Yesterday, I was able to sit down and talk to former Bearcats volleyball superstar Jordan Thompson ahead of the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Thompson a class of 2019 graduate from the University of Cincinnati is the first ever Bearcat volleyball player in school history to be selected to represent team USA. Thompson reflected on her time as a Bearcat and how the city of Cincinnati as well as Cincinnati University have played a tremendous role into getting her where she is today in her career. Thompson is the first ever Bearcat volleyball player make the Olympic roster as her and team USA look to capture the gold at the Tokyo Olympics later this month when they kick off action July 25th- August 8th at Ariake Arena in Koto City, Tokyo, Japan. The U.S. Woman’s National team is currently ranked No. 1 in the World after they recently took home their third consecutive VNL Title.
Jordan Thompson comes from a family of athletes as her father Tyrone Thompson was a basketball star at the University of Pittsburgh, where he ended up playing for the Harlem Globetrotters, as well as professionally overseas for eight years. Her late uncle Chris Doleman also played football at the University of Pittsburgh, before making stints in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons.
Thompson is a three time American Athletic Conference player of the year where she earned those honors from 2017- 2019. Thompson is also the all time leader in kills at the University of Cincinnati. Thompson also became the 6th person in NCAA history to record 50 kills for the Bearcats when she recorded 50 kills on her senior day versus East Carolina University. This performance not only reset her record at the University for most kills in a match broke her previous record of kills in a match with that incredible performance for the Bearcats. Thompson is also the only player in program history to average more than 5.00 kills per set in her career when she ended her career averaging 5.40 kills per set. Thompson not only broke records at the University of Cincinnati, but she helped lead the Bearcats to the Sweet 16 in the 2019 NCAA tournament where the knocked off 6th ranked Pittsburgh to advance to the Sweet 16.
