Jenny Ryan

Jenny Ryan’s basketball talents began at an early age when she led her Valley Parochial League grade- and middle-school teams to a combined 65-0 record. She then had an outstanding prep basketball career at Nouvel Catholic Central High School, where she helped lead the Panthers to a pair of Class C state championships (2006 and 2008). The Panthers were 93-10 in her four years as a varsity player. Ryan, who was named team captain as a junior and senior, was a three-time member of the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team, a three-time selection to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan first team, and a three-time Saginaw News Dream Team selection. She was named the Associated Press Class C Player of the Year in 2008 and in 2009 was selected as Michigan’s Miss Basketball award winner. Ryan holds two Michigan High School Athletic Association state finals records; most points scored in a quarter (17) and most steals in a game (12), and is tied for seventh all-time for most points in a state championship game with 30 (2006). She finished her brilliant, high school career with 1,405 points, 443 steals, 368 assists and 344 rebounds. Ryan earned a scholarship to the University of Michigan, where she was an impact player all four years she played for the Wolverines. As a freshman, she saw action in 35 games, starting 34 times and earned the team’s Best Defensive Player Award. She scored 195 points and established a freshman record for rebounds in a season with 204. Additionally, she set a Michigan record for steals in a Women’s National Invitation Tournament game with six steals against Northwestern. Her 67 steals were the most steals by a Big Ten freshman. As a sophomore Ryan started all 30 games, averaging 7.3 points (219 total) and 5.0 rebounds (151 total) per game. She led the Wolverines in minutes played, assists (106) and steals (63) and was awarded the team’s Hustle Award, Best Defensive Player Award and Academic Excellence Award. In Ryan’s junior season she started all 32 games, averaging 6.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.1 steals and 34.8 minutes per game. She led the Big Ten Conference with 98 total steals – the third-best single-season mark in U-M history. Ryan tied a school record with 12 assists against Illinois State and posted the best performance by a junior in assists with 132. For her efforts she earned Michigan’s Hustle Award, Best Defensive Player Award and Academic Excellence Award. She was also named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team and CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District. As a senior, she averaged a career-best 10.2 points-per-game and averaged 5.1 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 37.0 minutes per game. She scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds against rival-Michigan State and was named Big Ten Player of the Week. Ryan was named All-Big Ten third team (coaches and media), Academic All-Big Ten and CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District first team. She finished her Michigan career ranked first in games (130) and minutes played (4,558), second in assists (489) and steals (291) and 10th in rebounding (698). Ryan captured the Bob Ufer Quarterback Club Spirit Award and was named one of the Students of the Year by the Michigan Daily, U-M’s student newspaper.