Jana Bright (2005) - Hall of Fame - Jacksonville State University Athletics

Jana Bright

Induction:
2005
Class:
1991

Jana Bright combined with her twin sister Dana to produce the most potent guard tandem in school history. Jana was named the 1987 Gulf South Conference Co-Freshman of the year along with Dana. Jana was a two-time All-Gulf South Conference team member who holds the school record for assists in a career (603) and assists in a single season with 204. The Spring Garden, Ala., native set the school record for most free throws made in a game with 22 against Livingston (West Alabama) during the 1990-91 season, a record that stood for 13 years. She averaged 6.8 assists during her senior season, also a school record. A four-year starter, she led the Gamecocks to an impressive 98-22 record, which included four trips to the NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament, including a trip to the South Regional in 1990.

Jana made her head coaching debut in 1993, leading Cherokee County High girls basketball team to the 1993 AHSAA 4A championship. The following year, she was named the head coach of Jacksonville State’s young softball program, beginning a 31-year run that developed Jax State into a regional power and cemented Coach (McGinnis) as one of the greats among all NCAA softball coaches. Her 1996 squad won the first Division I conference championship in school history across all sports when the Gamecocks won the Trans-America (now ASUN) title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Over her 31-year career, Jana led the Gamecocks with a 1,038-607 career record. At the time of her retirment, those wins ranked 30th all-time for most wins among Division I coaches and eighth-most all-time by a Division I coach at the same institution. She guided the Gamecocks to 18 conference championships, nine NCAA Regionals, reached four NCAA Regional finals and won the 2009 Knoxville Regional to advance to the school's first Super Regional. She was named ASUN Coach of the Year in 1996 and later set an Ohio Valley Conference record with six Coach of the Year awards for the 2005, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016 and 2017 seasons.

In 2023, Jax State President Dr. Don Killingsworth announced that Jax State's softball home would forever be named Jana McGinnis Field.

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Upcoming Event: Soccer versus West Georgia on Aug 12, 2026 at 5 PM

Upcoming Event: Soccer at Auburn on Aug 16, 2026 at 6:30 PM

Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus UAH on Aug 17, 2026 at 6 PM

Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus Jacksonville State (Red vs Black) on Aug 20, 2026 at 6 PM

Upcoming Event: Soccer at Samford on Aug 27, 2026 at 6 PM

Results

Completed Event: Baseball versus #4 Seed Little Rock on May 31, 2026 , Loss , 3, to, 6

Completed Event: Baseball versus #2 Seed Virginia on May 31, 2026 , Win , 7, to, 6

Completed Event: Baseball versus #4 Seed Little Rock on May 30, 2026 , Loss , 6, to, 8

Completed Event: Baseball versus #2 Seed Virginia on May 29, 2026 , Win , 15, to, 7

Completed Event: Baseball versus #2 Seed Liberty on May 24, 2026 , Win , 10, to, 0 , (7 inn.)

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