ATLANTA – Belmont University women's basketball's Tuti Jones is a Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) "So You Want To Be A Coach" program graduate. The 23rd "So You Want To Be A Coach" program graduates were announced by the WBCA Tuesday afternoon.
 
Jones, a graduate guard, attended the two-day workshop last Friday and Saturday, April 3-4 during the 2026 WBCA Convention in Phoenix, which was held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four.
 
The "So You Want To Be A Coach" program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women's basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women's basketball.
 
"The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the 'So You Want To Be A Coach' program," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women's basketball."
 
"So You Want To Be A Coach" program participants learn about the administrative side of coaching, recruiting, how to get hired, skill development, the importance of knowing the rules, and how to balance work and life.
 
Participants must have exhausted their final year of basketball eligibility at a four-year institution or have graduated within the past year and must be nominated by their WBCA-member head coach. Each participant is selected based on her academics, contributions to women's basketball on and off the court, professional résumé and a written recommendation from their head coach.
 
The 2025-26 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Jones is a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America^® finalist and the only Bruin in Belmont's NCAA era to record 1,500 points, distribute 500 assists and gather 700 rebounds. A three-time MVC Scholar-Athlete Team member, two-time Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Scholar-Athlete Team selection and three-time Academic All-District^® honoree, Jones was the 2024 DI-AAA ADA Postgraduate Scholarship award winner.
 
Named All-MVC Second Team this past season, Jones landed a spot on the MVC All-Defensive Team for a third consecutive year. The Troy, Alabama (Charles Henderson HS), native broke the Bruins' all-time steals record on Jan. 15 in a win at Indiana State and finished her illustrious career with a school-record 449 steals.
 
Jones finished with 1,766 points, 729 rebounds and 520 assists. Her 169 games played rank fourth-most all-time in NCAA Division I women's basketball history and her 168 starts are also a program record.
 
After graduating with her bachelor's degree in sport administration in May of 2024, Jones is in her final semester of graduate school. She is set to receive her master's degree in sport administration in May and owns a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
 
Visit WBCA.org for more information on the "So You Want To Be A Coach" program.
 
About the WBCA
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
 
How to Follow
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