Although shell likely be always associated with hitting a championship shot to launch long-shot Illinois State into the 2005 NCAA Tournament, Jaci McCormacks stellar college career was much more than a one-shot deal. The Native American from the Nez Perce Nation will be honored as the first recipient of the NABI Leadership Award at the 3rd Annual Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI) Tournament June 25 at America West Arena in Phoenix, Ariz.
The tournament, sponsored by Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation, the Phoenix Suns and Nike, includes 32 boys teams and 32 girls teams with high school age players from more than 30 different tribes. GinaMarie Scarpa-Mabry, co-founder and managing partner of the NABI, says McCormacks efforts promote and encourage those of younger Native Americans.
Jaci reached a height in her game Native American high school athletes dream about, said Scarpa-Mabry. She had a dream and made it come true. She is a light and a role model to the Native American youth NABI is reaching out to.
McCormack, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2005 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, drained a game-winning turnaround jump shot with 0.8 seconds left to give the No. 8-seed Redbirds the tournament title with a 72-70 win over Indiana State. The shot was highlighted nationally throughout that weekend as a Play of the Day and Best Plays of Championship Week by ESPN. Associated Press Seth Perlman captured the ensuing Redbird celebration in a photo which hit newspapers in several states and a host of college basketball web sites.
The fact that McCormack scored 20 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament game against eventual NCAA Champion Baylor in Seattle while battling a 102-degree fever just added to her legendary status as a Redbird. The ISU-Baylor game made another big splash as a large crowd of Native Americans from around the Northwest gathered to cheer for McCormack at the tournament.
But McCormacks Illinois State career was more than the hectic 45 hours in which she led the Redbirds from eighth place in the Valley to the tournament championship. The 5-foot-10 guard, who received her bachelors degree in sociology this month, overcame foot injuries which limited her during her first three years at Illinois State to finish her career as one of two players in Redbird history with more than 150 three-pointers, 150 steals and 250 assists. Her 1,196 career points are 16th on the Illinois State career list.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton had McCormack for her final two seasons at Illinois State and saw her star guard develop not only into a clutch player, but also into a team leader.
Although Jaci is someone who would rather lead through her actions (than her words), she really stepped to the plate for us this season and was the heartbeat of our team, said Pingeton. Everyone respected her. Jaci has so much toughness in her. The last two seasons, I have continued to challenge her in many areas and she has always responded.
Pingeton knows McCormacks success didnt come easily.
Jaci has had many challenges and setbacks throughout her life, but she stayed focused on her dreams and goals and made them into reality, said Pingeton. She is a great role model for all youth. It has been an honor to be her coach.
