HAVERFORD, Pa. – With an award recognizing success both in the classroom and on the court, Jesse Turkson was recently named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America program separately recognizes basketball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Turkson, a senior for the Haverford College men's basketball team, was one of five players from Division III's District 4 selected for this honor. District 4 covers all DIII schools within the state of Pennsylvania.
Perhaps no measure is a better indicator of Turkson's performance than the fact that Haverford increased its wins total in every successive season since Turkson joined the Fords. That success culminated with Haverford advancing to the Centennial Conference Tournament for the first time in nine seasons last winter as the team earned the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. The program's 16-10 record marked the second-most victories in program history. The 11-7 Centennial Conference record was just one victory shy of tying the school record. That third place finish marked the program's best regular season placement since the conference went to a single division starting in the 2003-04 season.
Even with the Fords grabbing headlines for the team's success, Turkson was certainly recognized for his individual achievements as well when he was selected as a first-team All-Centennial Conference performer following his junior season. With that honor, he became the program's second consecutive first-team selection - but just the sixth in program history as another sign of the team's positive momentum.
Turkson led the Fords in both scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.2 rbg) last season. His 8.2 rebounds per game marked the highest average in the Centennial Conference. He secured 10 or more rebounds seven times throughout that season, posting a double-double with 10-plus points during each of those occasions. He additionally ranked seventh in the conference in scoring, finishing in double figures 20 times last season. That total included six contests where he went for 20 or more points. A well-rounded player, his junior season saw him rank fifth in the conference in field goals (149), sixth in field goal percentage (.523), seventh in steals (39), and seventh in blocked shots (23).
An economics major who will graduate from Haverford this spring, Turkson was twice named to the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll. He also helped to elevate the athletic department outside of the men's basketball program as Turkson was an active member of Haverford's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Even with his senior season being canceled, Turkson graduates from Haverford ranked fourth in field goal percentage (.537), eighth in rebounding average (7.9), and 10th in blocked shots (58).
First-team Academic All-District honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in late May.