2023-09-30-Central College football vs Dubuque. Photo by Dan L. Vander Beek /Vander Beek Photography

Extending his nearly three decades of service to Central College, Eric Jones has been named athletics recruitment coordinator.

Jones will work with the coaching staffs for the college’s 21 athletic programs in coordinating recruitment strategies, as well as assisting in building relationships with prospective student-athletes and their families and serving as a mentor for young coaches. Most recently a major gifts officer for Central’s advancement office, Jones will continue connecting with the college’s alumni and friends in supporting vice president for athletics Eric Van Kley’s work in generating financial support for the Dutch squads and in further development of the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex. Jones will remain an assistant football coach, a post he’s held for 28 seasons (1995-2002, 2006-present), primarily working with the offensive line.

A 1987 Central grad and former Dutch offensive lineman, Jones received a master’s degree in counseling education from Iowa State University. Prior to joining the Central staff, he taught and coached in Shelbina, Missouri before serving as at-risk coordinator and assistant coach at Pella High School. At Central, he served as assistant director of admission, then served as dean of students at Waukee High School from 2003-06. He returned to Central as a counselor in the student development office in 2006, later heading the college’s retention program in the academic affairs office before serving as interim dean of student life in 2011-12. He then became a class dean for the college before joining the advancement staff.