For Armani Jones ’26, the journey to Wilson wasn’t just about basketball it was about finding a place that felt like home. Coming from Chicago, nearly 700 miles away, Jones admits the distance could have been a deterrent. As a transfer student, he was looking for a place where he could reset and grow. Instead, that distance became part of what set Wilson apart. “The way the coaches approached recruiting me…they really believed in my ability. That was a green flag from the start.”

That initial connection led him to dig deeper. “It started with the coaches, but as I did my own research and looked further into Wilson, I realized it was a perfect fit,” said Jones. What he found was something he hadn’t expected: a campus culture rooted in connection. “Once I figured out how family-oriented it is—small, but still a place where you can let loose—it just felt right.”

Now a business major and key member of Wilson’s basketball program, Jones describes his experience as transformative. Being part of the basketball team is about more than competition—it’s about trust, leadership, and growth.

“Our coaches trust us to lead, whether it’s on the court or in the classroom,” he explains. “It’s almost a player-led team, and that’s something you carry with you into life—into your career, your relationships, your future.” The experience is demanding, with early morning practices after late-night study sessions, but it’s also deeply unifying. “You build bonds with teammates who are going through the same struggles,” he said.

Jones feels that same sense of belonging extends across campus. “The support here is amazing. You go around campus and everyone knows you. They ask how you’re doing, how your classes are going,” he said. “Just knowing you are seen is huge. It keeps me uplifted.”

Academically, Jones has found equal value in his business courses. “The different courses I’ve taken at Wilson have put put me in a strong position for my future,” he said. Many classes are interactive, from building simulated clothing brands to running airline business models. “It’s not just lectures and quizzes,” he said. “We do simulations, creative projects—things that really prepare you for real life.”

That preparation has already taken Jones beyond campus. During a hybrid internship with a small Chicago-based business, Body by Milk, Jones worked closely with the company’s owner to understand product development from concept to marketing. “I got to see everything step by step—how a fragrance is designed, how it’s produced, how it’s sold,” he says. “It was eye-opening.”

As a two-time all-conference selection and four-time United East Player of the Week, Jones was third in the conference and ranked in the top 100 nationally with 211 total rebounds. In 2025, he received the Wilson Phoenix Award for a male student-athlete, an honor given to an athlete who sparks and sustains the spirit of their team.

After graduating this May, Jones hopes to play basketball professionally before pursuing a career in entrepreneurship and marketing. With goals of playing in Japan, Italy, or Germany, he is open to any opportunity and says, “wherever I start, I’m ready.”

As he looks ahead, Jones says what he will miss most about Wilson is the people, yet he is confident that the connections he’s built will endure, and he offers simple advice to prospective students. “If you’re looking for support, love, and a sure thing, Wilson is the place for you,” he says. “It’s a straight path to where you want to go.”

“From the Wind to the Quiet…”
by Armani Jones ’26

From the Wind to the Quiet
I’m from a city that never stops talking,
sirens sing louder than most dreams
and the trains run through stories
that nobody finishes.

I’m from cracked courts under streetlights,
where the ball was the only sound
I could trust.

Now I wake to hills instead of high rises,
the silence is almost too soft to believe.
The silence places fear within
my chaotic mind
The gym is where I find the
noise again,
every bounce echoes home.

Here in Pennsylvania
The winds feel slower,
but my heartbeat still runs
on city time.

(Reprinted from The Bottom Shelf Review, Spring 2026, available at https://thebottomshelfreview.org/)