General News

[Click Here for PDF Release]

Carissa Jahner Named Recipient of NCC Inspiration Award

North Dakota women's basketball player Carissa Jahner has been selected as the recipient of the Inspiration Award by the North Central Conference. The announcement of the award coincides with the National Girls & Women in Sports Day on Wednesday.

The selection by Senior Women's Administrators at NCC institutions was made on the basis of significant contribution to her team along with contributions to her home and college community, while showing courage in overcoming adversity that influenced their collegiate career. The female athlete must be in her senior year of eligibility and have a minimum 3.00 grade point average.

Jahner is a team captain and natural team leader for the Sioux. She has been a starter since her sophomore year and has never missed a game in her four-year career. She currently leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, leads the team in assists, steals and minutes played and is fourth on the team in rebounding. She is a two-time NCC Defensive Player of the Year with her strength being defense as well as her team leadership on offense being a tremendous asset to the team.

When Jahner was a senior in high school, her father, Frank, was among the first troops deployed to Iraq. He continued to serve his country through her freshman year in college. This was hard on everyone in the family, including her brother Jade who also played basketball for UND. But basketball helped ease the separation for both Carissa and her dad as he was able to listen to all of her basketball games through the internet.

Jahner has been active in community activities as well. In the fall of 2006 she participated in a basketball clinic and read to school children on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation. She has also helped with the Grand Forks Community Fair, Potato Bowl activities, UND pre-game tailgating events and was a speaker for the Grand Forks South Middle School D.A.R.E. program.

Jahner is the daughter of Frank and Diane Jahner of Fargo, N.D. and is majoring in nursing.