Jennings Honors and Awards
- CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame Inductee (2008)
- Margaret Wade Trophy, Nation's Outstanding Player (1993)
- Kodak First-Team All-American (1993)
- Nebraska Athletic Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductee (2015)
- CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year (1992, 1993)
- CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American (1991, 1992, 1993)
- Big Eight Female Athlete of the Year (1993)
- Big Eight Player of the Year (1992, 1993)
- Big Eight Newcomer of the Year (1990)
- First-Team All-Big Eight (1991, 1992, 1993)
- Big Eight All-Tournament Team (1993)
- First-Team Academic All-Big Eight (1991, 1992, 1993)
The most decorated women's basketball player in school history, Karen Jennings earned the Margaret Wade Trophy as the nation's outstanding player and WBCA/Kodak First-Team All-America honors in 1993.
The 6-2 forward from Persia, Iowa, was a four-year starter and led Nebraska to the second round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament. The first Husker to have her jersey retired, Jennings' No. 51 was retired in 1994 and formally put on display at the Devaney Center in 2006. A giant banner displaying her name and No. 51 are now on permanent display alongside Maurtice Ivy's No. 30 and Kelsey Griffin's No. 23 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
In March of 2015, she was named to the inaugural class of the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame - one of 22 athletes across all sports.
Jennings was one of the top student-athletes in NU history. She captured CoSIDA Academic All-American-of-the-Year honors in 1992 and 1993, while claiming CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America honors three times (1991, 1992, 1993). A two-time Big Eight Conference Player of the Year (1992, 1993) and a three-time first-team all-conference pick, Jennings was the Big Eight Newcomer of the Year in 1990.
The captain of Nebraska's All-Century Team announced in February of 2000, Jennings closed her career as the first player in school history to score more than 2,000 points and record 1,000 rebounds.
Jennings was also chosen as one of 25 Women of Distinction honored during the Nebraska Athletic Department's Silver Anniversary celebration of 25 years of women's athletics at NU in 1999-2000.
Jennings averaged 20.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in her career, while ranking first in points (2,405). She also ranks fifth in career rebounds (1,000), first in field goals made (981), second in field-goal percentage (.568), third in field goals attempted (1,726), tied for fourth in free throws attempted (570) and fifth in free throws made (426).
Jennings' 810 points and 25.3 points per game average in 1991-92 rank as the top single-season totals in school history, while her 10.0 rebounds per game allowed her to average a double-double as a junior. She also owns NU's single-game scoring mark with 48 points in an 87-82 win at Kansas State on Jan. 21, 1992.
In her freshman season, the Huskers struggled to a 10-18 overall record, but with Jennings as a nucleus, NU improved to 17-11 the next season. She set the Husker sophomore record for scoring average at 20.5 points per game (574 points).
NU continued to improve in Jennings' record-setting junior campaign, posting a 21-11 mark and advancing to the National Women's Invitational Tournament.
In her final season, Jennings helped Nebraska to its first NCAA Tournament win in history with 14 points and eight rebounds in an 81-58 win over San Diego at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on March 17, 1993.
Jennings added 16 points and 13 rebounds in a 78-60 loss at Southern California in the tournament's second round. NU finished with a 23-8 record and a second-place finish with a 10-4 mark in the Big Eight.
Jennings also claimed a spot on the Big Eight All-Tournament team after leading the Huskers to the tournament championship game.
Following a career in physical therapy, Jennings became a highly successful real estate agent in Omaha. Jennings became the first Nebraska female student-athlete to be inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2008.
Jenning's Career Statistics
|
Year |
G-GS |
FG-FGA |
Pct. |
3P-3PA |
Pct. |
FT-FTA |
Pct. |
TRB-Avg. |
Pts-Avg. |
| 1989-90 |
28-15 |
157-298 |
.526 |
0-0 |
.000 |
60-101 |
.594 |
184-6.6 |
374-13.4 |
| 1990-91 |
28-28 |
236-413 |
.571 |
0-1 |
.000 |
102-137 |
.744 |
248-8.9 |
574-20.5 |
| 1991-92 |
32-32 |
337-559 |
.602 |
7-20 |
.350 |
129-165 |
.781 |
319-10.0 |
810-25.3 |
| 1992-93 | 31-31 | 251-456 | .550 | 10-32 | .312 | 135-167 | .808 | 249-8.0 | 647-20.9 |
|
Career |
119-106 |
981-1, 726 |
.568 |
17-53 |
.320 |
426-570 |
.747 |
1, 000-8.4 |
2, 405-20.2 |