Vera Jones, Women's Basketball Analyst

ALMA MATER: Syracuse University

HOMETOWN: Fort Washington, MD

PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
  • COLLEGIATE COACHING: Dayton (ASST. 2004 - 2006) ; Indiana (ASST. 2006-2007).
  • BROADCASTING: Madison Square Garden Network - New York Liberty women's basketball analyst/reporter (1998-2000, 2002-2005); Indiana Pacers organization - Indiana Fever women's basketball analyst/reporter (2001); ESPN NCAA women's basketball analyst/reporter (1997-2003); ESPN studio analyst - Women's NCAA "Road to the Final Four" (2000-2002); ESPN - WNBA analyst/reporter (2000-2002);NBA-TV WNBA draft studio reporter/analyst (2000-2004); FOX SPORTS - Women's basketball analyst (Big Ten and Big East conferences)
I began my professional broadcasting career as a radio personality and worked more than 10 years as such at the following: WFLM - Port St. Lucie, FL (1996-98) ; WXCD - Syracuse, NY (1995-96);WGTR & WSSK - Myrtle Beach, SC (1994-1995); WNMB - Myrtle Beach, SC (1993-94); WOLF - Syracuse, NY (1990-1993); WBUX - Doylestown, PA (1988-89).

MY FIRST JOB IN SPORTS WAS …: Announcing Sports and News on WJPZ, the college radio station at Syracuse University in 1986.  My first paid gig was as the "Voice of the Orangewomen," which was the PA Announcer for Syracuse Orangewomen Basketball (1989).

THE BEST BIG TEN TRADITION IS …: Unbelievable football crowds and seemingly even bigger tailgating crowds!

MOST ADMIRED ATHLETE GROWING UP: Magic Johnson.  I wore number 32 because of him (and also because it was my mother's birth year.)

GREATEST ALL-TIME BIG TEN SPORTS MEMORY AS A SPECTATOR: Watching Indiana women's basketball pull an upset over Penn State to win the 2002 Big Ten Championship. Coach Kathy Bennett had suffered a life-threatening car accident that left her with a broken neck. She coached on the sidelines in a huge and awkward neck brace.  It was a true tear-jerking "win one for the Gipper" experience!

GREATEST ALL-TIME ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENT
: Being Inducted into the Syracuse University Orange Plus Hall of Fame (2002).

FAVORITE QUOTE: "Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up." - Marilyn Griest


Big Ten Network Talent Bios



Dave
Revsine
Mike Hall
Mike
Hall
Stephanie White
Stephanie
White
Tim Doyle
Tim
Doyle
Vera Jones
Vera
Jones

Wayne
Larrivee

Mark
Neely


Glen
Mason

Jim
Jackson
 
Chris Martin

Others:
Trenni Kusnierek, Ann Kreiter, Rick Pizzo.
 
 
 
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