One of the greatest shooters to ever touch the floor in Brownson Arena.
In her senior year, Jaylyn Duran averaged 18.6 points per game shooting, which lead the conference, shot 35 percent from three and 42 percent from the field and she was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and the South Central Region Player of the Year. It doesn’t stop there, Duran was named to the All-American Honors Second Team, the All-RMAC First Team
“She contributed in a lot of ways, offensively she was our leading scorer and kind of our go-to girl,” Head coach Taylor Wagner said. “When we needed a shot, she would take it, and defensively she was a great defender this year for us. “Her leadership was remarkable this year, she was there for the girls, and was able to help them when they needed it because she had been through the battles before, so it came naturally to her.”
Duran led the team not only in points but three’s as well, she broke her own school record for three’s made in a season with 98 this year averaging 3.2 per game. The Pueblo native also now holds the all-time three-point record with 265 in her CMU career.
“Last year she was great but this year she was a different animal, she was unstoppable,” Guard Kylyn Rigsby said. “Even with the best defender attached at the hip, she was finding ways for not only her to score but others. That’s why she was so great.”
The best scorer in the RMAC is more than just a shooter; she is an excellent ball-handler and finds ways to get to the rim whenever she wants. Throughout her entire career, Duran scored 1,352 points, dished out 181 assists, grabbed 244 rebounds and had 108 steals.
In the 2018-19 season, Duran realized that she had to step into a bigger scoring and leadership role with the departures of Erin Reichle and Ma’ata Epenisa; ironically, she stepped into those shoes like she was meant to wear them. The Mavericks this year won both the RMAC regular season and tournament championship while securing a number-two seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“I’ve been on the floor with Jaylyn for a lot of things like her one thousandth point, her record-breaking three, and the most heartwarming was winning the RMAC Championship game,” Rigsby said. “Those are all memories I’ll hold forever. I’m thankful I got to be part of her journey here at CMU, and she made my experience here better by being part of it.”
With Duran’s collegiate career over, she has already started looking ahead at possible opportunities to continue her basketball career whether it’s in the WNBA or in a Euro League. She loves this game dearly and for her, it is more than just a game. She wants to play more basketball, after this season she has all the fight in the world to make it no matter what.
My hopes for my career in the future, obviously play for as long as I can then I’m hoping to go into coaching,” Duran said. “I want to be around the game of basketball as long as possible because I love it & it’s my passion.”
Duran will be heading to Tampa this week for a prospect camp/tryout for a Euro League. She will also be going to another tryout that athletes from Division I programs will be competing for that. These will take place during the NCAA Women’s Final Four in which Duran was able to get access to due to her accolades on the court.
This off-season she has already begun working on her game in order to compete at the highest level. Duran left everything she had at CMU but now it is time for her to wear a new jersey.
“It was the best decision I’ve ever made and that coming to CMU,” Duran said. “It’s a hard program to be a part of but you have to enjoy every part of it because it’s worth it, especially behind the coaching staff, and every staff member in the community, you just have to be ready for that and I think that having them gives you the best opportunity in life, and I can stand by that because it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
