Coach Dannton Jackson, a key figure in the athletics program at Talladega College, achieved a remarkable career milestone earlier this month as he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at his alma mater, Xavier University of Louisiana, on November 7. The ceremony celebrated his perennial legacy and contributions to collegiate sports, cementing his status as a trailblazer in the world of athletics.
A 1992 graduate of Xavier University, Jackson's journey has been nothing short of inspiring. The Los Angeles native played on the men's team before earning his bachelor of arts degree in political science and later a master of arts in education administration in the mid-90s. Jackson believes that his path from LA to XULA–the only historically Black Catholic university in the United States began with his parents in The Big Easy decades before. "I think this journey started in 1958, before I was born. My mother is from New Orleans, and my dad is from Selma, Alabama. They both met at Xavier [where] my dad played sports, and my mom was a student. My story started before I was even born. So, becoming a legacy student-athlete at Xavier after my parents went there–it means a lot," he said.
Jackson's passion for the game became evident beyond his undergraduate years after spending some time shadowing assistant coach Anthony Roman in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circles, leading him to pursue a career that would leave a lasting impact on collegiate basketball. The Hall of Fame inductee feels that's when he ultimately landed on a career in coaching.
"It's interesting because I remember my junior year when I was playing at Xavier, it hit me–I'm not very good [at basketball], but a guy named Anthony Roman, he was an assistant men's coach at the time, and he said 'I coach a youth AAU team, why don't you come hang out with me for the day,' and I think that's where the seed was planted in me to start coaching. My dad was a coach in California, so I was introduced to it [through him], but I think the real seed was planted by Roman," Jackson recalls.
Upon sharing the recent news of his induction into XULA's Athletic Hall of Fame, Jackson reveals the congratulatory call-to-action he received in response from the mentor. "He texted me congratulations, and I said, 'This all started because of you.' What he said to me was, 'Pass it on,'" said Jackson.
Jackson began passing it on once he made his transition into coaching full-time at his alma mater, starting with his first job as an assistant women's basketball coach given to him by longtime mentor and late friend Janice Joseph-Richard. "Janice had a huge influence on me. She gave me my first job. I think it's so important for others to see women making an impact in sports," Jackson reflected. As he continued gaining momentum at the institution, Coach Jackson went on to juggle many hats in Xavier University's sphere of sports. From head men's and women's cross country coach, assistant men's basketball coach then associate basketball coach under another mentor, Dale Valdery. "Dale Valdery and Janice Joseph-Richard were instrumental in getting me started and giving me the foundation that I have for coaching basketball. I still use what they taught me everywhere I go, from UAB to New Albany to Talladega. Their foundation is with me every step of the way," Jackson stated. His dedication and ability to develop players quickly became apparent, earning him a promotion to head coach in 2002.
For more than a decade, Jackson transformed Xavier's men's basketball program into a powerhouse. Tallying an impressive 294-130 career record, solidifying him as XULA's all-time winningest head coach in men's basketball. His teams have reached 20 victories 11 times, won five Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championships — three in a row from 2011-14 — and qualified for NAIA nationals ten times, including each of his final six seasons. His Gold Rush were 294-130 (.693) in 13 seasons (2002-05, 2006-16) and averaged 22.6 victories per season. Additionally, he served two terms as athletic director at Xavier University and was the first African-American to serve as the president of men's basketball for the NAIA Division I and Division II.
As a standout student-athlete during his college years, he excelled on the basketball court, earning recognition for his leadership, dedication, and sportsmanship. Those foundational years set the stage for his exemplary coaching career, marked by numerous achievements and accolades–like becoming a Xavier University Louisiana 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. "You know, it's very humbling, it's an honor to be inducted, and it's a special place–to be my alma mater. Also, to be inducted with one of [my] former players, it's really special. I think the most special part about the night was the people in attendance. It was the people I did the journey with, the faculty and staff that supported me, and the people at my alma mater that brought me up. I had a lot of dads and moms on campus, and the former players that played for me that came back. To see what the players are doing and the impact I've made in their lives and the impact they've made in mine was really, really special. It's one thing to be inducted, but it's [also something about] the people that I did life with and that were with me on the journey. Those were everlasting memories that will be with us as we continue to do life together."
Jackson later went on to hold coaching positions at the University at Albany and the University of Alabama Birmingham, respectively. He also boasts multiple players under his wing to go on to pursue head coaching careers of their own, including fellow 2024 inductee Shaun Dumas as well as Landon Bussie at Alcorn State among others. Not only that, Jackson has coached one of the top AAU basketball teams and has mentored over eight NBA players throughout his decorated career.
Now at Talladega College, Jackson continues to inspire the next generation of athletes despite the many trials they face off the court. Instead of staying true to the age-old mantra, 'one game at a time,' he encourages his players to see every good and positive decision or experience daily as a win. "I think it's one practice at a time and one day at a time for us. I told my guys that we always have opportunities, and today, our opportunity is to get a little better at practice. Today, our opportunity is to go to class on time. Today, our opportunity is to be excellent where our feet are. Then we will worry about tomorrow as it comes. We are at the service of the process, and I think at times we look at the beginning of the road, and there's so much journey, so many tests and challenges in the middle. So, I think the best thing is to enjoy the process and the work of getting up, going to practice, getting better, and watching the film–that's the part that I enjoy the most about this journey and being in the locker room when you're having these teachable moments."
Jackson emphasizes the broader value of athletics beyond wins and losses. He highlights the importance of leveraging sports to teach leadership, resilience, and personal growth to young athletes. Jackson stresses that while games are often judged by outcomes, the real victories lie in the lessons learned and the opportunities to shape young men into leaders. This perspective challenges the focus on competition alone, urging a return to the deeper educational purpose of college sports.
"A lot of people coming to the games just see the parts of the games, there's a win, there's a loss. But there's so many wins that go into each obstacle when you're coaching young people, and I think we have to take advantage of that. I think that we have to look at athletics on college campuses, what it's supposed to teach us, and what it's supposed to put into our young men in terms of leadership. I think that's one thing that's been lost in athletics because we focus on the loss so much, but there's so much leadership opportunity to invest in young people," he said.
Talladega College interim athletic director Loretta Martin touts that Jackson's track record in meeting young men where they are and helping build them up is one of the reasons he's such an asset to the men's basketball program and Talladega community at large. "Coach Jackson's lifelong coaching expertise in building young boys into men is nothing short of amazing. His [Hall of Fame] recognition will allow these young men to believe in themselves and know one day this can be them," she said.
Coach Jackson's induction into Xavier's Athletic Hall of Fame is a testament to his lifelong commitment to the sport and his profound impact on the communities he has unselfishly served.
To see the full list of 2024 inductees, visit XULA announces Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024: Nour Abbes, Shaun Dumas, Eddie Flint, Dannton Jackson and Demetria Lang; banquet Nov. 7.
