MORROW, Ga. – The Clayton State Department of Athletics continues its feature series that highlights members of its Athletics Hall of Fame. This week's spotlight feature highlights Jackeline Nieto, a member of the third class to be inducted into the Lakers Hall of Fame in 2016.

Jackeline Nieto is the first in a line of tremendous women's tennis players in the history of Clayton State, and the first to be enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame. Competing for the Lakers from 2001-04, she is the only individual in Clayton State history to become a five-time All-American and still holds major program records more than a decade after the conclusion of her playing career.
 
Joining a sixth year program as a freshman in 2001, Nieto wasted little time in establishing herself as one of the best players in the country. That year she played at the No. 1 position for the Lakers in both singles and doubles and teamed with Nathalia Collantes in the latter to set a new program wins record with 20. Their .909 winning percentage (20-2), as well as their win total, are marks that still stand to this day.
 
Her performance that season helped lead the Lakers to a 17-3 overall record, No. 10 final national ranking, the first Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship in team history and the program's second NCAA Division II Tournament appearance. Amazingly, that would not be one of her All-American seasons – but it would be the last that didn't end with that award.
 
As a sophomore in 2002, she went 16-10 in singles and 17-11 in doubles with Collantes to finish No. 15 and No. 16 in the country, respectively. The Top-20 finish in singles action earned her her first Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American honor and her performance earned the Lakers a trip to somewhere they had never been – the NCAA Division II National Championships.
 
They would earn that trip to Kansas City, Missouri with convincing postseason victories over Lees-McRae and North Florida before falling to Abilene Christian in their third match, finishing with a 16-8 overall record and No. 10 ranking. Following that season, Nieto garnered a pair of impressive awards in the ITA Division II Player to Watch Award and the ITA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional Player to Watch Award.
 
These would be well deserved and validated during the 2003 season. That year she once again paired with Collantes and delivered a 19-4 overall record to earn All-American honors for the first time. Their .826 winning percentage that year is still tied for second all-time. Nieto wasn't done as she earned All-American recognition in singles for the first time, marking the third such honor of her career. In doubles they finished No. 5 in the country and she was the No. 14 singles player.
 
Her senior season of 2004 would be another stellar one as she took home two more All-American awards, finishing No. 6 in doubles (16-5) and No. 14 in singles. She also led the Lakers to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in her career and fourth in the program's history, as well as a No. 12 final national ranking.  
 
Nieto would close her career as one of the most decorated individuals in program history – a fact that remains true today. She was an All-Peach Belt Conference selection in singles and doubles in each of her last three seasons for a total of six such honors. Paired with Collantes, she is part of the only pairing in Clayton State history to earn three All-Conference honors in doubles and one of just two individuals to accomplish that feat while being the only women's tennis player to earn three All-American honors in singles play.


About the Hall of Fame
Established in 2013, the Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame was created to honor former Laker student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty/staff and community members who have, by their outstanding achievements, contributed to the ideals of the Clayton State Department of Athletics. Seven classes and 27 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and special inductees have been enshrined. 
 
Past Spotlights: 
Dr. Harry S. Downs
Robert Conley
Dr. Joseph S. Wilkes
Lisa Williams
Allison Kreutzer
Dr. Charlie Frazier Jr.
Nkiru Okosieme
Carlos Head
Alex Dowling
Mason Barfield 
 
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