UAPB Women Hoops: Thornton Lands Top Standout Mid-Major Transfer, Forward Starr Jacobs

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s head basketball coach Dawn Thornton announced the addition of the University of Texas-Arlington standout Starr Jacobs. Coach Thornton and her staff have their roster slowly rounding into form, as Jacobs announced her enrollment at UAPB through her social media.

Jacobs at 6’2, expected to provide some stability at the post position, comes from Western Athletic Conference last season as one of the most dominant players.

“We value skill, scoring, athleticism, versatility and with adding Starr to our roster,” head coach Dawn Thornton remarked on the standout transfer. “I feel that we have checked all the boxes with this signee. She can put the ball on the floor, pass and shoot at a high level and have good positional size, which allows us to do a lot of different things on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. I couldn’t be more excited for the future of our program, and we have high hopes for what she will bring in addition to what we have returning.”

This past season, Jacobs averaged 18.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and 0.5 blocks per game over 31 contests (30 starts), shot 202-for-407 (.496) from the field and 158-for-219 (.721) from the charity stripe. She also averaged 20.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 steals over 18 conference games, becoming the first two-time conference player of the year in program history, and she achieved the honor in two separate conferences after claiming it in the Sun Belt in 2021-22. Finished as the only player in the country to average at least 18 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and 2.5 assists per game

Her accolades included WAC Player of the Year, WAC All-Defensive Team, First Team All-WAC, 2x WAC Player of the Week (1/23, 2/20), Dave Campbell’s Texas Senior of the Year, Dave Campbell’s First Team All-Texas, Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, WAC Preseason Player of the Year (Media), WAC Preseason Player of the Year (ESPN.com), Preseason First Team All-WAC (Media/Coaches).

As a junior at UTA, Jacobs averaged 21 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.8 assists, and 0.6 blocks while shooting .542 from the field over 28 games (28 starts). She was the only player in the nation to average at least 21 points, two steals, and 1.5 assists while shooting at least 50 percent from the field, led Sun Belt in scoring, field goal percentage, and steals while finishing among the nation’s top 50 in six categories – scoring average (13th), free throw attempts (14th), field goals made (21st), field goal percentage (30th), total points (37th) and free throws made (48th), and the first player in program history to average at least 20 PPG, breaking program’s single-season scoring record.

Her honors included Sun Belt Player of the Year, Sun Belt Tournament MVP, First Team All-Sun Belt, 4x SBC Player of the Week (12/7, 1/4, 2/1, 2/8), NCAA Starting Five (2/9), Dave Campbell’s Texas Junior of the Year, Dave Campbell’s First Team All-Texas, World Exposure Junior College Transfer of the Year Finalist.

Jacobs chose UAPB over:

Alabama, West Virginia, Kansas State, South Carolina, Central Florida, Jacksonville State, Oklahoma State, Idaho, Syracuse, Saint Louis, Seattle, Pitt, and Portland.