Jenny Hilt-Costello Brings College Pedigree to Wilson High School Tennis

In a move that athletic director John Janzen described as a rare opportunity, Wilson High School has hired longtime Long Beach State coach Jenny Hilt-Costello to lead the Bruins’ girls’ tennis program. Hilt-Costello spent 28 years as head coach at Long Beach State, where she led the program to 13 Big West Tournament titles, nine Big West regular season titles, and 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.

The nine-time Big West Coach of the Year now takes over a historic Bruins tennis program as the school prepares to enter its centennial year.

“I love coaching—you don’t do it for 30 years if you don’t have a passion for it,” Hilt-Costello said. “I just had an urge to get back on the court.

It’s obviously a different experience and level, but that’s what I’m looking forward to—being back in the community and giving these girls a real positive experience.”

Last month, Hilt-Costello filed a lawsuit against Long Beach State alleging age discrimination as part of her exit from the school, where she was the most accomplished coach in the program’s history. She declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Regardless of the circumstances, her hiring is a significant gain for Wilson.

In addition to her coaching success, Hilt-Costello was a standout player at UCLA and helped lead the team to the 1991 NCAA championship match. She learned about the opening from a college teammate whose son attends Wilson.

“She called me and said ‘they’re looking for a girls’ tennis coach,’ and it all started there,” Hilt-Costello said. “It was just about getting back to the community for me.

This is a whole new domain, totally different than college tennis—there’s a big learning curve.”

Hilt-Costello said she has not yet had much time with the team due to the clearance process, but in an initial meeting the girls seemed as excited as she was. “Ultimately they’re the engine that’s going to drive this—their expectations for themselves and what they want to achieve,” she said.

“I’m excited about it.”