Jay Jones enters his 10th season as Rhode Island College's head wrestling coach. He also serves on the Executive Committee for the NCAA Div. III Wrestling Coaches Association.

Nine years of tireless work and dedication culminated in RIC’s first New England Championship in 16 years this past winter. Jones’ charges posted a 16-4 overall record, an 11-3 mark against New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) opponents and a 4-2 record in the Pilgrim Wrestling League. The Anchormen won the N.E. Championship, placing first among 14 teams, as eight wrestlers attained All-N.E. status, which included two individual champions. For his efforts, Jones was named the NEWA's Coach of the Year.

Under his tutelage, Mike Bonora and Mike Martini went on to the NCAA Championships, with Bonora winning the National Championship at 141 lbs., only the second RIC grappler to achieve that feat. Rhode Island College finished the season No. 14 in the nation. For his efforts, Jones was named the New England Wrestling Association's Coach of the Year.

In 2006-07, Jones guided the Anchormen to a 13-10 overall record, a 9-7 mark against New England College Conference Wrestling Association (NECCWA) opponents and a 3-3 record in the Pilgrim Wrestling League. Rhode Island College placed eighth at the NECCWA Championships. RIC had one All-American, one New England champion and four grapplers earn All-England honors.

In 2005-06, Jones led RIC to a 14-11 overall record, a 10-6 mark in the NECCWA and a 4-2 record in the Pilgrim Wrestling League. The Anchormen had two wrestlers attain All-New England status.

In 2004-05, he led the Rhode Island College wrestling team to a 16-3 overall record and was 11-1 in the NECCWA. At the NECCWA Championships the Anchormen took home third place. It was the highest finish for the RIC grapplers since the 1992-93 squad also placed third. In addition, RIC had seven wrestlers attain All-New England status.

In the past nine years, Jones has coached one National Champion, two All-Americans, 38 All-New England wrestlers, five New England Champions, seven national qualifiers and eight Academic All-Americans. He has also led the Anchormen to two Pilgrim League Championships in 2002-03 and 2003-04.

In 2003, Jones was named the Rhode Island Man of the Year by Wrestling USA Magazine, earning the award for taking RIC wrestling from the bottom to the top. He was also named the NECCWA's Rookie Coach of the Year in '99-00 when he inherited a team that was 0-13 overall and finished 14th in New England in 1998-99.

Prior to coming to RIC, Jones was the Head Wrestling Coach at Barrington High School in 1997-98 and 1998-99. The team placed eighth at the State Championships, tying a school record, in ‘98-99. Before taking the Head Coach’s position, Jones was an Assistant Coach at BHS from 1992-95 and again in 1996-97. During his seven-year stint at Barrington High School, he coached a total of four State Champions, four New England place-finishers and one New England Champion. The team won several league championships and BHS placed fifth at the New England High School Championships in 1997.

He graduated from Rhode Island College with a bachelor of arts degree in communications in 1994. He earned an additional bachelor’s degree in secondary education from RIC, graduating magna cum laude with honors in teaching, in 1999.

While an undergraduate at RIC, Jones was a four-year letterwinner for the Anchormen as a wrestler from 1988-92. He competed at 118 pounds as a freshman and sophomore, 126 pounds as a junior and 142 pounds as a senior. He was a member of four straight New England College Conference Wrestling Association (NECCWA) Championship squads at RIC in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992. Jones also played four years on the RIC baseball team as a second baseman.

In addition to his coaching duties, Jones is an English teacher at Cranston West High School. He is also the quarterbacks coach at Bryant University.

Jones is the proud father of a daughter Haley (13).