November 2, 2022

East Central Community College head men's and women's tennis coach Joseph Anthony "Jay" Pacelli has announced his departure from the program. 

Pacelli coached the Lady Warriors and Warriors for seven seasons and built the ECCC tennis programs into national tournament caliber teams.

"Coach Pacelli has been an unbelievable asset to the East Central tennis programs," said ECCC President Dr. Brent Gregory. "He has built a culture of hard work both on the court and in the classroom for our student-athletes and has been a mentor to many players. He will be missed not only as a coach but as a valued member of the East Central family."

Under Pacelli's leadership, the men's program traveled to the NJCAA DI National Tournament last season for the third year in a row and posted a top-20 finish, while the Lady Warriors made their first-ever trip to the tournament in 2021 and placed 21st as a team. 

Throughout Pacelli's tenure, the Lady Warriors and Warriors had teams nationally ranked in the Oracle/ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) rankings. Along with his team's recognition, Pacelli had several individuals excel under his tutelage with a player winning the women's No. 3 singles consolation bracket at the national tournament and MACCC No. 5 women's singles conference champion in 2018. In 2021, ECCC's No. 1 doubles team earned All-MACCC honors for their stellar play throughout the season. 

"Coach Jay Pacelli has done an outstanding job leading both of East Central's tennis programs to national prominence on the court while maintaining the longstanding tradition of academic excellence from our tennis student-athletes," said Director of Athletics Paul Nixon. "The decision to move on was a very difficult one for him because of how much he loves East Central and his players. However, having recently completed an undefeated fall scrimmage season for both the Warrior and Lady Warrior teams, he is leaving both programs in great shape heading into the spring season. While he will be missed, we are excited for his new opportunity and wish him all the best. The search for his replacement has already begun." 

Prior to his time at ECCC, Pacelli served as the head tennis professional at the YMCA-Reservoir and at Castlewoods Country Club in Brandon. 

His coaching career began at the University of Northern Iowa in 1996 while working on his master's degree. In 2000, after working toward a Ph.D. in sport psychology, he returned to coaching with a part-time position at Olivet College, an NCAA Division III program, in Olivet, Mich. 

He continued his coaching journey at Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kan., where he guided the men's program to a No. 26 national ranking among community colleges and coached two players to top-20 national rankings before serving as the head women's tennis coach at former Gulf South Conference member and NCAA Division II Mississippi University for Women in Columbus. 

He then moved into the role as head women's tennis coach at NCAA Division I Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, where his 2006 team had the best single-season winning percentage since 1997 and most single-season victories since 1993; and head men's and women's tennis coach at NCAA Division III Millsaps College in Jackson, where he led the 2010 men's team to 12 victories, the most overall at the time in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference history.

"My almost 8 years at EC have been wonderful and special as I have been blessed with many terrific student-athletes and supporters of the program over the years," said Coach Pacelli. "I recently took a position with the Mississippi Tennis Association in Jackson to be close to my wife and son. I want to thank Paul Nixon, Dr. Gregory, Chris Harris, Dr. Stewart, and all who afforded me the opportunity to be part of the EC family over the years."

Pacelli, a New Jersey native, was a regionally ranked junior player. He received a bachelor's degree in the social sciences from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., and a master's degree in sport psychology from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

While a student at Moravian, he lettered four seasons as a tennis player, splitting time at No. 1-3 singles, and served as team captain his senior year.

Pacelli and his wife, Katy, are the parents of one son, James. Katy Pacelli is the executive director of the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation in Jackson.

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