Jessica Cousins joined the NSU track and field staff in the fall of 2015.
Cousins’ second season with the Sharks saw great success in the relays and hurdles with seven national qualifiers, three participants and one All-American. Eric Moate competed in the 100m dash while Rohan Mullings and Sherrelle Jordan ran in the hurdles. The women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay dominated the season as both teams won the Peach Belt Conference Championship.
The hurdles dominated by Jordan and Shakira Bartley as both claimed gold and silver in the 100m hurdles at PBC. Bartley also defended her title in the 400m hurdles breaking her own record in the process. The men’s side saw one of the oldest record in program history disappear as a new 1600m sprint medley time was established, a record that stood since 2011.
At the PBC, Moate established a new school and championship record in the 100m dash. Mullings did the same in the 110m hurdles with a new championship and school record along with a first place finish. Mullings went on to establish a new school record, 14.27s at the Aggie Last Chance Meet.
As an assistant specializing in sprints, Cousins helped multiple runners break Peach Belt Conference records in her first season with the Sharks. In addition, Cousins guided NSU to a PBC championship in the 4x100m relays as well as the 100m and 400m hurdles - earning national championship bids in the process. The Sharks also landed nine runners on all-region teams in the same year.
Cousins arrived at NSU from Howard University, where she spent three years as the assistant coach and Director of Operations of their men’s and women’s track and field teams.
Originally from South Carolina, Cousins earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas, and was twice named All-American while competing with the Razorbacks. Cousins placed second in both the 2007 SEC Indoor Championships in Lexington, Ky. and the SEC Outdoor Championships that same season in Auburn, Ala. At the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Sacramento, Calif., she placed fourth.
After graduation, Cousins stayed at Arkansas and served as an academic advisor for one season and as a volunteer assistant coach for five seasons, while also competing as an athlete on USA Track and Field Elite team. She participated in the 2010 USA Indoor Championships, as well as for the 2010 and 2012 USA World Indoor Track and Field teams and the 2011 USA Pan American team. As an alternate on the 2010 USA World team, she placed first in the 4x400 in Doha, Qatar.
Prior to attending Arkansas, Cousins was a member of the Clemson Tigers track and field squad and was a 2003 ACC Champion in the 4x4 relay.
