Allison Thomas staying close to home, playing for Jimmies next year
Mar. 5—MEDINA, N.D. — This winter has presented Allison Thomas with a big decision.
What sport did she want to play in college?
"It was tough to decide between basketball and volleyball because I'm very passionate about both sports," said Thomas, a senior for Medina/Pingree-Buchanan.
In the end, the MPB standout went with her gut.
"I chose basketball because I've always had this different, deeper excitement for it than volleyball," Thomas said. "Even though I love both sports equally as much, there's something about basketball's intense competitiveness that draws me in. There's a part of me that feels like I've always known I wanted to play basketball at the collegiate level."
On Feb. 21, Thomas officially committed to play collegiate basketball at the University of Jamestown.
"It took me several months to make my final decision to sign with UJ," Thomas said. "It wasn't until last May that I really started thinking about where I wanted to attend college. When I first started thinking about it, I kept asking myself if I wanted to go somewhere 'new' or stay close to home.
"After joining the team at their open gyms last summer, I started to lean toward UJ," she said. "As I watched the UJ women's team play during their season, it almost served as a means of affirmation. I finally decided that I liked the comfort UJ brought me and felt their basketball program was excellent, so I decided to sign there."
Thomas has been exposed to UJ her entire life.
The MPB senior said since the very beginning of her athletics career, she's attended many basketball and volleyball camps put on by the Jimmies. Her brother, Cale, played hoops for the Jimmies after his prep career wrapped in 2009 and then seven years later, in 2016, her sister, Jordan, committed to play volleyball for UJ.
"I got to watch Jordan's entire college career and witness how much she loved it," Thomas said. "Watching Jordan's career as well as growing up around the campus and attending multiple camps there was what initially sparked my interest in UJ."
The next factor that affected Thomas' choice was her participation at the open gyms for the UJ women's basketball team last summer.
"I was nervous when I first started playing with them (but) the girls welcomed me and treated me as though I were one of them," Thomas said. "When playing with them, I admired how dedicated and competitive they were, and I could see how passionate each girl was about the sport.
"Ultimately, the final thing that influenced me to pick UJ was when Coach (Thad) Sankey contacted me on Jan. 24 and offered me a scholarship to play for him," she said. "Right then and there I officially decided I wanted to play basketball for UJ."
Playing at the next level will require Thomas to stay healthy which has been a little bit of a challenge for the MPB senior, but Thomas said she has been feeling fantastic since she recovered from her volleyball injury in October.
Since her return to basketball in early January, the senior said she hasn't experienced any pain, swelling, popping or unusual movement in her knees which has been a relief for an athlete who has undergone two ACL reconstructions.
Thomas was selected as the Thunders' primary point guard this season. The senior led the team in steals, assists and 3-pointers. She was also one of the team's leading rebounders. Thomas said she is going to be regularly lifting at the gym and increasing her strength to make sure she is physically sound for her inaugural season with the Jimmies.
"I can't wait to start this new chapter in my life," Thomas said. "Since I was a little girl, I've always dreamed of having the chance to pursue sports at the collegiate level.
"I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity to play basketball at the next level," she said. "I'm really excited to play with all of the other amazing players and work with Coach Sankey, who is a fantastic coach. I'm eager to see what the UJ women's basketball program has in store for me."
