South Georgia Technical College proudly holds the distinction of being the first institution in the Technical College System of Georgia to offer intercollegiate athletics. As a Division I member of both the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA), the college features men’s and women’s intercollegiate basketball programs. The athletic teams are known as the Jets and Lady Jets, and their mascot is ACE.

A Legacy of Excellence

Founded in 2004, our program has established a strong tradition in NJCAA Division I competition. It began under the leadership of our first head coach, Brandon Harrell, who guided the team to its first national playoff appearance in 2010. He was succeeded by James Frey, who served as head coach from 2013 to 2023, leading the team to multiple national tournaments.

Currently, Jason Carpenter serves as the athletic director and head coach, and Olivia Melvin is the assistant coach.

The program has gained national recognition, making five appearances in the NJCAA National Tournament. After Coach Harrell’s initial success, Coach Frey led the team back to the tournament in 2014 and 2015. The team continued to excel, returning in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Although the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team made a strong return in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, they spent nine weeks ranked #1 in the nation and advanced to the national tournament, reaching the Elite Eight in both 2015 and 2023.

Since 2001, South Georgia Technical College has celebrated the achievements of 15 female basketball players who have earned NJCAA All-American honors. The award recipients include:

Alexia Dizeko (2021, 2022)
Fanta Gassama (2021, 2022)
Moe Shida (2020)
Shamari Tyson (2019)
Yasriyyah Wazeerud-Din (2019)
Alyssa Nieves (2018)
Esther Aderinto (2017)
Desiree Corbin (2016)
Angela Tompkins (2015)
TaQuandra Mike (2014)
Shamekia “Polly” Murray (2013)
Shontae McCall (2011)
Ophelia McMath (2010)
Deatric Smith (2009)
Alice Holmes (2007)

National Junior College Athletic Association Photo

Join us as we continue to build on our legacy of excellence!