| THE JILLSON FILE |
College: Hardin Simmons
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Experience: 19th Season (All at TWU) |
| HONORS |
Lone Star Conference Noel Johnson Coach of the Year
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
WBCA COACH OF THE YEAR FINALIST - 2023-24, 2024-25 |
| YEAR-BY-YEAR REVIEW |
| Year |
Record |
Highlights |
| 2007-08 |
12-15 (7-7) |
|
| 2008-09 |
16-11 (7-7) |
|
| 2009-10 |
15-12 (9-5) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament |
| 2010-11 |
22-11 (10-4) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament Champions, South Central Regional |
| 2011-12 |
13-14 (8-12) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament |
| 2012-13 |
7-19 (5-11) |
|
| 2013-14 |
16-12 (10-6) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament |
| 2014-15 |
16-13 (8-8) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament |
| 2015-16 |
21-10 (10-6) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament, South Central Regional |
| 2016-17 |
18-11 (11-9) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament |
| 2017-18 |
11-16 (8-12) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament |
| 2018-19 |
10-19 (7-13) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament |
| 2019-20 |
10-16 (8-14) |
|
| 2020-21 |
5-9 (5-9) |
|
| 2021-22 |
20-9 (12-3) |
Lone Star Conference Tournament
South Central Regional
NCAA Tournament Win |
| 2022-23 |
26-6 (19-3) |
Lone Star Conference Champions
LSC Tournament Runner Up
South Central Regional |
| 2023-24 |
34-5 (20-2) |
Lone Star Conference Champions
LSC Tournament Champions
South Central Regional Champions
NCAA Tournament Championship Runner Up |
| 2024-25 |
33-2 (21-1) |
Lone Star Conference Champions
LSC Tournament Champions
South Central Regional Runner-Up |
| TOTAL |
|
|
| 18 Yrs. |
305-210 |
|
Beth Jillson became the Texas Woman's basketball head coach in 2007. During her time at TWU, Jillson has pioneered historical finishes and record breaking seasons.
She became the all-time winningest basketball coach in Pioneer basketball history when TWU defeated Texas A&M-Commerce Dec. 13, 2011 by a score of 72-58.
She surpassed 300 career wins in the Pioneers win over UT Tyler on Feb. 27, 2024 to clinch the Pioneers third straight Lone Star Conference Regular Season Title. During the 2024-25 season, she also led the Pioneers to a second straight LSC Tournament Title and a second straight NCAA South Central Regional No. 1 seed. The Pioneers made the Sweet Sixteen for the second straight season and recorded their fewest losses in program history.
TWU topped off a historic 2023-24 season under Jillson with a trip to the NCAA Tournament South Central Regional Championship as a one seed for the first time in program history. Jillson and the Pioneers finished with a program best 34-5 record, claiming LSC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and the South Central Regional Championship after defeating UT Tyler, 65-51, in the final.
Jillson helped coach an WBCA and D2CCA All-American in Ashley Ingram, who was the first ever LSC Player of the Year for the Pioneers. Jillson has led the Pioneers to three tournament titles all-time and to a National Championship Runner-Up finish. In 2023-24, she was the LSC Coach of the Year for the third straight year and a WBCA National Coach of the Year finalist.
In 2021-22, Jillson led the Pioneers to their third NCAA National Tournament appearance in program history. TWU received their highest seed in the South Central Regional Tournament (fourth). At the 2022 Regional Tournament, the Pioneers won their first NCAA Tournament game in program history, defeating MSU-Denver 90-83 in overtime. TWU tied their fewest losses in program history (nine) and set a new record for lowest number of turnovers in program history (437). During the season, the Pioneers defeated the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time in program history, beating Texas A&M-Commerce on Feb. 22, 2022 in Commerce, Texas 57-54.
Jillson also recorded her 200th career win on Jan. 6, 2022 against St. Mary's in KMA, 69-56.
The Pioneers were picked to finish 11th in the Lone Star Conference in 2021-22, but the Pioneers finished second in the regular season. Jillson was named the Lone Star Conference Noel Johnson Coach of the Year.
Jillson has led the Pioneers to the program’s only NCAA National Tournament appearances, 2010-11, 2015-16 and 2021-22, as well as basketball’s first LSC Championship in 2010-11. Under Jillson, the Pioneers have garnered several postseason awards including: 121 Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll selections, 21 D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards, 20 All-LSC selections, four All-LSC Defensive Team honorees, four All-Region picks, three WBCA Academic Top-25 rankings (including the highest team GPA in school history with a 3.595 in 2014-15), two LSC Newcomers of the Year, three LSC Freshmen of the Year, one LSC Defensive Player of the Year, one LSC All-Academic Team award and two Academic All-District distinction.
Records set during Jillson’s tenure are highlighted by: 13 individual records (single-game, single-season or career); 12 team records (single-game or single-season); best start in school history (13-2 start in 2015-16); longest win streak (11 straight wins from Nov. 24, 2015-Jan. 5, 2016); most wins (22 in 2010-11); tied fewest losses (9 in 2021-22).
Jillson came to TWU on August 17, 2007, with an extensive amount of collegiate basketball coaching and administrative experience. From July 2006 - June 2007, she was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Charleston Southern University, an NCAA Division I school in Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to her stint at CSU, she was the assistant coach for one year (2005-06) at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, New Mexico. From 2002-05, she worked for the Oklahoma State University women’s basketball program. After a one-year term as the Cowgirls’ graduate assistant coach, she stepped up to become OSU’s Director of Basketball Operations for two seasons (2003-05). Jillson earned a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science from OSU in May 2005.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Jillson played college basketball at Weatherford (Texas) College for two seasons (1997-99) before playing two years (1999-01) at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. A talented shooting guard, Jillson served as team captain and helped lead her team to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight in 2000. She earned American Southwest All-Conference and Academic All-Conference honors in 2001. After completing her playing career in the winter of 2001, Jillson stayed with the HSU program as the Cowgirls’ student assistant coach for the 2001-02 season. In the spring of 2002, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and briefly filled the role as HSU’s interim head coach before leaving for Oklahoma State.
Jillson is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and has also participated in the 2001 Baden Coaching Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada. From 1999-2005, she was the Co-Director of Camp Goodenough, a summer basketball camp hosted by Jillson’s mentor, Julie Goodenough. Jillson also holds AAU coaching experience.
Jillson and her husband, Zane, a football coach at John H. Guyer High School, make their home in Denton with their daughter, Madison, and son, Paxton.
