PORT ANGELES, Wash. – Another change is coming to the bench for Jessup Men's Basketball, as assistant Bryce Jacobson has accepted the head coaching position at Peninsula College. Jacobson returns to the Pacific Northwest to lead the school for which he played college basketball.
 
Jacobson departs Jessup after four seasons on the bench. During that time, the Warriors won 74 games, three coming in the 2022 NAIA National Tournament.
 
"It's really special," said Jacobson on accepting the position. "I have a special relationship with the school there, which is really the only reason I was applying for the job because I love it here at Jessup. It was going to take somewhere special to pull me away from here."
 
The move to Port Angeles comes just a month after Jacobson and his old teammates were enshrined in the Peninsula College Hall of Fame. The 2011 Pirates, led by former Jessup head coach Lance Von Vogt, won the 2011 NWAC Championship, the first championship won by a PC basketball team since 1970. You can read more about that team HERE.
 
Von Vogt, who was in his first year leading the Pirates in 2011, later came to Jessup in the summer of 2013, beginning a decade-long relationship between the two schools. Several PC alums have continued their basketball careers at Jessup, including Corey Clement, Djuan Smith, and current guard Ty Artis.
 
Jacobson spoke about his relationship with Von Vogt and the support he received from his old coach during the hiring process.
 
"One of the things about Lance, which is what made our program so special over the years, is that it is always more than just basketball. He cares about who people are, their future, their potential, and he's said from the first day I walked on campus that he's trying to prepare me to be a head coach."
 
Jacobson also noted that the imprint of his time with Von Vogt will leave a lasting image on his career long after he leaves Jessup. "All of the values and things that I picked up through coaching here are going to go with me. There's going to be a Jessup imprint anywhere I go."
 
That imprint will get showcased right away as one of the first things on Jacobson's to-do list is to recruit. When he accepted the position earlier this week, Jacobson noted that the 2023 Pirates will feature just three returners from the previous season.
 
Of the many memories Jacobson can use to persuade potential recruits, cutting down the nets of Warrior Arena at the end of the 2022 NAIA Opening Round, says Jacobson, might be his fondest. The 2021-22 Warriors won a record 30 games and reached the NAIA Quarterfinals; three wins shy of an NAIA National Championship.
 
 "That season as a whole was a special year," added Jacobson. "The hardest part of leaving here is leaving the people. And when I think about special moments, I just start thinking about all of the people here. From the guys that played here to the coaches and seeing the support staff, it's hard to say goodbye."
 
Jacobson expressed that the relationship between Jessup and Peninsula will continue for many years to come, as he added, "It's not goodbye forever because I love this place so much."
 
The imprint of Jacobson and the teams he coached will be felt around Warrior Arena for many years to come. We wish him all the best as he continues the championship culture established by himself and his teammates over a decade ago.
   
Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).