Ferris graduate Galloway returns with NAU for final time
Jenna Galloway is coasting now, taking just enough credits to be eligible to finish up her senior season of basketball for Northern Arizona.
That gives the communications major from Ferris, who could have graduated in December, plenty of time to reflect.
The most pressing subject is the Lumberjacks’ visit to Eastern Washington on Thursday.
“I think it’s going to be really exciting,” the 5-foot-11 wing said. “I have never won there. This is the last chance. It means a lot that family, friends, teachers, old coaches come watch. There is going to be some sadness. I’ll never play in front of those people again. Still, it will be really cool to see those people come out. I think I’m going to look at it in a positive way that so many people care about me.”
She is one of the members from the local Class of 2007 that saw seven players from the Greater Spokane League receive Division I basketball scholarships. Galloway was in the top 10 in scoring and a second-team All-Greater Spokane League pick as a senior.
“It really is incredible if you think about it,” she said. “There was so much talent that year. … And seeing how their careers developed and the people they have become, it really is cool. I guess I’m just proud of our class.
“We represented Spokane pretty well, where we’ve gone to play and how we’ve carried ourselves.”
Galloway has had an up-and-down career, starting more often than not with a career-high 7.3 points a game as a freshman when she had 17 starts. As a junior, she was second on the team in rebounds with 4.3 a game.
“There’s been a lot of learning,” she said. “College sports aren’t necessarily as glamorous as people make them out to be. There is a lot of work, a lot of tears, a lot of joys. For the most part it’s been very positive for me.
“The school is great, I love the university, I love the town. I’ve met some of my best friends here. I finally figured out what I wanted to do.”
Galloway, an academic all-conference pick throughout her career, started in business but found a passion for broadcasting with a minor in journalism, writing for the school newspaper.
“My dream job would be doing sideline reporting for ESPN,” she said. “If that dream doesn’t work out, I would be completely content doing sports for a news station or writing.”
Though she attends the Big Sky school farthest from home, it was the right choice for her.
“Basketball has been a good experience,” she said. “It’s been fun. Looking back, it’s definitely the right place for me. It’s kind of sad it’s ending, but it’s been a great experience for me.”
Tip-ins
Washington State swept California for the first time in 13 seasons, winning its third Pac-10 road game, the first time in 13 seasons with more than two. The Cougars’ six Pac-10 wins are the most since 1996. … Idaho swept Boise State for the first time in 14 seasons. … Eastern Washington senior Kyla Evans, who has missed most of the conference season with back problems, knocked down five 3-pointers in Seattle last week to set the school record with 197. … EWU senior Julie Piper, the reigning Big Sky MVP, has moved into the school’s top 10 in six categories, including ninth in scoring (1,118) and eighth in rebounding (724). She has never missed a game and is 10th on the career list with 112, 105 of them starts. … Tara Cronin (G-Prep), who had 19 points in a win over Loyola Marymount on Saturday and a 14-11 double-double against Pepperdine on Thursday, needs 50 points in the final five regular-season games to get to 1,000 for her career. … Yinka Olorunnife has 974 rebounds in her career, 32 short of the Idaho record and 52 from the WAC mark. … Montana State raced past Sacramento State led by Lyndi Seidenstick (Lewis and Clark), with 21 points off a season-best five 3-pointers. … Portland State’s five-game winning streak came to an end at Idaho State despite the third double-double (15-11) in the last four games by Kelli Valentine (Mead).