LITTLE ROCK, AR – Head coach Chris Beard has announced the signing of 6-6 wing Jalen Jackson for the upcoming 2015-16 season. A native of West Memphis, Jackson averaged a team-high 18.3 ppg on Northwest Florida State’s 2015 Division I Junior College National Championship team.

“Jalen Jackson is a big-time addition for UALR,” JUCORecruiting.com’s Brad Winton said. “He is a strong, athletic, explosive guard/forward who is a proven winner. He impacts the game on both ends and was the leading scorer on the NJCAA Division I National Championship team. Jackson is an excellent rebounder and creates matchup problems. He can score it by attacking the rim off the bounce and is very good around the rim.”

A product of West Memphis High School, Jackson averaged 18.3 points while shooting 56.4 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from 3-point range in 2014-15. He added 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.7 assists per game for the Raiders, who went 33-2 and won their final eight games of the season en route to a national championship.

Jackson totaled 19 points, five rebounds and three steals in NWFS’s overtime win over South Plains College in the DI NJCAA National Title game. He averaged more than 20 points over the team’s seven DI NJCAA Tournament wins.

“Jalen Jackson is a really good pickup,” ESPN Basketball Recruiting Insider Jeff Borzello said. “He comes from a winning junior college program, has already had success beyond the high school level and can really score the basketball. Plus, he’ll bring experience and should be able to make an immediate impact.”

Jackson scored in double figures in all but two of his 35 games played last season. He scored 20-plus 15 times on the year, including a season high-matching 27 on 10-of-22 shooting in the national semifinal vs. Georgia Highlands College.

Not limiting his impact to the offensive end of the floor, his 101 steals ranked fifth nationally. He boasted 25 multi-steal games as a sophomore, with 16 games of three or more.

“Jalen was one of my favorite players in the country to watch this year,” MullenSports.net’s Cameron Belden said. “He plays with a high-major motor and is very active at both ends of the floor. He will quickly become a Trojan fan favorite, as he is a big-time athlete who plays the game above the rim. On top of that, he’s a very accomplished player at the junior college level as the leading scorer for the National Champion Northwest Florida State Raiders. I think Jalen Jackson is a very good get for coach Chris Beard and the staff at UALR.”

Jackson played his freshman season at UCA, averaging 9.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals for the Bears in 2013-14. He shot 50.3 percent from the floor and 48.4 percent from 3, and boasted 12 double-figure scoring games. He scored 20 or more four times on the season.

Jackson ranked as the No. 2 player in Arkansas and the No. 115 player nationally as a senior at West Memphis High School in 2012. He was ranked as a three-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com.