West Cook News

Former Fenwick star Jade Owens is emerging as one of the leaders of the Creighton women’s basketball team.

The sophomore guard has started in 22 of the team’s 28 games this year, averaging 27.3 minutes per game. She leads the team in assists (96/3.4 per game), rebounds (134/4.8)  and steals (27). Creighton is currently tied for fifth place in the Big East, with a conference record of 7-9 and an overall record of 13-15.

A four-year starter at Fenwick, Owens averaged more than 19 points, five assists, four steals and five rebounds over her final two seasons, and the Friars reached the state tournament in each of her four seasons. She was a two-time All-State selection by the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, and also made the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State Second Team twice.

“I’ve gotten a lot of minutes, and an opportunity to make a contribution to the team, so it’s exactly what I expected," Owens told the West Cook News. “The team dynamic is everything I really wanted it to be playing college basketball, and more."

She describes herself as the funny person on the team, and she will say or do anything to make people laugh, but “I’m also really focused and hard-working in both school and basketball.”

While basketball is obviously a big part of Owens' life at the moment, she has bigger plans for the future. Academically, she is a pre-med student and aspires to be an orthopedic surgeon. 

“I would like to stay within sports and work with sports injuries; being in basketball has really gotten me interested in this part of it," she said.

While at Creighton, Owens has earned Academic All-Conference accolades in the Big East and has made the dean’s list in each of her semesters.

Owens credits the stable atmosphere growing up in River Forest with her development as a person. 

“I have close family friends, different people who are close to me and my family,” she said.

Her parents, though, have had the biggest influence on her life and are her strongest role models.

“In basketball, my dad has made a huge impact, and he’s like my second coach," Owens said. "He’s someone I can always go to for an unbiased opinion or help with my shooting or anything. My mom has a life-coach type of personality. She gives me great advice with academics. She’s my personal cheerleader."

Owens’ father played Division III basketball at Widener, and her mother played volleyball at Drake.

For Owens, the most satisfying part of her collegiate experience has been the sense of family that has developed over the past two years. 

“There is a second family here," Owens said. "Whether it is my coaches or my teammates, it’s like I have a whole different support system, a big group of best friends."

Owens also has found it surprising that she is so happy with so many different people in women’s basketball.

"You’d think there would be a lot of drama," Owens said, then noted, “I would say we are really close friends.”