After four years in Virginia, Taylor Jameson said it was a “no-brainer” to return to Wichita for her last year of NCAA eligibility.
“I wanted to come back home,” Jameson said.
Jameson, a 2020 Wichita Heights High School graduate, signed with George Mason University to play college ball. After four years with the team, she joined the transfer portal in May.
While she had an offer from Wichita State almost immediately, she took her time to accept it, despite its appeal.
“As a Wichita kid, I didn’t really know if I wanted to come back here because being away from home so long had taught me so much about myself that coming back here, I didn’t know (if) it would be taking steps back, … like as a person, not even as a player,” she said.
Jameson said being away from home helped her gain independence and maturity.
“It was an experience,” she said. “But if I could go back, I would do it all over again.”
After returning to Wichita, Jameson said a quick stop to talk with the coaching staff convinced her to sign on to the team.
“But I still wanted to be mysterious, so I was like, ‘Yeah I’ll have to get back with you,’” she said.
As Jameson told Wichita State staff that she was exploring other options, she told other colleges she had already made a choice.
“(I) gave (head) coach Terry (Nooner) a call and was like, ‘Yeah, unfortunately, I feel bad for everyone in the American (Athletic Conference) because I will be coming home,’” she said.
Now several months back in Wichita, Jameson has enjoyed the comfort of being able to visit her parents nearly every day. Her father, who played professionally for the United States Marine Corps, inspired her love for basketball at 5 years old.
“Having them here … it means the world to me,” she said. “And I know that it’ll show in the games and stuff, even when adverse times happen. Being able to look up in the stands and see my dad — he’s my whole heart.”
As a graduate student, Jameson hopes to bring experience and leadership to the team.
The 5-foot-5 guard maintained a successful career at George Mason, starting in nearly half of her 113 games. Throughout her four years as a Patriot, she scored more than 1,000 points, averaging 9.1 per game on 35% from the field.
At George Mason last season, she averaged 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 turnovers. In the 2022-23 season, she averaged 11.2 points, a career high.
“She’s somebody that I look up to,” freshman guard KP Parr said. “She knows the ins and outs, like, in and outside of the basketball court.”
Antwain Scales, a WSU assistant coach, considers Jameson a “bona fide leader.”
“She’s a relentless competitor,” Scales said. “She’s just very, very, very assertive as far as how she wants to lead, and she just has a contagious personality where people truly follow her.”
With the women’s basketball team picked 12th in the AAC in preseason polls, Jameson said it motivates the team.
“We’re a new team, but obviously, with me only having one year (of) eligibility left, I’m not trying to really take my time putting the team together,” Jameson said. “I’m trying to make all the pieces stick as quickly as possible so we can put together a championship team.”
