Ole Miss head soccer coach Matt Mott has announced the hiring of former Rebel standout Jessica Hiskey as the program’s new assistant coach. Hiskey returns to Oxford following a two-year professional career in Sweden.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the Ole Miss Soccer family again,” Hiskey said. “I want to thank Lynnette Johnson and the rest of the coaching staff for this tremendous opportunity to return to Oxford and Rebel Nation. My time here as a student-athlete was an incredible experience and it is a dream come true to be able to come back and continue to grow this program with such a hardworking group of individuals. I am eager to get started working with Matt and the rest of the staff in preparing the girls for a successful fall season.”
Looking to continue the momentum from a 2017 season that saw Ole Miss rank as one of the most potent scoring offenses in the country and receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament, Mott and his staff launched a national search for the Rebels’ new assistant coach. In the end, they didn’t have to look too far, turning to a familiar face.
“I am thrilled at the opportunity to bring back one of the all-time best Rebels as our new assistant coach,” said Mott. “My staff and I spent much time scouring the country and looking for the best fit for the program. Jess certainly proved during the interview process to be just that. We look forward to having her on campus soon to start with the team as we begin our spring season.”
After finishing her collegiate career, Hiskey became just the fourth known Rebel to sign a professional contract, joining Skövde KIK in Sweden. During her two-year stint, she helped Skövde KIK achieve its highest league finish in club-history (3rd) as well as the program’s lowest goals against average for a season.
Hiskey tested the waters of coaching during the Spring of 2016, serving as assistant coach for the Oxford Soccer Club. Playing the role of instructor and mentor for the youth squad, Hiskey also designed and implemented training sessions twice a week for the club.
From 2012-15 Hiskey was a Stalwart for the Rebels both on the back line and at midfield, starting 74 matches and logging over 7,000 minutes on the pitch during her career. She found the back of the net 10 times in a Rebel kit, dishing out five assists.
During her senior campaign, Hiskey helped lead Ole Miss to its first-ever NCAA Sweet-16, starting all 23 contests on the year. She became the first Rebel defender to be named All-SEC since 2011, collecting Second Team honors after registering five points on two goals and one assist.
The Franklin, Tennessee native put together her most impressive offensive season as a junior in 2014, scoring six goals and adding two assists for 14 points. Of the 1,840 minutes for Ole Miss on the season, Hiskey was off the field for just 31 off them.
As a sophomore, Hiskey helped lead the Rebels to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009, earning the program’s first tournament win since 2003 with a 9-0 victory over Jackson State in Oxford. After missing the first nine games of the season due to a summer injury, she saw action in 15 matches, starting the final 10 games of the season. Hiskey played a part in six Rebel shutouts, scoring her lone goal against JSU in the NCAA First Round match.
Starting her Rebel career in 2012, Hiskey immediately became a fixture in the starting lineup. She started all 22 matches on the season at defender, playing the most minutes of any field player at 1,946 minutes, just six minutes behind starting goalkeeper Kelly McCormick. She played every minute of 20 matches, including each of the final 16 outings. Hiskey scored one goal and assisted on a pair, including the game winner against LSU in the Second Round of the SEC Tournament.
Hiskey will hit the ground running once she arrives in Oxford, helping the Rebels begin preparations for the upcoming spring season.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter at @CoachMattMott. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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