Jennifer Pozzani
Concordia University, St. Paul
Basketball / Softball
Jennifer Pozzani was an All-NSIC First Team performer in basketball and softball helping Concordia University, St. Paul to three NSIC Tournament Championships, an NSIC regular season basketball title and five total NCAA Tournament appearances. She helped the basketball team reach the NCAA Tournament in Concordia's first year eligible for post season play in 2002-03, led the program to its first NCAA Tournament win in 2003-04 and to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2004-05. She helped the softball team reach the program's first NCAA Tournament in the spring of 2004, reaching the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, and the following year the Golden Bears won the regional title and advanced to the Elite Eight.
In basketball, Pozzani was a two-time NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, yet had the offensive firepower to set the school scoring record (1,647) which stood for 10 years. She also had the highest single season field goal percentage (57.3%) and still holds the career steals record (245). She earned 2005 NSIC Tournament MVP honors as well as being named to the NCAA North Central All-Tournament Team. Pozzani helped turn around a program that had produced 10-straight losing seasons. She earned NSIC Freshman of the Year honors as she led the Golden Bears to four 20-plus win seasons in her four years with a 96-27 overall record, and a 52-14 record in NSIC play.
In softball, her acumen was similar. Pozzani excelled defensively in centerfield, yet she also held a .309 career batting average, including a career-high .355 average as a senior. She was able to run the bases with 39 steals in 46 tries.
Her Hall of Fame candidacy can be summed up by her impact as a senior. After leading women's basketball to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Pozzani transitioned immediately to the softball diamond. The team was 9-10 until Pozzani rejoined the lineup, going 35-5 the rest of the year as she was inserted into center field and the leadoff spot in the lineup to lead the team to a regional championship and the NCAA Elite Eight.
Pozzani graduated from Concordia-St. Paul in 2005 and went on to earn a master's degree from National-Louis University in 2011. She is currently a teacher in her hometown of Beloit, Wis.