SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San José State women's basketball program names Emily Ben-Jumbo to April Phillips' coaching staff as assistant coach, San José State Athletics officials announced on Thursday. Ben-Jumbo comes to San José after one season as an assistant coach at Pepperdine University in Malibu.
"Emily has a great heart, warm spirit and amazing energy," said Coach Phillips. "She will be awesome for our young ladies both on and off the floor. Having played professionally internationally, she understands what the journey of getting to the next level looks like. She has a work ethic that will make us better every day. I am super excited for her to join our program."
Ben-Jumbo has spent eight seasons in the West Coast Conference. She was an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount in 2019-20 and 2020-21 and was the program's Director of Operations in 2018-19. She's also an alum and former student-athlete with the Lions. During her coaching tenure at LMU, she helped the Lions to their first postseason appearance in 14 years when the team played in the 2019 WNIT. In 2021, she mentored one Lion to all-conference honors, while another received WCC All-Tournament honors, the school's first since 2013.
"I am so blessed to have the opportunity to work with Coach April Phillips," said Ben-Jumbo. "When charting a path, the wisest among us seek out the wisdom of those who have blazed trails before them. For me, as a young coach in this game, Coach AP is one whose wisdom and experience I have sought out from day one, and one whose leadership I have always looked up to. She has been a role model to me since the day I entered the field of coaching and she continues to be, still. Coach AP has always been a catalyst for positive change. She is a visionary with an irrefutable work ethic and is most certainly destined for greatness. To say I am honored to be a part of her staff is an understatement. I am thankful for the opportunity to help her build a successful program, and to work alongside the brilliant people she has chosen to be in the room to make it happen. I am excited to be on this journey and grateful for the chance to join my efforts with those who hold a similar championship mentality. Coach AP, thank you for who you are and what you are doing for the game of women's basketball. You are our living history, and I look forward to making history with you!"
- Ben-Jumbo also has a wealth of coaching experience at the youth and high school levels
- She is a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer with a specialization in performance enhancement and corrective exercises
- She played professionally in Luxembourg (2016-17) and Argentina (2017) where she averaged a double-double in both leagues and helped lead her team to the league finals in Argentina.
- Ben-Jumbo earned her master's degree in business management and entrepreneurship from Durham University in England in 2016 where she played for the women's basketball team that season, which was the top-ranked squad in the conference and reached the finals.
Originally from Tualatin, Ore., Ben-Jumbo graduated from Loyola Marymount in 2015 with a degree in communication. She played 119 games in her four-year career, which ranked her among the program's top-10 all-time in games played. Among other accolades, she received All-WCC honorable mention notice as a senior in 2015 and also earned a spot on the WCC's All-Academic team that year. In 2014, she received the WCC's individual sportsmanship award. Ben-Jumbo was team captain beginning as a sophomore.
What they are saying about Coach Ben-Jumbo
Kristen Dowling, Head Coach Pepperdine Women's Basketball
"Emily is a star. Any program is lucky to have her. The players will love her. She is a great position coach. We will greatly miss her."
Jhasmin Player, Oklahoma State Women's Basketball Associate Head Coach
"Emily will be a great asset to the SJSU Program and the San Jose community. Emily is a consummate professional and a tireless worker. Emily's ability to relate to the student-athletes while maintaining a high degree of professionalism and knowledge for the game makes her a very great coach in this business. Emily has a bright future ahead of her, and each and every student-athlete she gets the chance to coach will be very lucky to have her."
Brian Rosario, Recruiting Coordinator and Assistant Coach – Pepperdine Women's Basketball
"When recruiting a player, it's forever. Their commitment to you for four years is a lifetime commitment to them. Emily will forever be part of the LMU and Pepperdine bloodline. April Phillips and the Spartan family has someone who is dedicated, forward-thinking, and genuine. I'm excited for their future!"
William D Parham, Ph.D., ABPP, Professor, Loyola Marymount University | Director, Mental Health and Wellness Program | National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)
"San Jose State athletics just hit the jackpot! The Spartans couldn't have selected a more gifted, passionate, and respectful colleague whose quiet-storm demeanor compliments her style, grace, character, and consciousness. Emily Ben-Jumbo is the real deal whose signature imprint on the lives of all who enter her circle of influence will be unmistakable."
Kelly Dormandy, University of Georgia – Director of Women's Soccer and Gymnastics Sports Performance, Former LA Sparks Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
"Coach Jumbo is a rising young Coach with a bright future ahead of her! Her passion is contagious, and her work ethic is unparalleled. Most importantly, her purpose extends beyond the game and lies in her ability to impact impressionable young women. I look forward to watching the immeasurable impact Coach Jumbo has on the SJSU Women's Basketball program!"
Bryon Sheng, Chief Marketing Officer, BeastMode Marketing & Head Coach, Oregon Reign Basketball
"Emily has a heart and work ethic like no other. She's proven that as a player and a coach. She always played the game with passion to win and gave her teams 100% every time she was on the court. I have seen her attack the game the same way as a coach, applying these same strengths into strategy, scouting, and recruiting."
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