Jean-Baptiste earns fourth E8 Player of the Week honor thanks to record breaking weekend

By: Dylan O'Loughlin

BROCKPORT, NY --- Not one, not two, not three, but four times Brockport Women’s basketball senior guard Stephanie Jean-Baptiste has been recognized as Empire 8 Player of the Week, and this one may top all the others. Jean-Baptiste got the nod averaging 25 points per game and six rebounds per game with the exclamation point coming on Saturday Feb. 7 when the senior dropped 41 points at St. John Fisher, breaking a 46-year old program record. 

Stephanie Jean-Baptiste earned her fourth E8 POTW honor and her first career D3Hoops Team of the Week honor thanks to her record breaking weekend. (Photo: Liv Metz)

“I know I’m a good scorer already, but for that to happen it felt full-circle,” Jean-Baptiste said. “From me first committing here, I would have never imagined I accomplished half the stuff I did, so I feel like it’s a full-circle moment, my last year being able to hit 40 points.” 

On Saturday, Jean-Baptiste entered St. John Fisher like any other game, this time looking to bounce back after an 81-65 loss at Nazareth the day prior. It was only the Golden Eagles second loss in Empire 8 play.

The senior guard netted 17 points in the first half alone, but had a quiet third quarter scoring just seven points. In the fourth though, Jean-Baptiste poured in 17 points in the final 10 minutes to hold off a rallying Cardinals squad and pull out a 91-84 victory. Jean-Baptiste's final stat line in the victory was 41 points, eight rebounds and five steals, while shooting 15-19 from the field and 100% (9-9) from the foul line.

To go along with the record breaking day, it was also the Golden Eagles most points scored in a victory this season. When the record was broken, the team rallied around Jean-Baptiste, coaches and players all giving hugs and congratulations for the historic day. 

“It means a lot, from my first year here the program has come a long way,” Jean-Baptiste said. “We used to lose in the first round of playoffs my freshman and sophomore year, but now it’s just great to see how it has built up this year and everybody is together. We have a great program and culture.” 

The previous record was held by Lisa Diaz when she dropped 39 points against the University of Rochester on Dec. 11, 1980. Before Saturday, Jean-Baptiste’s career-high was 33 points against Penn St. Behrend on Nov. 26, 2024 which placed her 10th all-time in Brockport history. 

For the senior, none of this happens without putting in the work. Over the offseason, Jean-Baptiste played for Rwanda’s National Women’s Basketball team where she had three workouts a day, plus a lift along with experiencing what it’s like to play at the pro level. 

“It’s behind the scenes work,” Jean-Baptiste said. “You don’t get these things by not putting in the work so I felt like every offseason, I take them very seriously. I put in the work and I feel like last offseason was probably the best offseason I’ve had in my years here.” 

The proof is in the pudding. So far in Jean-Baptiste’s senior season she has earned Player of the Week Honors for the weeks of Nov. 17, Nov. 24, Jan. 26 and Feb 9. She was also named to the D3Hoops.com Team of the Week for the first time in her career as well. The senior leads the Empire 8 in points per game with 19.1 which is also 24th in the nation. To go along with that, Jean-Baptiste averages six rebounds a game as a guard and has 47 steals on the season. The senior is top 10 in points per game (1st), field goal percentage (6th), free throw percentage (6th) and steals (6th) in the Empire 8. 

For Brockport Head Coach Corinne Jones, she has coached Jean-Baptiste since she was a freshman and has seen her grow every step of the way. 

“Steph’s basketball game speaks for itself, but otherwise she’s kind of a quiet person,” Jones said. “She is super coachable when no one’s watching. She has made me a better coach, just look at her stats scoring wise, every year she scores more. I think she went her first year needing to volume shoot to now not needing volume and being more efficient. It speaks to her record breaking 15-for-19 like I don’t think she could have done anything like that her first or even second year. She’s learned how to be a better passer, a better defender, a better teammate, a better leader. It’s going to be tough doing her senior night Saturday, but a lot of growth in her as a player and a person.” 

Jean-Baptiste has had a career full of accolades at Brockport. Her first year as a Golden Eagle, Jean-Baptiste was named SUNYAC Rookie of the Year and as a sophomore, SJB was named to the SUNYAC All-Conference 2nd team. In her junior year and Brockport’s first year in the Empire 8, Jean-Baptiste was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Empire 8 All-Conference First Team. 

As a senior, SJB is putting up her best season yet with one goal in mind to cap off her career. 

“The ultimate goal for me is player of the year,” Jean-Baptiste said. “And of course a championship. I feel like if we win the championship, everything else will fall into place.” 

The Golden Eagles have just three more games left in the regular season before Empire 8 Playoffs start. The Golden Eagles (15-7, 11-2) already clinched their spot, but look to build momentum heading into the postseason starting Friday Feb. 13 and Saturday Feb. 14 as the Golden Eagles host SUNY Poly (7-15, 3-10) and Utica (7-15, 3-10).