When Jewels Torres ’26 broke Wilson College’s all-time assists record in basketball, it was not just a milestone in Wilson’s history; it also reflected her commitment to her teammates. That approach took shape the moment she first stepped onto campus as a recruit. Coach Dylan Ward said, “From her freshman season, Jewels showed flashes of the player she would become. She embraced every role, worked relentlessly, and steadily developed into one of the most dependable players in our program.”
Drawn to Wilson’s close-knit community, Torres knew from her very first visit to campus that she wanted to be a Phoenix. “Everyone I met was very polite and welcoming, and I knew right away that I wanted to come here,” she said.
Torres quickly found her place on the Wilson basketball court. A four-year member of the team and a three-year captain, she credits athletics with shaping her personal growth. “It was amazing to play a sport at Wilson. I would not have traded it for anything else,” she says. “It taught me a lot, and it helped me meet my best friends.”
Playing in over 100 career games with 78 starts, Torres built a record defined by consistency and impact. She played nearly 3,000 minutes, scored 976 points, recorded 335 assists, collected 165 steals, and added 190 rebounds. In 2025, she was named the recipient of Wilson’s Phoenix Award for a female student-athlete, an honor given to an athlete who sparks and sustains the spirit of their team. These accomplishments also earned her a spot in the Gwendolyn Jensen Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2026.
In her Wilson career, she also became the all-time leader in assists, breaking a record held for 25 years by Theresa Phelps-Denhoff ’01, also a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame. When honored for breaking the record, Torres said Phelps-Denhoff ’s attendance made the moment even more meaningful. “It was great to meet Theresa. The fact that she came was very special to me,” Torres added.
Ward sees the assist record as a natural extension of Torres’s leadership. “Assists are about trust, vision, and making the players around you better,” he said. “Jewels was never just focused on her own success—she made everyone around her better, and that is the true mark of a great
player and leader.”
Torres also leaves Wilson as one of the most accomplished players in program history since the transition to NCAA Division III. “She didn’t just play in the program, she helped build a winning culture,” said Ward. “Her leadership wasn’t just in big moments, it was in the daily habits, the example she set, and the standard she refused to lower.” Her commitment earned her two All-Conference selections, two All-District Academic honors, and a place on the Dean’s List all four years.
Beyond the court and classroom, Torres found additional ways to lead. As a four-year member of the Black Student Union and vice president of Morgan’s Message, which focuses on mental health awareness, she embraced opportunities to connect with and support others. “I think it’s important to get involved in more than just one thing,” she says. “There’s so much here—clubs, activities, opportunities—you don’t have to be an
athlete to feel like you belong.”
Now that she has completed her student teaching placements in kindergarten and second grade classrooms, Torres is preparing for a career in education. An early education major from York, Pennsylvania, she hopes to find a teaching position close to home or near Chambersburg. The sense of community that first drew her to Wilson was what she knew she would miss most upon graduating. “I’m going to miss my friends and my teammates,” she says. “Just the everyday things—practice, getting meals together, being around each other all the time. Those moments mean everything.”
At Wilson, Torres found a home and, in doing so, she became the kind of leader who ensures others feel the same. “Jewels led with quiet confidence and a relentless work ethic,” said Ward. “She was the teammate everyone trusted, the player coaches relied on, and the competitor opponents respected.”
Reflecting on her Wilson experiences, Torres points to the supportive environment that helped her flourish. “What I love about Wilson is the community, how loved I feel being here,” she said. “Wilson helped me come out of my shell. I’m more confident, more independent. I’ve learned to try new things and not be afraid. Wilson changed me in a really good way.”
