Redshirt sophomore guard Saniya Jackson is one of the Dawgs’ most reliable players. Photo by Jada Gangazha.

NHU-HAN BUI | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | hbui@butler.edu 

With only one season worth of film and fresh off an ACL injury, redshirt sophomore guard Saniya Jackson was unsure if any coach would take a chance on her in the transfer portal. 

Now, almost one year after committing to Butler, Jackson leads the Bulldogs in rebounds and steals, and is the second-highest scorer on the team. The guard recently notched her second career double-double against DePaul on Feb. 25 as well, ending the game with 19 points and 14 rebounds. 

After missing the entirety of her sophomore year, Jackson and twin sister Nevaeh decided to transfer when Valparaiso fired head coach Mary Evans. Although head coach Austin Parkinson only had Jackson’s first year on tape, he was willing to bring the twins to Butler — a chance that has since paid off. 

Parkinson thinks that Saniya’s willingness to learn and adapt to Butler’s system was key to her becoming a core player for the team.

“I think Saniya’s perspective really helped her,” Parkinson said. “She was so grateful to be healthy when she got here that she tried hard to learn what we’re doing in our system. And because she did that, she looked really, really good, and she’s always played really hard. I’ve been really proud of the year that she’s had.”

Along with returning to the Division I level of play, Jackson had the added challenge of adapting to a new school, locker room and conference. Having not played since March of 2024, the guard entered the season with low expectations and high-strung nerves.

The Bulldogs’ first match, an exhibition game against Taylor, was Jackson’s first time back on a court in 19 months.

“I think my most nervous game was our scrimmage because I [had not] played in front of people [or in] a game in so long,” Jackson said. “[Before] every game I [say], ‘It’s gonna be okay, everything’s fine,’ [and] I don’t have any fear that I’m gonna hurt myself again.”

Despite her nerves, Jackson shone for the Dawgs. In her 23 minutes of playtime, she scored 19 points, along with four rebounds and two steals. Since then, the guard has continued to be a consistent player for the team on both sides of the ball. 

Throughout the season, Jackson has risen to the challenge of playing in the Big East, and her effort has not gone unnoticed by Parkinson and the team.

She has earned her teammates’ respect for her work ethic and character, and Parkinson thinks that her growth throughout the season has raised the bar for the team.

“[Watching her improve has been] unbelievable,” Parkinson said. “She went from playing in the Missouri Valley to playing in the Big East. She leads us in scoring [and is] one of our best, if not our best rebounder. She’s our best defensive player. She’s really efficient [with] how she plays. And the one thing you can say about her [is that] she brings it every single day, and it raises the level for our team.”

Although the first time Jackson tore her ACL was back during her junior year of high school, her most recent tear came right after she was cleared to return from another knee injury. 

Having gone through the surgery once already, Jackson was more prepared to bounce back, but the mental toll from back-to-back injuries and missing a season was heavier the second time around.

“Sitting out a whole year was hard, but I just took it as an opportunity to be ready for when the next year came,” Jackson said. “It’s obviously not something that I wanted, because I actually tore my meniscus first, got cleared, [then] tore my ACL. It was just one thing after another. I was in a really sad mindset, but I quickly changed that, and I was just like, ‘I just got to get back and get better,’ so that’s what I did.”

Nevaeh, who has been teammates with Saniya their whole career, was by her side through both injuries. She credits her sister’s determination to grow from the setbacks with making her a better player.

“I’ve seen her come back from ACL [injuries] twice, and both times she’s come back stronger than before,” Nevaeh said. “I think that Saniya put her head down and she was like, ‘This sucks, but [God] knew it was gonna happen,’ and she took it as an opportunity for herself to get stronger, faster and just build back up to where she was. It’s been awesome to see. When I was out a little bit this season [with a broken hand], being able to watch her, [I was like], ‘Wow, she really grew so much.’ It was just amazing.”

Jackson finished the regular season averaging 9.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The guard also racked up 56 steals and led the team in field goal percentage, nailing 49.5% of her shots.

Now, as the Bulldogs look towards the Big East Tournament, Jackson remains thankful for the opportunity to play basketball. She seeks to close the year out strong and continue giving her all on the court.

“I was just grateful for any opportunity I got at this point because I was just happy to still be playing basketball,” Saniya said. “A lot of people don’t think about playing after having multiple knee surgeries, and I just thought, ‘I’m gonna be grateful for anything I have.’ I’m playing in the Big East and I’m with my family, so with anything that I get and anytime I get on the floor, I’m gonna make the most of it and work hard.”