This article is one in a series of features produced in partnership with the Southwestern Athletic Conference, exploring the history of the SWAC from its founding in 1920 to the present day. The series will run during the months of April and May.
HBCUs have a rich history of dominant track & field programs, some of which have rewritten the record books, setting marks that have not been matched in the decades since. This can be attributed to the long line of Hall of Fame coaches who have built foundations that have not only led to long-lasting impact in the college ranks, but in the sport in general.
The SWAC has several names that fit that build, including Dave Bethany, Johnny Thomas, Ritchie Beene, and Clyde Duncan Sr., to name a few. However, arguably the most influential track & field coach the SWAC has seen is Barbara Jacket, who built the Prairie View A&M women’s track program from the ground up into a powerhouse that has stood the test of time.
From Tuskegee to Prairie View: The Making of a Coach
Before embarking on a career as Prairie View A&M’s track & field coach, Jacket had a standout college career as a track & field athlete at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University). Coached by Hall of Fame coach Nell Jackson, the first African American to coach the U.S. Olympic track & field team, she competed as a shot putter.
Jacket qualified for the American Athletic Union (AAU) National Championships in all four years at Tuskegee, notably finishing sixth in the shot put and baseball throw in 1955. She also competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1956 and was named the Most Outstanding Athlete by Tuskegee in 1958. She was inducted into the Tuskegee Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987.
Jacket found her way to Prairie View A&M in 1964 when she was hired as a swimming instructor, eventually taking on the role of track & field and cross country coach the following year.
Building a Dynasty: Nine Straight NAIA Titles and Counting
In her 26 years as a track & field coach at PVAMU, the Tuskegee alum set a new standard of excellence that few collegiate programs have matched since.
The Panthers ran the SWAC, winning nine indoor track & field championships, eight cross country championships, and five outdoor track & field championships (two by men). Their dominance extended beyond the conference level, claiming nine straight NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field championships from 1982 to 1990, setting an NAIA record that still stands to this day.
They also claimed three NAIA Women’s Indoor Championships (1984, 1987, 1991) and two AIAW Outdoor Champions (1974, 1976).
This run is highlighted by 58 individual event championships (second-most in NAIA history), having won at least five in 1982-1984, 1985, and 1987. Prairie View’s most impressive display was showcased in the sprinting events, with three different athletes winning double championships in the 100m and 200m at the NAIA Outdoor Championships (Casandra Graham, 1982; Sheila Laborne, 1983; Deirdre Jackson, 1985).
In 1986, Prairie View A&M became the first program to win at least five individual events at the indoor and outdoor championships, respectively, in the same year. Jacket was named SWAC Coach of the Year 23 times in her 26 years at PV and was named NAIA Coach of the Year five times.
The Athletes Who Carried the Legacy
Among the top performers for the Panthers during the Jacket era, LaVonda Luckett ranks among the most accomplished, ruling over the middle distances in her college career. She won three straight NAIA indoor championships in the 600-yard run from 1985 to 1987 and four straight outdoor titles in the 400-meter hurdles from 1984 to 1987. In addition to winning championships at the collegiate level, many of the top athletes who competed under Coach Jacket during this time would parlay their talents to success at the international level.
Essie Kelley, who qualified for multiple AIAW championship finals in the 400m and 800m, won a pair of gold medals in the 800m and 4×400 relay at the 1979 Pan American Games. Also, Debra Sapenter, who was a member of the 1974 AIAW Outdoor Championship team, was a member of the United States’ 4×400 relay team that won silver at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Coach Jacket would get calls from the international ranks herself, notably being named an assistant coach at the 1979 Pan American Games and heading the U.S. team at the 1987 International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championships.
After officially announcing her retirement as Prairie View A&M’s track & field coach in 1991, Jacket received the ultimate honor of following in the footsteps of her former collegiate coach, being named the coach of the women’s track & field team at the 1992 Summer Olympics, becoming just the second African American to do so. There, she guided legends in the sport such as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Gail Devers, Evelyn Ashford, and Gwen Torrence to gold medals at the Summer Games.
In 1990, Jacket was named the athletic director at Prairie View, becoming the only woman to serve in that position at a SWAC institution at the time. She would serve in that role for five years.
In addition to being inducted into the Prairie View A&M Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, Jacket was also inducted into the SWAC and NAIA Hall of Fame, respectively, in 1993, the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, and the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame in 2001.
