SIUE’s Jaylen McCoy – Navigating Transitions

A Star Has Become a Light

(St. Louis, MO) – Jaylen McCoy was an all-state basketball player at St. James High School in Montgomery, Alabama and was named the Alabama’s 4A Player of the Year. At Southern Illinois Edwardsville, this star player has become a light.

McCoy’s prep career was littered with awards. After enrolling in Wallace State Community College, he led the Lions in scoring, steals and free throw percentage.

How did this Alabama native end up with the Cougars in Edwardsville, Illinois? The 5’11 senior says word of mouth, and relationships were key to his arrival in the Ohio Valley Conference and that transition to Division 1 basketball is a big leap.

 

 

McCoy admits there are highs and lows to a college basketball career. He came to SIUE with great credentials but things haven’t gone according to his expectations. The Cougars won just nine games last season and have nine more so far this year.

Last year he played in 25 games and made nine starts. This year he has started just three. They happen to be the last three games the Cougars have played and include back-to-back contests where he’s been a threat from deep and perfect at the line. In SIUE’s dramatic win at Tennessee State he contributed seven points and he scored ten at Belmont.

Playing Basketball is a Gift

McCoy says that he and his teammates need to remember that playing basketball at the highest level is a gift and the trials surrounding unrealized dreams are designed to build them up. Jaylen tries to help his teammates by sending them Bible passages.

 

 

In a society where religion can be controversial and divisive, this son of a preacher, finds his teammates want to hear about his faith, because he lives it before them in honesty and humility. He admits there are certain convictions he holds that encourages his friends to reach out rather than pull away. He’s attempting to become a light.

 

 

McCoy’s father, Jeff McCoy pastors God’s Glory Ministries in Opelika, Alabama and you can hear the affection and pride Jaylen has when talking about his dad’s ministry.

 

 

Jaylen McCoy has two more games at SIUE’s Vadalabene Center before concluding his college basketball career. He will graduate with a degree in Psychology and may go into coaching, but he’s also thinking about joining his father’s ministry.

McCoy won’t be named to an all conference team (he’s averaging 4.3 points per game). During his two years in Edwardsville, his team won’t have achieved a winning record.

While McCoy won’t set any Cougar records, to his teammates he will have will have become a light.

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