Former Mona Shores star Walker and Tennessee headed to the NCAA Women’s Tournament

By Tom Kendra
LocalSportsJournal.com

KNOXVILLE, TN–It’s hard to decide where former Mona Shores standout Jordan Walker has been more impressive in college – on the basketball court or in the classroom.

On the court, Walker played three years at Western Michigan University and then transferred to one of the best women’s programs in the country at Tennessee – where, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was able to play three more years and is now the starting point guard.

Tennessee, which is 23-11 and a No. 4 seed, opens NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament play at home at 1 p.m. Saturday against 13th-seeded Saint Louis.

KNOXVILLE, TN – February 23, 2023 – Guard Jordan Walker #4 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers during the game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Thompson–Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Avery Bane/Tennessee Athletics

Walker, a 5-8 senior, is one of seven seniors for the Volunteers and averages 5 points, 4 rebounds, a team-high 3.3 assists and 2 steals.

“You have to take it one possession at a time because March Madness is a real thing,” Walker said on the Lady Vols’ NCAA Basketball Selection Show. “If you look too far ahead, you’ll miss what’s right in front of you.”

But now consider what she has done as a college student.

Walker, who earned the Miss Basketball Award in 2017 as the state’s best girls’ basketball player, graduated from WMU in 2020 after 3 years with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in communications.

She then entered the transfer portal and headed down to Knoxville and continued her success in the classroom, earning a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) last May with a concentration in entrepreneurship and innovation.

But she didn’t stop.

Walker will graduate this spring with a second master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communication.

“Jordy has been able to play college basketball at such a high level, which is amazing by itself,” said Mona Shores athletic director Todd Conrad. “But I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of a college athlete getting three degrees at the same time.

“She is the total package and she’s obviously making the most of her talents.”

Walker – who is the Mona Shores all-time leader in scoring and assists and ranks second in rebounds and third in steals – is continuing a family tradition on the hardcourt.

Her father, Jarvis, and her mother, Danielle, were both star basketball players at Ferris State. Her sister, Jasmyn, was a two-year letter winner at Western Michigan from 2017 to 2019 and her brother, Jarvis, plays at Indianapolis.

GREENVILLE, SC – March 04, 2023 – Forward Rickea Jackson #2 and Guard Jordan Walker #4 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers during the 2023 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament Semifinal game between the LSU Tigers and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

Jordan challenged herself to step up to the highest level of college basketball after graduating from WMU in 2020, filling a need at point guard at Tennessee – which has won eight women’s basketball national championships and is the only program in the country to have played in all 41 Women’s NCAA tournaments.

Walker, who wears No. 4, has been a key contributor from the start, playing in all 25 games in 2020-2021 and then starting all 34 games last season.

This winter, third-year Coach Kellie Harper has called the 24-year-old Walker the “backbone” of the Volunteers, helping them advance to the finals of last weekend’s Southeastern Conference Tournament in Greenville, SC, where they lost to No. 1-ranked South Carolina, 74-58.

Despite that setback, Walker said on her team’s selection show that the Vols are motivated to make a run.

“I think the SEC is the toughest conference in the nation,” said Walker, who had a final year of eligibility this season due to Covid. “We have seen what we’re capable of, so accepting anything else is not acceptable for us anymore.”

If Tennessee is able to get past Saint Louis on Saturday, it could set up a second-round showdown between two of the best guards to ever play in the Muskegon area.

With a win, Tennessee would play the winner of Saturday’s matchup between No. 5 Iowa State and No. 12 Toledo – which features 5-7 senior guard Sophia Wiard from Oakridge.

GREENVILLE, SC – March 04, 2023 – Guard Jordan Walker #4 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers during the 2023 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament Semifinal game between the LSU Tigers and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

LEXINGTON, KY – February 26, 2023 – Guard Jordan Walker #4 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers during the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, KY. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics