CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Penn State Lehigh Valley senior Jordan Young has become the third overall and the first male athlete in Penn State Lehigh Valley history to reach 1,000 points in his collegiate basketball career. He scored his 1,000th point during a game against Penn State Brandywine on Jan. 10 at Cedar Crest College.
Young joins Ashley Gordon and Andrea Watkins as the Lehigh Valley campus' 1,000-point scorers.
Young, a rehabilitation and human services major at Penn State Lehigh Valley, knew coming into the game that his 1,000th point was in reach.
“Saying I was feeling nervous would be an understatement. I knew I needed 21. I usually let my shots come to me and I hate forcing shots, just because I'm a team-first guy,” said Young. “I didn't know if I was going to get it or not. I knew a bunch of family was going to be there, which only added to my nerves.”
When the big moment came and Young scored his 1,000th career point, he was shocked.
“I was almost numb. I didn't know how to react when I saw the ball go through and heard my family start yelling. To this day, I still don't think I fully grasp it,” said Young.
The team defeated Penn State Brandywine that night, 87 to 72.
Young has been a leader since he first started on the team. He attributes being on the team to helping with his coursework.
“It definitely helped me for the better. It helped me with my time management skills as well as being disciplined in life. On the floor, not everything can go my way; that's how life works, too. You have to be able to make adjustments and I think I am doing decent making those life adjustments as of now,” said Young.
His goal for the future is to get into college coaching. He currently trains high school athletes who plan to play in college.
“Jordan is a coach’s dream. All he cares about is the team, he always puts his team and teammates first before anything else,” said Mike DeCarolis, head men’s basketball coach at Penn State Lehigh Valley. “I always feel extremely confident that we can beat any team when we have him out on the floor. I couldn’t be happier of all that he has accomplished.”
Young was recently recognized by the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) for his outstanding performances throughout the 2016-17 season. He was named honorable mention All-Conference.
The men’s team wrapped a great season on Feb. 18 when it lost in the PSUAC semifinals to Penn State York.
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Dennille Schuler
Public Relations Specialist
Penn State Lehigh Valley