On February 4, Jordyn Shipley signed her National Letter of Intent to continue to participate in track and field at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland. She will be playing National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III track and field and entering as a member of the class of 2030.
Shipley has been a part of the Linganore High School (LHS) track and field program for four years. This year is her first as a full-time thrower, whereas in previous years, she participated as a dual-event athlete.
During the Signing Day ceremony held in the Linganore High School gym, LHS Track coach Deb Waxman shared that Shipley holds many track and field records at Linganore, including being the 3A West Main Board Shot Put champion, and shows potential to break even more this spring.
“She was recruited by two DII track programs but chose to attend the outstanding DIII Salisbury University track team as an education major,” Waxman said.
From her beginnings on the team to her decision to further her education and athletic career at Salisbury, Shipley’s growth both as a player and a person has been undeniable.
“When I first started, I was the newbie and was very shy and not really wanting to get help from others,” Shipley said. “Now, I’m someone who always talks to people no matter what school they’re from. I’m always wanting help from anyone who’s willing to help me out.”
Her willingness to ask for help is a quality that will lead her far in college. The help came not only from her teammates, but Shipley had help from her family when it came to making a decision
“I pushed her to make a decision, but it had to be her decision,” Jordyn’s mother, Jennifer Shipley, said. “She had to choose what was going to be the right fit for her.”
Jordyn Shipley shared that she always kept Salisbury in mind, since her father played football there when he was in college.
“I got in touch with Coach Jones [Salisbury’s head track coach] and we hit it off right away,” Shipley said. “He saw me as not only an athlete but also a student, which was a huge deal to me.”
Being legacy always kept Salisbury as an option, so when she received a scholarship offer it was an easy choice for her.
Salisbury not only recruited her for track, but this was combined “with the opportunity to earn a grant by the Maryland State Department of Education in conjunction with Salisbury to pay for her entire academic career,” Waxman said.
Shipley acknowledged that balancing track with academics in college will be a lot of work, especially since she plans to participate in other sports as well.
At LHS, Shipley has been a member of the dance program for four years and plans to join the fall dance team at Salisbury, which performs at football games.
Despite the challenge she plans to take on, Shipley has a lot of support in her journey.
“She knows how to do it, and I don’t have any doubts that she will succeed,” Jennifer Shipley said.
To read more about Salisbury’s track and field program, click here.
