Bio

Jered Lyons enters his ninth season as head coach of the women's basketball program and his first year as WAU Athletic Director.

In the 2021-22 season, the program finished with an overall record of 14-11. Nevertheless, the squad earned a bid for the CAC Conference Championship. The Shock won their first-round contest against Northern New Mexico College. However, the Shock fell in the Semifinals to the host Iowa Wesleyan College, ending their chance at a trip to the conference championship.

The 2020-21 season was canceled due to the Pandemic.

In the 2019-20 season, the program finished with an overall record of 18-12. The squad earned a bid to the AII Conference Championship, the first time in program history that the team has been in three consecutive seasons. The Shock won their first-round contest against Fisher College and was automatically guaranteed two games to reach the National Tournament. Unfortunately, the Shock fell in the Semifinals to Voorhees College, ending their chance at a trip to the conference championship. The Shock had one more opportunity to represent the conference in the national tournament with a win in the consolation game. Unfortunately, the Shock fell to Wilberforce University, ending the season. Sarah Shamdeen was awarded AII. Newcomer of the Year. An award that has never been given to a player in the program.

In the 2018-2019 season, the program eclipsed the season before with the best record in program history, finishing the season 20-10. The squad had an overall record of 10-1 at home. The season featured three in-season tournaments (the Penn St. Beaver Tip-Off Classic, The NAIA Showcase Tournament, and the AII Classic). The team clinched a spot in the AII Conference Tournament. The team faced IU Northwest in a rematch from last season. The Shock led most of the contest until the fourth quarter, and IU Northwest went on a run that ended the Shock's season. It was the program's first back-to-back winning season in program history and the first twenty-win season in program history.

In the 2017-2018 season, the program finished with the best overall record in program history, finishing the season with an overall record of 19-12. The squad finished the year 8-1 at home. The team clinched a spot in the Association of Independent Institutions Conference Tournament as the #5 seed. The team defeated IU Northwest in the opening round to advance to the Semifinals against College Of The Ozarks, where they fell. It was the program's second Semifinal appearance during Lyons's tenure.

In the third year, the squad finished the season with an overall record of 10-18 and missed the opportunity for post-season. Olivia Turner scored her 1000th career point during this season.

In Lyons's second year, he doubled the team's wins and finished the season with the best overall record in program history, finishing the season 12-14. In program history, the team also finished with the best home record, 6-3, and the highest winning percentage, .462.

The team clinched the last seed in the 2016 AII Conference Tournament and fell to the defending champions, College of the Ozarks, in the first round. It was the second consecutive post-season appearance in program history.

In Lyons's first year, he led the Lady Shock to the Semifinals of the 2015 AII. Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. It was the program's first time in post-season play. Unfortunately, the Shock fell to Morris College in the semifinals 71-62.

Lyons took the helm of the Lady Shock after spending the 2013-14 season as assistant men's basketball coach at his alma mater, Eastern Mennonite University. Under head coach Kirby Dean, Lyons helped the Royals to the semifinals in the 2014 ODAC Tournament and had a 17-11 overall record. At EMU, he served as an Advisor for Multicultural and international Students and Assistant Fitness Center Coordinator.

Before EMU, Lyons was an assistant men's basketball coach at Salisbury University under Josh Merkel from 2011-2013. He served as recruiting coordinator, camp director for the Seagulls Day camp, assistant director for the Nike overnight camp, and facilitated with daily operations of the program. He helped the team reach a 19-8 overall season record during his final season with the Seagulls. He also earned his master's degree in post-secondary education at Salisbury University in 2013.

Before arriving at Salisbury University, Lyons taught ESL at N-Kids Academy in Icheon-si, South Korea, from 2010-2011. He worked with students to improve their conversational English. He also hosted after-school activities, coached basketball, and led an advanced speaking class. During his time abroad, he had the opportunity to visit Thailand and Japan.

Lyons began his coaching career in 2009 under legendary coach Tom Dickman of Hood College, who is the former Maryland State record holder for most wins by a public school coach. During his only season with the program, he helped the team to a 15-11 mark and facilitated with recruiting of the program's all-time leading scorer, Cameron Cook.

He graduated from Eastern Mennonite University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in communications. He was a men's basketball team member from 2004-2008. During his senior year, he served as team captain.

A native of Frederick, MD, Lyons played his high school career at St. John's Prospect Hall under The Washington Post 2014 Coach of the Year Bruce Kelly, current head boys' basketball coach at Bullis Prep.

He resides in Silver Spring, MD, with his wife Shari and their twins Mazin & Maya.