Returning to the court after surgery and helping Alton High School reach the state tournament stands out as one of the most memorable moments of Jakayla Steen’s basketball career. The 5-foot-10 guard from Alton, Illinois, competed in basketball, volleyball and track in high school while also playing AAU basketball with MidPro South.
Jakayla chose Vincennes after connecting with the coaching staff and feeling during her visit that VU was a place where she could grow. She enters her first season focused on improving her shot and ball handling, helping the Trailblazers compete for a National Championship and creating an opportunity to continue her career at the NCAA Division I level. Her future serves as her biggest motivation, and she carries the simple advice, “Don’t quit.”
A Legal Studies major, Jakayla hopes to become a lawyer or psychologist while pursuing photography on the side. Away from basketball, she enjoys binge-watching shows, listening to Drake and making people laugh. She describes herself as energetic, lists Kobe Bryant as her favorite athlete and lives by one of her favorite sayings: “YOLO.”
Coach Johnson on Jakayla...
"Jakayla brings an energy and tenacity to our team that is impossible to ignore. She has a high basketball IQ and a unique ability to fill so many different roles with her speed, athleticism, and toughness. She makes winning plays, embraces the difficult assignments, and brings a level of competitiveness that raises the standard for everyone around her."
