Jordan Ashton Signs With Northwest Missouri State

Jordon Ashton of Mt. Pleasant High School has signed a letter of intent to play NCAA Division II basketball at Northwest Missouri State in Maryville for coach Ben McCollum and the Bearcats.

Head Coach McCollum commented on signing Ashton, “We are thrilled to have Jordan join our program,” coach McCollum said. “He already has a winning mentality helping his team to a state title. He is a solid three-point shooter and can create some matchup problems with his ability to slash and finish around the rim. He is only going to get better and with his athleticism he has a very high ceiling. He joins a class of great kids on and off the floor and we feel he will fit in just fine.”

Ashton helped lead the Mt. Pleasant Panthers to a 26-1 record and captured the Iowa Class 3 State Championship. The 6-3 guard was named First-Team All-State as well as the Player of the Year in Iowa Class 3A. Along with helping lead the Panthers to a state title he was named to the Iowa State Tournament All-Tournament Team along with being named MVP of the State Tournament. Ashton averaged 18.4 points per game shooting 47 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line on the year.

NWMS finished with a 22-7 overall record this past season. Jordon will join three other signees. Grant Greenberg of Leavenworth, Kansas, Connor Crooker from Blue Valley North High School in Kansas, and Bleke Ruiz, a 6-5 guard from Beatrice, Nebraska. The quartet will join a Bearcat team that is coming off a MIAA Championship under coach McCollum as Northwest returned to the NCAA D-II tournament for the first time since 2008. This past season, McCollum was name National Coach of the Year in Division II.