Jersey Wolfenbarger certainly had a Friday to remember.

Not only did the Northside junior help the Lady Bears to a 6A quarterfinal win, earlier in the day she received more good news.

Wolfenbarger, a 6-foot-4 point guard, was named the Gatorade Arkansas Girls Basketball Player of the Year for the 2019-20 season.

“It’s definitely an honor you know,” Wolfenbarger said. “I think it’s the result of all the hard work I’ve put in the past couple of years.

“But I think my teammates have done a really good job at helping me be that leader I want to be and helping me at just getting into position to produce and play hard and obviously play close to my best every night.”

Wolfenbarger said she didn’t even know she received that honor until being informed Friday morning by her mother, Megan Wolfenbarger.

“My mom actually found out (Friday) and she told me when I woke up. ... So I had no idea until she told me,” Jersey Wolfenbarger said.

A three-year starter and the MVP of the 2019 6A tournament her sophomore season, Wolfenbarger leads the Lady Bears in scoring with 18.7 points per game prior to the 6A State Tournament. She has scored at least 20 points in 16 games this season, including 20 points in Friday’s 6A quarterfinal win against Bryant and 21 in Saturday’s 6A semifinal loss to Fayetteville.

Wolfenbarger was also averaging six rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.


Like Wolfenbarger, her coach was just as surprised that Wolfenbarger was named the state’s top player.

“That was a shocker,” Northside coach Rickey Smith said. “She is very deserving and is just a great player and I think we’re very blessed to have Jersey on the team. ... It’s a prestigious honor and I’m very proud for her.”

Off the court, Wolfenbarger possesses a 4.08 grade-point average. She is also very active in the community, volunteering at a local homeless shelter, the Salvation Army and youth basketball programs.

Wolfenbarger is ranked as the nation’s No. 19 recruit in the Class of 2021 by ESPN, with several of the country’s top college programs already inquiring about her services.

But Wolfenbarger, whose last-second jump shot gave Northside the win in last season’s 6A championship game, at the moment is focusing on continuing to improve her game.

?(I’ve been) just focusing on the little things. ... I’ve just been trying to do my best every day and trying to work extremely hard and focus on the things I can control,” she said.
