Honors
MVC President's Council Academic Award: 2018
MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
NFCA Scholar-Athlete: 2015, 2016, 2017
MVC Honor Roll: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll: Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018
2017 (Junior)
Earned time in 34 games as a junior with five consecutive starts from March 26 to April 2 (CF) ... Had a .375 on-base percentage ... Drove in a run against Loyola (March 26) with a career-high three at-bats to help spark a series sweep ... Recorded a pair of putouts and stole a base at Bradley (April 1) ... Drew a walk in each game of the Bradley series (April 1-2) and collected only hit of campaign in series final (April 2) with a single ... Awarded MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award, MVC Honor Roll and MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll honors.
2016 (Sophomore)
Played in 34 games with nine starts as a sophomore ... Hit .200 with three runs scored and an RBI ... Crossed the plate as a pinch runner in the season-opening win over Texas Southern (Feb. 12) ... Recorded her first career hit against Austin Peay (Feb. 26), an RBI single to right in the bottom of the sixth to drive home the go-ahead and winning run ... Successfully stole a base on her lone attempt of the season against Bradley (March 26) ... Scored a run as a pinch hitter against Southern Illinois (April 9) and again at Evansville (April 29) ... Was on the MVC Honor Roll and Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award lists.
2015 (Freshman)
Saw action in 32 games for the Bears in her first season ... Scored first run against Arkansas (March 12) after entering as a pinch runner ... Scored the game-tying run in an eventual extra-inning victory at Bradley (March 21) ... Touched home with an insurance run in a shutout win over SEMO (March 31) ... Stole a base and scored against Evansville (April 4) and drew a walk in her first career plate appearance ... Swiped another base in the series finale versus Evansville (April 5) ... Scored the game-winning run in series opener with Loyola (April 11) ... Crossed the plate with a game-tying run in a win at Wichita State (April 15) ... Scored a run in an eight-run outburst in the fourth inning at Illinois State (April 18).
Background
Jones lettered all four seasons and started her final three years in the outfield for head coach Sharon Buschjost at Blair Oaks High in Jefferson City, Mo. ... Her .409 career batting average is a school record at Blair Oaks ... Led the Falcons to three-straight Tri-County Conference titles from 2011-2013 and district titles in all four seasons ... Blair Oaks finished second and third at state in 2013 and 2012, respectively ... Was a three-time all-region, all-district and all-conference selection and was twice named to the all-state squad ... As a senior, Jones hit .488 with eight doubles and three triples ... Her sophomore season, she batted .467 ... Also played basketball for four years and competed on the track and field team for two years ... Played four seasons with club team Missouri Stealth ... Was valedictorian of her senior class at Blair Oaks with 106 graduates.
Personal
Sara Elaine Jones was born June 23, 1996, in Columbia, Mo. ... Daughter of Kelli and Jim Jones ... Has three sisters, Alyson, Emilee and Kayla ... Her twin sister, Alyson, was a member of the MSU track and cross country squads ... Her mother, Kelli (Toops), competed in cross country and track and field at MSU ... Her father, Jim, played football at William Jewell ... Completed her undergraduate degree in Mathematics (BSED) in December and is currently pursuing a graduate degree.
