Jann Thorpe: All-American. While that banner in The Wolves' Den tells part of the story, it doesn't go very far in explaining just how dominating a force Jann Thorpe was on the basketball court in the late 90's.
The school's first, and only, women's basketball All-American, Thorpe owns just about every career record you can think of at Sonoma State. She is the school's all-time leader in scoring, rebounding, steals, field goal percentage, and double-doubles. Thorpe also ranks in the top ten in assists, blocked shots, and free throw percentage, and she is the only basketball player in school history to have her number retired.
The only baskeball player, male or female, to have 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in an SSU uniform, Thorpe's career total of 1,172 rebounds is perhaps the nost unbreakable record in school history. She has almost twice as many rebounds as second place and she slone has recorded the top four sinle-season rebounding seasons ever. She also owns the top seven single-game rebounding marks, including the school record of 26, set in January of her freshman season.
Her impact on the court was not only evident in her mind boggling stats, but in the way she helped turn around the Seawolf basketball team. The team's winning total jumped from 8 to 16 to 20 to 23 in her four seasons and she led the squad to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances as a junior and senior. With Thorpe at the lead, the '98-'99 team went 23-5 overall, the best record in SSU basketball history.
With her accomplishments came a flodd of awards, including three conference player of the year awards, four all-conference selections, back-to-back All-Region honors, and her crowning achievement, an All-American nod in 1998-99. She was also named SSU's Female Athlete of the Year in 1998 and 1999.
