Outlook

Jaylen Townsend has made a nice jump and really did a good job of finding a way to get better at home this summer … Extremely hard worker and highly committed …  Possesses good size at the wing and can score at three levels … Moving better and should be more than just a jump shooter, and could put up some big numbers this season.

Sophomore Year 2020-21

Played and started in 24 games … Named the 2021 NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball Player of the Year presented by the Marines ... She is the first player in team history to earn this prestigous award ... Also selected first-team NJCAA Division II All-American, World Exposure Report D-II second-team All-American, first-team All-Region VI/Plains District, first-team Division II All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference  and was selected the most valuable player … Selected to the NJCAA D-II National All-Tournament Team … Voted team MVP ... Led the team and ranked second in the conference averaging 14.8 points per game … Also averaged 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists … Led the conference and ranked 5th in the NJCAA shooting 88.6 percent from the free throw line … Also ranked ninth in the conference in field goal accuracy at 45.5 percent … Scored in double figures a team-high 21 games … Also had two games of 10+ rebounds and two double-doubles … Led JCCC with 20 points and seven rebounds in an 82-50 win over Tabor JV (2-1-21) … Followed with her first career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 92-46 win over Missouri Valley JV (2-2-21) … Finished with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 100-43 win at Graceland JV (2-12-21) … Posted 11 points and nine rebounds in a 65-53 win over No. 4-ranked Kansas City Kansas (3-3-21) … Followed with her second career double-double of 11 points and 11 boards in a 65-28 win at Hesston (3-6-21) … Was selected the KJCCC D-II Player of the Week in week 10 averaging 19.5 points 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in two victories … Opened the week with a career-best 25 points in an 88-38 win over Hesston, hitting 11-of-14 shots with 3-of-4 beyond the arc (3-24-21) …  Followed with 14 points in a 58-37 win at Highland (3-27-21) … Had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead JCCC to an 80-41 win over Highland in the Region VI Tournament semifinal (4-7-21) … Averaged 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and shot 85 percent from the free throw in the National Tournament … Her 61 total points scored are the fourth most by a JCCC player in national tournament play … Her 15.5 scoring average is the seventh best in team history at nationals … Her 28 total rebounds tie for ninth … Opened the tournament with game highs of 24 points and nine rebounds in an 86-49 win over Grand Rapids (4-21-21) … Followed with 19 points, six boards and two steals in a 63-60 win over Iowa Central in the quarterfinals (4-22-21) … Finished with 11 points and eight rebounds in a 69-56 win over Illinois Central in the national semifinals (4-23-21) … Closed out the season with seven points, five rebounds and two steals in 53-49 loss to Lake Land in the National Championship Game (4-24-21).

Freshman Year 2019-20

Played in 33 games, four as a starter … Averaged 9.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game … Ranked 13th in  the Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference with a shooting percentage of 44.8 percent … Ranked second in the conference with a  43.1 percentage from 3-point range, hitting 47-of-109 attempts ... Scored in double figures in 15 games … Opened the season with 12 points and a season-high five rebounds in a 95-51 win over Southwestern (11-1-19) ... Led the Lady Cavaliers with 18, going 5-of-9 from 3-point range,  in a 91-51 win over Missouri Valley JV (11-18-19) ... Followed with a team-best 14 points to lead JCCC to a 94-32 win at Missouri Southern State JV (11-21-19) … Poured in a game-high 19 points, going 7-for-12 from the field, with four 3-pointers, in an 83-59 win at Metropolitan (1-9-20) … A day later tallied 14 points and six rebounds in a 112-31 blowout over Bethany JV (1-9-20) … Knocked down a five treys and finished with a game-high 22 points in a 100-44 win over Southeast (1-14-20) … Made 5-of-6 beyond the arc to finish with 17 points in a 94-63 win over Hesston (2-19-20) … Had 10 points, four rebounds and two assists in a 73-59 win over No. 15 Kansas City Kansas (2-22-20) … Closed out the regular season with 17 points in an 86-36 win over Bethany JV (2-24-20) … Was 6-for-6 at the free throw line and finished with nine points in an 87-41 win over Fort Scott in the first round of the Region VI playoffs (2-28-20) … Contributed six points and five boards off the bench in an 86-75 win at No. 13 Highland in the Region VI semifinals (3-3-20) … Capped the season with eight points and four rebounds in a 54-43 loss to No. 2 Labette in the Region VI Championship Game (3-6-20).

High School

Was a two-year starter and three-time letter winner for coach Lori Blade at Edwardsville High School, Edwardsville, Ill. … Graduated 2019 … Was named All-Southwestern Conference first-team and was an honorable mention selection on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 4A All-State team … As a senior averaged 13.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while helping the Tigers to a 30-3 record and fourth place finish in the Illinois 4A State Tournament … Scored a career-high 32 points in a win over Cardinal Ritter on January 5 during her senior season … That effort ranks as the seventh highest scoring game in school history … As a senior voted the best female athlete ae her school …  Averaged 7.1 points per game as a junior helping the Tigers reach the 4A State Tournament … Came off the bench her sophomore year to help Edwardsville to a runner-up state finish … Played AAU basketball for the Blue Star St. Louis coached by Jeff Silvey team her junior and senior years, and for St. Louis Shooting Stars coached by Dennis Griffen her sophomore year. 

Personal

Born Jaylen Renee Townsend on August 13, 2001, in Marryville, Ill. … Nickname is Jay … Daughter of Rachel Townsend … Has two brothers, Jawan and Jackie, and one sister, Jade … Major is undecided … Also considered St. Louis Community College, John A. Logan Community College, Moberly Area Community College and Missouri Baptist University … Favorite food is chicken sandwiches … Favorite fast food restaurant is Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers … Favorite restaurant is 54^th Street … Favorite TV show is Jersey Shore … Favorite movie is Planet of the Apes … Favorite sports movie is The Blind Side … Favorite actor and actress are Keanu Reeves and Melissa McCarthy … Favorite book is Of Mice and Men … Favorite music entertainer is NBA Youngboy … Favorite cartoon character is Sponge Bob Square Pants … Favorite athletes are LeBron James, Erica Wheeler and Isaiah Thomas … The best player she has played against is former Edwardsville standout and University of Iowa guard Kate Martin … Notable alumni from her school are former Major League baseball players Jason Boyd, Justin Hampson and Mark Little, and current New England Patriots defensive tackle Vincent Valentine.