Jordan Carpenter scores spot on All-State Team
3 min read
Jordan Carpenter scores a free throw, her free throw percentage is 69.4%. | UMW Athletics
NICK WERDERMAN
Sports Editor
On Tuesday, April 17, UMW junior computer science major Jordan Carpenter was named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors College Division Women’s Basketball All-State Team. She is UMW’s most recent All-American nominated by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association since Brianne Comden won the award in 2017.
Carpenter has been a force to reckon with on UMW’s basketball team, helping take the team to the sectional semifinals of the NCAA tournament this year, averaging 15 points and 8.5 rebounds in the game. Her hard work also got her recognized in the national rankings this year with a high free throw percentage of 58.25%. Her seasonal average offensive rebound per game is 4.3%, higher than other players
In the 2022–2023 season alone, Carpenter managed to drop double figure points in 22 games, reach a career high of 30 points in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference championship game and secure 11 double doubles, which are when a player accumulates a double-digit total in two of five categories—points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots—in a single game.
The Weekly Ringer spoke with Carpenter to get her perspective on the award and her background in basketball.
What did it mean to get this award? What work did you put in to earn it?
Jordan Carpenter: “This award meant a lot as I think it signifies a cap to a fantastic season. If I’m being honest I thought all of the awards and accolades were done – so, this was another surprise for sure. I can’t say anything without giving credit to my team for pushing me to be the best player that I can be. We work hard every day and it pays off and will continue to pay off. It’s an honor to be considered for such an award – really it’s an honor to be considered for all of the awards I have received this season, so I am extremely grateful and humbled. At the end of the day, basketball is a team sport, so I can’t thank my coaches and teammates enough really.”
“My team really pushed me to the place I wanted to be coming down the stretch. From the summer time, to pre-season, to getting into games – our work never stopped. We never stopped trying to learn, grow, and become better players. Personally, in the summer, I took a lot of time to not only work on my game, but my strength, versatility, and speed. I think that really came in handy as we started getting into the longer parts of the season. As a result of all of this, I’ve been able to see the hard work pay off at the close of the season.”
Tell me all about your experiences on the UMW team.
JC: “The UMW women’s basketball team is my family here on campus. Everyone is so close and supportive of each other from day 1, so you can’t help but draw together. That played a major part in our success down the stretch in the season, because we just started playing for one another more than anything.”
What inspired you to join basketball?
JC: “I’ve always loved basketball since I was a little kid. My parents signed me up for different leagues, camps and teams just to provide the best experience for me. As a result, I started working really hard the summer before my 9th grade year to get better. It paid off by providing me with the opportunity to play on full scholarship at a variety of universities—although, UMW was special. The campus, staff, coaches, atmosphere exceeded my expectations and eventually led to my decision.”
