SHIPPENSBURG – Senior Ariel Jones (Cedar Crest/Lebanon) was recently named to the 2022-23 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-American First Team.
The all-time leading scorer in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) history earned her first First Team honor and third overall D2CCA All-America honor in her career.
Jones is the only player in the PSAC and the Atlantic Region to be named a First Team honoree despite not being named the Atlantic Region Player of the Year. Jones was previously named to the 2023 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Coaches’ All-America Basketball First Team and to the 2022-23 NCAA Atlantic Region Championships All-Tournament Team on Thursday, as well as being named the 2022-23 PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Year.
Jones helped a Raider team that posted 25 victories and reached the 2023 PSAC Women’s Basketball Championship Semifinals and the 2023 NCAA Atlantic Region Championship Semifinals.
Jones has cemented herself as one of the top scorers in NCAA women’s basketball history. Her 2,806 total points rank fourth all-time in the history of NCAA Division II. This season alone, Jones has broken the all-time PSAC single-game scoring record (51 points), the PSAC career scoring record (2,806 points), the NCAA Division II career free-throws made record (850) and the PSAC single-season scoring record with 795 points. She finishes with the school records for points, field goals (853) and free throws.
She ranked second in the nation in points per game (24.8) and led the nation in free-throws made (199) and in field-goal attempts (677). She entered the postseason leading the PSAC in scoring, field goals, free throws and steals.
She posted double figures in 31 of 32 games this season, including 20 games of 20 or more points and eight games of 30 or more points. Jones’ 262 field goals made, 72 three-pointers, 217 rebounds and 79 steals are all season career highs.
With 795 points this season, Jones has become the first player in PSAC history to record four seasons of 600 or more points. She is also the fourth player in PSAC history to have 700 or more points in a season. Jones was also recognized nine times this season as a PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Week, the most by any Shippensburg athlete in a season and career. She has totaled 20 Athlete of the Week awards in her career.
