PRESS RELEASE: MAY 14, 2026
SJR State Coach Ross Jones retires from grand slam career
After 18 years as head baseball coach for the St. Johns River State College Vikings, Ross Jones is stepping away from the game, leaving behind a legacy of championships, major facility upgrades and student successes.
Ross Jones
“Baseball’s been my life; but it’s time,” Jones said. “This is about taking care of myself, my family and the grandchildren. It’s a family decision.”
Although Jones has left the dugout, he will remain at SJR State as Athletic Director, overseeing the College’s four athletic programs.
Jones expressed his gratitude for the freedom to transform the Vikings into the respected program it has become. “Joe Pickens is not just a president to me, he’s been our biggest supporter, and one of my best friends,” Jones said. “I can’t thank him enough and the administration for allowing me to do the job the best way I knew how.”
Under Jones’ leadership, Vikings baseball has achieved significant historic milestones, including:
- 602 career wins, surpassing former coach John Tindall to become the winningest baseball coach in SJR State history
- Three Mid-Florida Conference Championships
- Two FCSAA / NJCAA D2 Region 8 Championships
- Two NJCAA D2 South Atlantic District Championships
- Two World Series appearances
- Three-time Mid Florida Conference Coach of the Year
- Two-time FCSAA D2 Coach of the Year
- Two-time NJCAA South District Coach of the Year
Despite numerous accolades, Jones emphasizes that his true reward has always been the student-athletes.
“I don’t win games, players win games,” Jones said. “It’s more about relationships I’ve had with the players over the last 18 years, and the success we’ve had on the field and off the field. It’s a direct reflection of the type of student athletes that we’ve had.”
That success includes guiding more than 300 student-athletes in continuing their athletic and academic careers at the university level, with some advancing to play in the major and minor leagues.
Ross Jone's legacy and impact on SJR State goes way beyond baseball, said SJR State President Joe Pickens, praising Jones’ transformative impact on the entire athletic department. “I could not have had a better partner to create a standard and completely elevate the school’s sports culture from scratch,” Pickens said.
Matt Kennedy
“Ross taught us how to win doing things the right way, how to win with class and integrity, setting the standard for all our teams.” Pickens continued. “It was the Ross Jones way and now it is the Viking way! He will continue to set the tone, and the standard, for our athletic programs as he moves into the role of full time Athletic Director.
Looking forward, Jones said the decision to retire was made easier by leaving the program in the hands of assistant baseball coach Matt Kennedy.
“Having Matt Kennedy on my staff the past three years really helped make this decision easier for me,” Jones said. “I trust Matt with this program. I know that he will continue to build upon what we’ve accomplished.”
Coach Ross Jones and SJR State President Joe Pickens
Kennedy’s career includes the Director of Player Development and Director of Operation at Kent State University; the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Butler University in Indianapolis, and head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Saint Leo University.
Jones’ extensive baseball career began as a 1984 graduate of Palatka High School where he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 1984 Major League Baseball amateur draft. He spent seven seasons pitching for the Texas Rangers and Montreal Expos minor league systems. After retiring from professional baseball, Jones earned his A.A. degree from SJR State in 1991 and his bachelor’s degree in education from the University of North Florida in 1993.
Jones’ coaching career includes three seasons with the University of North Florida as assistant to Dusty Rhodes; six seasons as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University (1994-1999), serving as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator; and six seasons as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Florida.
Ross and his wife, Tish, have two sons, Tyler and Hunter, and two daughters, Taylor and Tessa, and two grandchildren and two more on the way.