American Athletic Conference schools prior to heading to Springfield, the last four at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he played a key role in recruiting, scheduling, camps and player development and helped the Owls to a No. 7 seed in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Before his stint at Temple, Jones assisted East Carolina to 35 wins in two seasons and a WNIT second-round appearance in 2015, and was an assistant men's coach at his alma mater, Francis Marion University, for five seasons from 2009-14. While at the NCAA Division II institution, Jones was pivotal in developing recruiting strategies, individual workouts, academic support and summer camps. The Patriots posted a 73-63 record during his tenure.
Jones also served as a team assistant for three years with the Detroit Pistons and one year with the Miami Heat at the NBA Summer League between 2009 and 2013. His duties included facilitating on-court drills and providing support to the head coaches and players during games.
As a player, Jones was a member of Francis Marion's basketball team from 2007-09, where he started 47 games during his two seasons. As a senior, he shot 57.6 percent from the field and ranked second in assists and sixth in steals in the Peach Belt Conference. He played his first two years at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., where he averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game in 2006-07 and earned first-team all-conference recognition and was all-region honorable mention.
A native of Las Vegas, Jones earned a Bachelor's Degree in business administration from Francis Marion in 2010. He and his wife, Leeza, have three sons, Crayton "Cinco", Cayson, and Cai.
"I am so happy to welcome CJ and his family to our Gators' Women's Basketball family," said Reiss. "CJ has proven himself as a program builder, and has led multiple teams to NCAA Tournament appearances. He values the importance of being a true student athlete and the importance of high academic achievement. CJ is a relationship builder, tireless recruiter and premier skill developer. He will pour into our student athletes, and help them attain success on the court and in the classroom."
"I'm honored and thankful for the opportunity to join this amazing staff that Coach Reiss is assembling," said Jones. "Her passion and commitment to development on and off the court is special, and speaks volumes to her continued success. This is a special opportunity to be part of a program with a strong vision, a commitment to excellence, and a culture built on toughness and development. My family and I are excited to experience Gators Nation and join the Gainesville community."
Jones makes his way to Gainesville after four years as a member of the Virginia coaching staff. While there, the team improved its win total each season, culminating in 2025-26 when the Cavaliers earned their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in seven years, and advanced to the Sweet 16. UVa went 22-12 during the season, and was ranked as high as 19th in the nation. That marked the most wins in a campaign for the Cavs, and their first national ranking, since the 2011-12 campaign. The team's 11 ACC victories were the program's highest total since the 1999-2000 season.
This past season, Jones was also selected to participate in the 2026 WBCA Next Generation Institute — a high-level educational program for experienced assistant coaches who aspire to become collegiate head coaches. The curriculum of the WBCA Next Generation Institute focuses on the CEO attributes needed to lead a program and be a problem-solver in today's ever-changing landscape of higher education and the enterprise of intercollegiate athletics.
Prior to working at Virginia, Jones served as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Missouri State. While there, he helped the Lady Bears to a 23-3 record and NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in his first season on staff, and saw post pupil Jasmine Franklin pick up Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year laurels. Additionally, Brice Calip was named the MVC Player of the Year, and the Lady Bears earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, matching the best in program history.
The Lady Bears ended the 2020-21 season ranked 14th in the USA Coaches Poll and 20th by the Association Press, took a 19-game winning streak into the Sweet 16 and posted the first unbeaten conference (16-0) and road (11-0) records in program history. Missouri State also set a school record for rebound margin at plus-10.8 and allowed 57.2 points per game, the program's lowest total in 47 years.
Jones spent six seasons at two American Athletic Conference schools prior to heading to Springfield, the last four at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he played a key role in recruiting, scheduling, camps and player development and helped the Owls to a No. 7 seed in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Before his stint at Temple, Jones assisted East Carolina to 35 wins in two seasons and a WNIT second-round appearance in 2015, and was an assistant men's coach at his alma mater, Francis Marion University, for five seasons from 2009-14. While at the NCAA Division II institution, Jones was pivotal in developing recruiting strategies, individual workouts, academic support and summer camps. The Patriots posted a 73-63 record during his tenure.
Jones also served as a team assistant for three years with the Detroit Pistons and one year with the Miami Heat at the NBA Summer League between 2009 and 2013. His duties included facilitating on-court drills and providing support to the head coaches and players during games.
As a player, Jones was a member of Francis Marion's basketball team from 2007-09, where he started 47 games during his two seasons. As a senior, he shot 57.6 percent from the field and ranked second in assists and sixth in steals in the Peach Belt Conference. He played his first two years at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., where he averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game in 2006-07 and earned first-team all-conference recognition and was all-region honorable mention.
A native of Las Vegas, Jones earned a Bachelor's Degree in business administration from Francis Marion in 2010. He and his wife, Leeza, have three sons, Crayton "Cinco", Cayson, and Cai.
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