Michelle Bento-Jackson joined the Dustdevils as head coach of the TAMIU women’s basketball team in 2012. The 2013-14 Heartland Conference Coach of the Year, Bento-Jackson brings 15 years of coaching experience to the Dustdevils program, all of which were at the Division I level.
The 2013-14 season heralded unprecedented success under Bento-Jackson's direction. The Dustdevils produced a program-best 19-9 record en route to the team's first Heartland Conference regular season championship (15-5) and its historic first-ever appearance in the NCAA Divsision II tournament at-large bid. TAMIU also produced its first All-American in Malika Jackson while both Jackson and Samantha Chacon earned All-Heartland and All-South Central Region acclaim.
In her first season, coach Bento-Jackson went 10-16 overall and 5-7 in the Heartland Conference in 2012-13.
Prior to joining the Dustdevils, Bento-Jackson served as the director of the MBJ Basketball and Player Development program. She worked with both females and males. Her program primarily focused on player development and the mentoring of student-athletes in recruiting and in developing to be the best player they can be.
Her most recent head coaching job was at Division-I Santa Clara University, where she spent six seasons accumulating a record of 98-85, with three postseason appearances. In the 2005-06 season, Bento-Jackson was named West Coast Conference Coach of the Year after leading Santa Clara to a regular season conference championship and an appearance in the WNIT Tournament. In her 2004 campaign, the Broncos advanced to the NCAA Tournament after winning the West Coast Conference tournament championship. After winning 20 games in the 2002-03 season. her Bronco team was invited to the WNIT tournament. In her six years with Santa Clara, Bento-Jackson led her team to three WCC Tournament Championship games, had 15 players named to the WCC All-Conference team, six players named to the WCC All-Academic Team and one player was chosen as WCC Player of the Year. Additionally, in four out of her six years at Santa Clara University, her teams finished in the top 5 in the country in 3-point field goals made with the best season being in 2005-2006 where her team finished 1st in the country.
Bento-Jackson joined Santa Clara after spending four seasons on the women's basketball coaching staff at Syracuse University, under veteran coach Marianna Freeman, and was promoted to Associate Head Coach just prior to joining the Broncos. She played a major role in all organizational, management and administration areas of the program.
Bento-Jackson served as the recruiting coordinator, worked with the Syracuse perimeter players and coordinated opponent scouting. During her tenure, Bento-Jackson coached three perimeter players who were invited to the WNBA pre-draft camp and one player who was invited to the USA Junior World Championship trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Additionally, Bento-Jackson helped lead Syracuse to three wins over top-25 teams and its first NCAA Tournament berth in 14 seasons in 2002, while her final recruiting class was ranked 15th by the All-Star Girls Reports.
Bento-Jackson, who helped guide the BIG EAST Conference all-star team to a 6-0 record in a summer tour of Germany in 2001, is now a perfect 11-0 overseas, after the Broncos went 5-0 during a 2002 tour of Italy and France.
A 1992 graduate of Fresno State University with a degree in physical education, Bento-Jackson spent the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater where she coached the perimeter players, served as scouting coordinator and directed the strength and conditioning program. She also supervised academic progress.
Prior to returning to coaching at her alma mater, Bento-Jackson spent one season as a graduate assistant and two seasons as a full-time assistant at San Jose State University. Bento-Jackson also served as the head girls' varsity softball coach at Lynbrook High School in San Jose, Calif., in 1994.
As a player at Fresno State, Bento-Jackson helped the Bulldogs basketball team to an appearance in the NIT in 1990, and was team captain and MVP of the 1991 squad. In addition, Bento-Jackson played on the Fresno State softball team, and was named to the College World Series All-Tournament team in 1992. In the spring of 2000, Bento-Jackson was invited to the WNBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago.
Bento-Jackson, husband Al Jackson and the couple's nine year-old son Brandon reside in Laredo, Texas.
