Jessica Gaspar
Jessica Gaspar playing for KFÍ.
Personal information
Born (1976-12-07) December 7, 1976
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Listed weight143 lb (65 kg)
Career information
High schoolDartmouth (Dartmouth, Massachusetts)
CollegeNorth Carolina (1995–1999)
Playing career2000–2002
PositionPoint guard
Career history
As player:
2000–2001KFÍ
2001–2002Grindavík
As coach:
2004–2005UNC Wilmington (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Career Úrvalsdeild kvenna statistics
Points623 (23.1 ppg)
Rebounds311 (11.5 rpg)
Assists155 (5.3 apg)

Jessica Gaspar (born December 7, 1976) is an American former basketball player. She played college basketball for the University of North Carolina in and later professionally in Iceland where she won multiple awards and accolades.

Playing career

High school career

Gasper attended Dartmouth High School where she played basketball[1][2] and was a four-time Eastern Athletic League All-Star. She averaged 26.4 points during her senior season. During the post-season, she averaged 31.2 points per game.[3][4] During her four years at Dartmouth, the team compiled an overall record of 71 wins in 80 games.[5]

College career

Gaspar played with the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1995–1999, winning the ACC twice and advancing to the NCAA tournament three times (1997–1999). During the second round of the 1997 NCAA tournament, as the Tar Heels where eliminating Michigan State, Gaspar tore her ACL in her left knee while driving to the basket.[6][7]

Professional career

Gaspar joined KFÍ in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna for the 2000–01 season.[8] She broke the Úrvalsdeild single game assist record on November 24, 2000, when she had 17 assists against Grindavík[9] and led the team to a 10-6 record, good for third place,[10] and first ever playoff appearance. Despite averaging 19.5 points and 13.5 rebounds, KFÍ got swept by Keflavík in the semi-finals. Gaspar led the league in scoring (24.1 ppg), assists (5.3 apg) and steals (5.1 spg)[11] while coming second in rebounds (10.0 rpg). For her efforts she was voted the Foreign player of the year.[12][13]

Gaspar joined UMFG for the 2001–02 season[14][15] and won the Icelandic Cup with them after defeating Keflavík in the finals, 82-58.[16] After averaging 21.5 points in the first 11 league games,[17] she sustained a partial tear in the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in January, the same ACL she had surgically repaired at the end of her sophomore season at UNC in 1997, and missed the rest of the season.[18][19] Despite the injury, she led the league in rebounds with 13.7 rebounds per game, set a league record for steals with 7.2 per game[20] and was once again voted the Foreign player of the year.[13] Due to the ACL injury, she retired from professional basketball following the season.[21]

Coaching career

Gaspar served as an assistant coach to Ann Hancock at UNC Wilmington during the 2004–2005 season.[21]

Titles, awards and achievements

Titles

Awards

Achievements

Film

Gaspar appeared in the 2002 comedy film Juwanna Mann which starred Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Vivica A. Fox and Kim Wayans.[21]

References

  1. ↑ Todd Archer (19 February 1995). "Gaspar used to tough foes, tough crowds". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. ↑ Howard Ulman (19 February 1995). "Women stars face dim future in basketball". Fort Worth Star Telegram. pp. 1C, 11C. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  3. ↑ "The 1995 Boston Globe All-Scholastic girls' basketball team". The Boston Globe. 2 April 1995. p. 64. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Barry McGurn (14 March 1995). "Haverhill's right at home in Garden - again". The Boston Globe. p. 66. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  5. ↑ Buddy Thomas (7 August 2018). "No. 3 Jessica Gaspar, Dartmouth". South Coast Today. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Tim Layden (11 January 2008). "SI Flashback: The Fast Lane". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  7. ↑ Kevin Brewer (20 March 1997). "Injury leaves UNC's Gaspar a friendly ghost". The News and Observer. pp. 1C–2C. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Spennandi" (in Icelandic). 30 October 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Þrír sigrar á 20 tímum". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 November 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  10. ↑ "1. deild kvenna". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  11. ↑ "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  12. ↑ "Kristín og Ólafur leikmenn ársins". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 21 April 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  13. 1 2 "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  14. ↑ "Gaspar í Grindavík". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 24 July 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  15. ↑ "Frábær leikur Jessicu". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 15 November 2001. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  16. ↑ "Leikur". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  17. ↑ "Tölfræði". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  18. ↑ "Gaspar farin frá Grindavík". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2021-06-12.
  19. ↑ writer, MICK COLAGEO, Standard-Times staff. "A legend comes home". southcoasttoday.com. Retrieved 2021-06-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ↑ "KKÍ.is". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  21. 1 2 3 Brendan Kurie (15 August 2020). "Her starring role". South Coast Today. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
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