CSUN women’s basketball star guard Jordyn Jackson is Matador of the Week after reaching a historic milestone for the basketball program. Jackson became the 14th woman to eclipse 1,000 points as a Matador, achieving the feat during the 70-67 loss to Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 21.

“I never really focused on individual accolades while being here,” Jackson said. “But over time, my teammates notified me of the significance of my achievements.”

Jackson leads the team in points this year with 277, averaging 13.2 per game through the season. She achieved her 1,000th point on a layup after stealing the ball from Fullerton guard Una Jovanovic, finishing with nine points in the close loss. In her first year as a graduate student, Jackson chose to continue her basketball career at CSUN after seeing the team’s potential.

“A part of me felt we would have the pieces this year,” Jackson stated. “We have a chance of getting far this season, and after talking with my coaches, I decided to continue.”

The Matadors, however, have struggled to secure wins in close games and sit on a 4-17 record with nine games left.

In her first year at CSUN, Jackson earned a spot on the 2018-19 Big West Conference all-freshman team. Last year, the guard was given an honorable mention on the all-conference team. She is now a big reason that nine of the 17 games the Matadors lost this season were single-digit affairs, as she has kept the team fighting with her efficient scoring on the way to her personal record.

“Hitting that 1,000 barrier felt like one step closer to achieving new things,” Jackson said. “As a team, it inspires us to continue to achieve our goals for this season.”

Growing up in Moreno Valley, California, the graduate student started playing basketball in fourth grade. She later became a standout player at Valley View High School, earning All CIF Southern Section honors in 2016 and 2018 while being named MVP for the Inland Valley League in 2016. Jackson found inspiration from her mother to play at the Division I level in spite of the family’s financial situation.

“My mom was a single parent, and CSUN was one of the very few schools to give me an offer from DI,” Jackson said. “And I wanted to play in college so my mom would not have to pay for college.”

Throughout her time at CSUN, Jackson has risen to stardom, achieving a starting role in her sophomore year and improving her scoring by almost 10 points per game since she joined the Matadors. She credits her teammates for her significant improvement throughout her career.

“We faced a lot of adversity in our early years,” Jackson stated. “But my teammates always encouraged me and we believed in each other as we improved year by year.”

After college, Jackson has no intention to continue her playing career, but wants to stay inside the sports community by helping student athletes with their mental health. Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Jackson intends to be a sports psychologist.

“I just want to be somebody who can provide a comfortable and safe environment for student athletes to vent and be able to express their emotions,” Jackson stated. “And I want to lend a helping hand for athletes’ experiences in college.”