TicketsCINCINNATI - Former University of Cincinnati volleyball standout Jordan Thompson met with the media to discuss her road to Tokyo and being selected for the USA Volleyball Olympic Team.
At just 24 years of age, she is one of the youngest members of the USA Volleyball squad and one of eight heading to the Olympic games for the first time.
"It just means so much because it's something I truly did not think, one I didn't know if it was ever going to happen but to be at this point so early in my career is, it still blows my mind. Because in my game plan that I had, I just want to get into the national team gym when I was 25 or 26 and maybe they will ask me to train with them then. And to be now on the Olympic roster at 24 years old it just, it blows my mind everyday."
Thompson played for the University of Cincinnati from 2015-2019. She earned the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year accolade in 2015 and followed that up as a three-time unanimous AAC Player of the Year in 2016, 2018 and 2019. She was the first volleyball player in AAC history to earn unanimous honors and receive the award three times.
She will also be the first former UC student-athlete to compete in an Olympic volleyball event.
"I mean, it's just such an honor. And to be able to represent Cincinnati as well I think is huge. A lot of people, I think, don't really always look at Cincinnati as a volleyball school necessarily. And so, I am just really honored to be able to represent Cincinnati and prove that you don't have to go to a Big Ten school just to do great things in this sport. You can have a lot of success at a school like Cincinnati and they are great people and a great staff to lead you on that journey."
She also took a moment to reflect on her collegiate career at Cincinnati.
"To end my career at Cincinnati with us taking a trip to the Sweet 16, that was something that I don't even know if I thought was possible my freshman year. But then, once we got going and we were just building that program, the coaches believed in us so much as a team. You can do so many special things, and I think my story is a testament to that."
Thompson is one of three Bearcats heading to Tokyo to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games. Vanessa Gilles will represent Team Canada in soccer and Annette Echikunwoke will represent Nigeria in the hammer event for track and field.
She was asked what it says about Cincinnati to have three former athletes competing in the upcoming games.
"Again, it just goes to show the talent that comes out of Cincinnati and the staff that we have there and what we are capable of as a University. And I think there is just so much more to come out of Cincinnati. There is just so much talent going in and so there is so much greatness coming out."
Thompson was a dominant force on the court for UC. She is the all-time career leader in kills with a total of 2,634. She was the sixth player in NCAA history to record 50 kills in a match with 50 on her Senior Day against ECU, resetting her own UC and AAC single-match record. During her senior season, she broke her own record for kills per set in a season with 6.38 and became the only player in UC history to average more than 5.00 kills per set in her career, ending at a mark of 5.4.
When asked about the biggest difference between the collegiate game and professional game, she said it comes down to the speed of the game and playing with women who have been playing the game for years.
"You don't have to be the biggest and baddest player and jump the highest because these women are so incredibly smart and so talented. It's really taught me that the game is not always about who is the most physical, you can outsmart people and outsmart teams."
Women's indoor volleyball will be contested July 25-August 8 at Ariake Arena in Koto City, Tokyo, Japan. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, U.S. women's indoor volleyball athletes won bronze.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati volleyball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow UC volleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.
You can also follow Jordan Thompson on Twitter and Instagram.
At just 24 years of age, she is one of the youngest members of the USA Volleyball squad and one of eight heading to the Olympic games for the first time.
"It just means so much because it's something I truly did not think, one I didn't know if it was ever going to happen but to be at this point so early in my career is, it still blows my mind. Because in my game plan that I had, I just want to get into the national team gym when I was 25 or 26 and maybe they will ask me to train with them then. And to be now on the Olympic roster at 24 years old it just, it blows my mind everyday."
Thompson played for the University of Cincinnati from 2015-2019. She earned the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year accolade in 2015 and followed that up as a three-time unanimous AAC Player of the Year in 2016, 2018 and 2019. She was the first volleyball player in AAC history to earn unanimous honors and receive the award three times.
She will also be the first former UC student-athlete to compete in an Olympic volleyball event.
"I mean, it's just such an honor. And to be able to represent Cincinnati as well I think is huge. A lot of people, I think, don't really always look at Cincinnati as a volleyball school necessarily. And so, I am just really honored to be able to represent Cincinnati and prove that you don't have to go to a Big Ten school just to do great things in this sport. You can have a lot of success at a school like Cincinnati and they are great people and a great staff to lead you on that journey."
She also took a moment to reflect on her collegiate career at Cincinnati.
"To end my career at Cincinnati with us taking a trip to the Sweet 16, that was something that I don't even know if I thought was possible my freshman year. But then, once we got going and we were just building that program, the coaches believed in us so much as a team. You can do so many special things, and I think my story is a testament to that."
Thompson is one of three Bearcats heading to Tokyo to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games. Vanessa Gilles will represent Team Canada in soccer and Annette Echikunwoke will represent Nigeria in the hammer event for track and field.
She was asked what it says about Cincinnati to have three former athletes competing in the upcoming games.
"Again, it just goes to show the talent that comes out of Cincinnati and the staff that we have there and what we are capable of as a University. And I think there is just so much more to come out of Cincinnati. There is just so much talent going in and so there is so much greatness coming out."
Thompson was a dominant force on the court for UC. She is the all-time career leader in kills with a total of 2,634. She was the sixth player in NCAA history to record 50 kills in a match with 50 on her Senior Day against ECU, resetting her own UC and AAC single-match record. During her senior season, she broke her own record for kills per set in a season with 6.38 and became the only player in UC history to average more than 5.00 kills per set in her career, ending at a mark of 5.4.
When asked about the biggest difference between the collegiate game and professional game, she said it comes down to the speed of the game and playing with women who have been playing the game for years.
"You don't have to be the biggest and baddest player and jump the highest because these women are so incredibly smart and so talented. It's really taught me that the game is not always about who is the most physical, you can outsmart people and outsmart teams."
Women's indoor volleyball will be contested July 25-August 8 at Ariake Arena in Koto City, Tokyo, Japan. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, U.S. women's indoor volleyball athletes won bronze.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati volleyball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow UC volleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.
You can also follow Jordan Thompson on Twitter and Instagram.