Norton named NAIA All-American honorable mention

March 18, 2007

Senior Jessi Norton became only the third person in Warrior women's basketball history to receive NAIA All-American honors following her final season wearing the navy & gold. (Photo courtesy of Corban Sports Information)

OLATHE, Kan. - Senior Jessi Norton (Redmond, Ore.) concluded her four-year career by being named NAIA All-American honorable mention earlier this week after finishing second on the all-time scoring chart in Warrior women's basketball history, as well as leading the team in total points this season.

The 5-foot-8 senior guard finished her final season in a Warrior uniform with a team-best 483 points (avg. 14.2), while leading the team in 3-point percentage (.360). Norton was named as a member of the All-Cascade Collegiate Conference 1st team, while finishing second in Player of the Year voting behind Eastern Oregon's Christie Weaver, who was the only other CCC player to garnish All-American honors as a 3rd team member this season.

In her four-year career at Corban, Norton ranks in the top ten in twelve statistical categories. As a Warrior, the Redmond HS graduate concluded with 1,420 points (2nd all-time), an average of 11.3 points per game (tied for 9th all-time), 480 made field goals (5th all-time), 1,256 field goals attempted (3rd all-time), 136 3-point field goals made (2nd all-time), 374 3-point field goals attempted (3rd all-time), a 3-point field goal percentage of .364 (tied for 5th all-time), 324 free throws made (2nd all-time), 394 free throws attempted (5th all-time), a free throw percentage of .822 (3rd all-time), 326 assists (3rd all-time), and 249 steals (2nd all-time).

Norton set the single-season record for free throw percentage (.889 -- 80-for-90) during the 2005-06 season, while being named as the co-Female Athlete of the Year at Corban.

Along with her national recognition, Norton was named to the all-conference 1st team twice (2005-06 & 2006-07) and garnished conference Player of the Week honors twice (January 10, 2005 & February 14, 2006).

Over her four-year career donning the navy and gold, Norton helped guide the Warriors to an overall win-loss record of 90-38, including a 51-21 mark in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Over the past three seasons, Norton has been a member of three-straight 20-plus win teams, the first-ever regular season conference champions, and two-time conference tournament champions.

Norton made two trips to the NAIA Division II national tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, and four straight appearances in the conference post-season tournament, including hitting the game-winning shot with 1.7 seconds remaining this season to beat Eastern Oregon, handing the Warriors the conference tournament title, and sending Corban to the national tournament with a school-record tying 11-game winning streak.

This is only the third time in Warrior history that a member of the women's basketball team has collected All-American honors, as Norton joins former Warriors Kelsie Piper (2nd team - 1997) and Aubrey Dickson (2nd team - 2001) on the exclusive list.

To see the complete list of this season's NAIA women's basketball All-American teams, click here.