Jackie Manuel joined the Valparaiso University men’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach in April of 2016.

Manuel comes to Valpo after spending the last four years as an assistant coach under former teammate Wes Miller at UNC Greensboro. Last season, Manuel helped lead the Spartans to their first postseason bid since 2002, as UNCG advanced to the second round of the College Basketball Invitational. Over his four years, five Spartan players earned All-Southern Conference accolades, including a trio of First Team honorees.

Prior to arriving at UNCG, Manuel served one season as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater, North Carolina. There, he prepared and assisted with the execution of the strength training workout plan for the men’s basketball team while learning the ropes of coaching from Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams. The Tar Heels won 32 games and the ACC regular-season title while advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight in Manuel’s season on staff.

Before embarking on his coaching career, Manuel played professionally for five seasons. He spent the 2010-11 season playing for the Miyazaki Shining Suns in Miyazaki, Japan, averaging 18 points per game. Prior to that, he spent four seasons in the NBA Development League, playing for the Erie Bayhawks (the minor league affiliate of the New York Knicks), the Iowa Energy (Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards) and the Los Angeles D-Fenders (Los Angeles Lakers).

A 2005 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Manuel earned All-ACC Defensive Team honors in each of his final two seasons. He was a tri-captain for North Carolina’s national championship squad in 2005.

Manuel and his wife, Ronda Jae, have two daughters: Ryann and Kameron.