Verdi Announces Signing Of Transfer Forward Jala Jordan
5/12/2023 1:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – Pitt women's basketball head coach Tory Verdi announced Friday afternoon that graduate student-athlete Jala Jordan will be joining the Panthers for the 2023-24 campaign.
"Jala is an athletic, strong and versatile forward that can play multiple positions for us," stated Verdi. "She will give us depth at the forward position and contribute right away. She has played for programs that have experienced winning championships and we will rely heavily on her experience and aggressiveness both out on the perimeter and underneath the basket this season."
Jordan, a 6-2 forward, has played for West Virginia (one season), Auburn (three seasons; sat out 2019-20) and Seton Hall (one season) across her impressive collegiate career. The experienced forward has appeared in a total of 99 games while earning 16 starts across her collegiate career.
Her father, Gerald, played for the Pitt men's basketball team for two seasons (1995-97) while putting up career averages of 8.3 points and 6.2 rebounds across 55 career games as a Panther.
Jordan spent last season at Seton Hall where she helped the squad earn a WNIT bid after appearing in 29 games and earning two starts at forward for the Pirates. She capped her lone season in New Jersey averaging 12.0 minutes, 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 42.5% from the floor and connecting on 21 three-pointers. She also ranked second on the squad with 23 blocks while adding 15 steals on the year. The best game of her season came against #5 UConn as she finished with a team-high 19 points, five rebounds and a block in 20 minutes of work while going 7-for-14 from the floor and connecting on a pair of triples.
Prior to Seton Hall, Jordan spent two seasons in the SEC at Auburn where she was a key contributor for the Eagles. In her two seasons in Alabama, she appeared in 43 games while making 14 starts while averaging 16.5 minutes, 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds. She also totaled 36 blocks and 33 three-pointers made while scoring in double figures 11 times during her time in Auburn.
The gifted forward started her collegiate career at West Virginia in 2018-19 as she appeared in 25 games as a true freshman. She capped her first season averaging 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds across an average of 6.4 minutes per game.
The Philadelphia, PA native attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL during her senior season of high school after previously attending St. Francis (GA) high school and leading her squad to a pair of GHSA Class A state titles. A highly touted recruit, Jordan was ranked as the No. 14 wing player in the class of 2018 by ESPN HoopGurlz.
Jordan becomes the first signee for Verdi since arriving in Oakland. She joins Liatu King and Gabby Hutcherson in the front court for the Panthers for the 2023-24 campaign.
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"Jala is an athletic, strong and versatile forward that can play multiple positions for us," stated Verdi. "She will give us depth at the forward position and contribute right away. She has played for programs that have experienced winning championships and we will rely heavily on her experience and aggressiveness both out on the perimeter and underneath the basket this season."
Jordan, a 6-2 forward, has played for West Virginia (one season), Auburn (three seasons; sat out 2019-20) and Seton Hall (one season) across her impressive collegiate career. The experienced forward has appeared in a total of 99 games while earning 16 starts across her collegiate career.
Her father, Gerald, played for the Pitt men's basketball team for two seasons (1995-97) while putting up career averages of 8.3 points and 6.2 rebounds across 55 career games as a Panther.
Jordan spent last season at Seton Hall where she helped the squad earn a WNIT bid after appearing in 29 games and earning two starts at forward for the Pirates. She capped her lone season in New Jersey averaging 12.0 minutes, 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 42.5% from the floor and connecting on 21 three-pointers. She also ranked second on the squad with 23 blocks while adding 15 steals on the year. The best game of her season came against #5 UConn as she finished with a team-high 19 points, five rebounds and a block in 20 minutes of work while going 7-for-14 from the floor and connecting on a pair of triples.
Prior to Seton Hall, Jordan spent two seasons in the SEC at Auburn where she was a key contributor for the Eagles. In her two seasons in Alabama, she appeared in 43 games while making 14 starts while averaging 16.5 minutes, 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds. She also totaled 36 blocks and 33 three-pointers made while scoring in double figures 11 times during her time in Auburn.
The gifted forward started her collegiate career at West Virginia in 2018-19 as she appeared in 25 games as a true freshman. She capped her first season averaging 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds across an average of 6.4 minutes per game.
The Philadelphia, PA native attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL during her senior season of high school after previously attending St. Francis (GA) high school and leading her squad to a pair of GHSA Class A state titles. A highly touted recruit, Jordan was ranked as the No. 14 wing player in the class of 2018 by ESPN HoopGurlz.
Jordan becomes the first signee for Verdi since arriving in Oakland. She joins Liatu King and Gabby Hutcherson in the front court for the Panthers for the 2023-24 campaign.
#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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