Another former San Diego prep standout, Jennifer Gross enters her second year as an assistant basketball coach at San Diego State.
Gross, in addition to her coaching and recruiting duties, serves as the team[apos]s academic point person and coordinates team travel and practices.
[quote]Jenny has continued to be a key asset in all areas of our program and has successfully made the transition to college coaching,[quote] head coach Jim Tomey said. [quote]She has proven herself in the office and on the court and has been a key part of our recruiting efforts.[quote]
A 1993 graduate of University City High, Gross led the Centurions to three Western League titles, a San Diego Section CIF title and a state semifinal appearance. A two-time Western League player of the year, Gross also earned all-CIF and all-state honors as a prep.
Following high school, Gross went on to star at UC Davis from 1993-97. A four-year starter, she set school records in assists (448) and 3-point field goals (163), and ranks second all-time in steals (300), fourth in scoring (1,243) and sixth in blocked shots (33).
As a senior in 1997, Gross led the Aggies to a 29-3 record and a spot in the NCAA Division II Final Four. She was also named honorable mention Kodak All-American that season.
After receiving her bachelor of arts in organizational studies from UC Davis in 1997, Gross played professionally in Denmark (1997-98) and in Israel (1998) before returning to San Diego and taking a coaching position at her alma mater, University City.
Gross[apos] tenure at University City as a coach was as noteworthy as her playing career. During her four-year stint at UC, which included two seasons as an assistant, Gross helped lead the Centurions to four consecutive Western League championships, four straight CIF finals and two CIF titles. She compiled an impressive 50-9 record in her two seasons as the team[apos]s head coach in 2000-02.
While coaching at University City, Gross also worked as a public relations director at Elite Racing, a sports marketing and management company in San Diego, for four years.
[quote]Having grown up here, I take tremendous pride in San Diego basketball,[quote] said Gross. [quote]I had a great experience helping girls develop at the high school level and now am extremely excited to help take this SDSU program to the next level.[quote]
Gross, 27, lives in the Mission Valley area of San Diego.