CASTLETON, Vt. — Director of Athletics Tim Barrett announced that Jessica (née Banks) Turner '09 has been appointed Head Women's Basketball Coach at Vermont State University Castleton. Turner returns to her alma mater as the 14th head coach in the program's 45-year history.
"We are pleased to welcome Jessica Turner back to Castleton as our next head women's basketball coach," said Barrett. "Jessica's proven success as a head coach, her commitment to academic and athletic excellence, and her deep connection to Castleton make her an outstanding fit to lead our program. We are confident she will positively impact our student-athletes and continue to build on the strong tradition of Spartan women's basketball."
Turner joins Castleton following two years with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), where she coordinated the organization's All-Star Game and Special Projects.
"I am truly honored and grateful to be selected as the next head coach of the Castleton Women's Basketball program," said Turner. "As an alumna, Castleton has always been home to me and has shaped me in countless ways. I am the person I am today because of my time at Castleton, which makes this opportunity especially meaningful."
Previously, Turner served as head coach at Skidmore College from 2018 to 2024, compiling a 75–56 record. She led the Thoroughbreds to postseason appearances in every season aside from those impacted by COVID and parlayed a pair of 16-2 conference records into back-to-back Liberty League Championship game appearances in 2022–23 and 2023–24. In 2022–23, Skidmore achieved a program-record 23 wins and its first NCAA Tournament victory with a first-round win over Johns Hopkins. For these reasons, Turner earned recognition as the d3hoops.com Region III Coach of the Year and she and her staff were named the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year.
Turner's tenure at Skidmore also included the development of the Liberty League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2023–24, in addition to multiple All-Conference selections. Her team consistently excelled academically, culminating in a conference-leading number of All-Academic honorees in her final season where it earned a spot on the WBCA Academic Top 25, ranking #9 with a team GPA of 3.754.
Before Skidmore, Turner spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Middlebury College from 2013 to 2018, contributing to 64 wins, four consecutive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament appearances, a No. 14 ranking in the 2016–17 WBCA Division III Academic Top 25, and helping develop the 2016 NESCAC Rookie of the Year. Off the court, Turner was a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in the Middlebury athletic department and assisted in overseeing game-day operations for various varsity athletic teams.
Turner began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Green Mountain College (2010–13) and also coached with the Spartan AAU program.
A 2009 Castleton graduate, Turner was inducted into the Castleton Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 following a distinguished playing career. A three-time North Atlantic Conference All-Conference selection and two-time first-team honoree, she was also twice named team MVP. Turner concluded her career ranked among the program's top five in scoring (1,120 points) and assists (426).
Turner will officially assume her duties as head coach on July 20, beginning her tenure as the newest member of the Castleton athletic department.
"I would like to thank Tim Barrett for this tremendous opportunity and for his confidence in me," Turner said. "The Castleton community is one that cares deeply and takes immense pride in its athletic programs. I am excited to invest in our student-athletes and continue building a program that reflects the values, toughness, and excellence that define what is means to be a Spartan."
