Taylor named Jostens Trophy finalist
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Simpson College women's basketball forward Jenna Taylor is among 11 female finalists for the coveted Jostens Trophy, an award created by the Rotary Club of Salem and sponsored by Jostens, Inc. to recognize the nation's most outstanding men's and women's Division III basketball players of the year.
The Jostens Trophy takes into consideration basketball ability, academic prowess, and community service. The trophy models the Rotary International motto of "Service Above Self" by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of a well-rounded Division III student-athlete. It has been awarded annually since 1998 with the exception of 2021, which was skipped due to the pandemic.
Taylor becomes the fourth finalist in program history and first since Kate Nielsen in 2013. Michelle Stover (2001) and Katelyn Whiton (2008) were also finalists for Simpson.
A graduate student from Creston, Iowa, Taylor earned the title of American Rivers Conference Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row after averaging 15.4 points and 8.3 rebounds in Simpson's second-straight undefeated conference season. She ranked third in field goal percentage (57.1) and sixth in 3-point percentage (41.1), and had three of her six double-doubles against league foes.
Overall, Taylor was the only player in the league to average more than 16 points this season and had the second-highest field goal (57.1) and 3-point percentage (44.9) behind fellow teammates Cassie Nash (57.9) and Kia Rasmussen (46.0), respectively. Across the Division III landscape, Taylor ranked second in 3-point efficiency and 10th in field goal percentage.
Taylor was named USBWA DIII National Player of the Week on Jan. 2 and earned four A-R-C Player of the Week accolades throughout the season. She became just the second player to amass 1,600+ points and 700+ rebounds in Simpson uniform, and finished her career ranked third all-time in both categories (1,647 points, 748 rebounds).
The 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 finalist graduated last May with a 4.0 GPA as an accounting and economics: finance major. She earned the program's first CoSIDA DIII Academic All-America Team Member of the Year award a year ago and is a member of Simpson's Epsilon Sigma Honor Society. Within the community, Taylor has participated in a number of service events including talking with elementary students about trust and conducting a coat drive for local elementary schools.
The 22 male and female finalists will now be reviewed by the Jostens Trophy National Selection Committee composed of 27 individuals from across the country. The committee of current and former athletic administrators and head coaches, past recipients and select members of the Division III media will spend the next two weeks reviewing the nominees with the aim of announcing the two winners on Thursday, March 24.
To learn more about the Jostens Trophy, click here.
Women's Finalists
Hanna Geistfeld, Bethany Lutheran
Averi Jordan, DeSales
Abbey Lawrence, Case Western Reserve
Shannon McCoy, Kean
Diarra Oden, Johns Hopkins
Leah Porath, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Kenedy Schoonveld, Hope
Elizabeth Singleton, Clarks Summit
Rylee Stafford, Fontbonne
Jenna Taylor, Simpson
Olivia Weinel, Shenandoah
Men's Finalists
Nyameye Adom, Wheaton
Buzz Anthony, Randolph-Macon
Nick Bowman, Trine
Jack Davidson, Wabash
Connor Delaney, Johns Hopkins
Robert Hawkinson, New York
Jordan Johnson, Concordia Wisconsin
Matthew Leritz, Illinois Wesleyan
Luke Rogers, Tufts
Dempsey Roggenbuck, Linfield
Matthew Schner, Emory
