Paula Jones enters the Charles M. DeWild Hall of Fame as one of the best three-sport athletes in Rockford University history. Jones was a four-year member of the Rockford University women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and softball programs, all of which saw unprecedented success from 2002-06 with Jones on the team. Jones was also heavily involved in the Rockford University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) throughout her time as a Regent. She served as SAAC President for multiple years and was a member of the NCAA Division III National SAAC Board.
Jones was a key component to the most successful four-year span in the history of the Rockford University women’s basketball program. Jones played in all 111 games over her four years and earned postseason accolades in each season. She was named First Team All-Northern Illinois Iowa Conference (NIIC) three times (2002-03, 2003-04 and 2005-06) and was named NIIC Honorable Mention for the 2004-05 season. Jones finished her career with 1,172 points, 471 rebounds, 235 assists and 202 steals. She is currently the ninth leading scorer in program history and is one of only eleven players to score 1,000 points in a career at Rockford. As a team, the Regents compiled a 76-35 overall record and a .685 winning percentage, both of which are tops over a four-year span. Rockford won three straight NIIC Championships starting with the 2003-04 season, three NIIC Tournament Titles, including back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, and made an incredible three trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament, including consecutive appearances for the first time in program history.
Jones was also a central piece to the success of the women’s volleyball program in the early 2000s. She played in 113 of the team’s 116 matches and earned postseason honors in each of the four years. Jones was selected NIIC Honorable mention as a freshman in 2002, before being voted First Team All-NIIC in her final three seasons. Additionally, Jones still holds the Rockford University school records for assists in a match (58), assists in a season (1,296), assists in a career (2,877), assists per set in a season (11.27), assists per set in a career (7.12) and digs per set in a career (4.04). Jones concluded her career with 2,877 assists, 579 kills, 1,593 digs, 140 service aces and 89 total blocks. As a team, Rockford won back-to-back NIIC Championships in 2002 and 2003 for the first time in program history. The Regents also won a school record 26 matches in 2003, including the program’s only undefeated season in conference play. Rockford continued to make history in 2003, when the Regents won the NIIC Tournament and earned their first ever trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.Â
Jones was also an integral part of the softball team when it had its winningest four-year stretch in program history. The Regents won 87 games from 2003-06, including a school record 28 wins in 2006. Jones played in 143 of the team’s 156 games, helped lead Rockford to a second place finish in both the regular season and the NIIC Tournament during her senior season and was named NIIC Honorable Mention in 2006. She ended her career with 111 hits, 16 doubles, 3 triples, 1 home run, 52 runs batted in and 47 stolen bases in 52 attempts, for an impressive 90.4 stolen base percentage. Jones also went 5-2 inside the circle with a 3.37 earned run average.
