An old basketball adage states that behind every outstanding
team, there is a great point guard. For the WPI Women’s
Basketball teams of the mid-1990s, that point guard was Jennifer
Plante.
The Nashua, N.H., native broke into the starting lineup during
her freshman campaign, appearing in all 23 games and starting in 14
of them. She averaged just under three assists and totaled 107
points as the Crimson and Gray won nine games and finished as
runner-up at both the Worcester City Tournament and the Gordon
Tournament.
The following winter, Plante played a big role as the Engineers
moved over the .500 mark for the first time in seven years. She
doled out 77 assists in 23 outings and swiped 29 steals as WPI
posted a 14-11 mark.
“Jen provided leadership and a winning desire,”
commented former WPI head coach Megan Henry, who recruited Plante
and coached her during her first two years on Boynton Hill.
“She willed us to be better.”
The 1994-95 season saw Christa Champion take the helm of the WPI
program and Plante continued to spark significant
improvement—the Crimson and Gray upped their wins by four
games en route to registering an 18-10 record. She dished out 53
assists and gobbled up 52 rebounds while helping her team reach the
NEW-8 championship versus Wheaton. The Engineers were rewarded for
their strong season with an ECAC New England bid for just the third
time in program history.
Plante saved her best for last as her senior season of 1995-96
charted new waters for the WPI Women’s Basketball program.
She started all 29 games as the Boynton Hillers took home the NEW-8
regular season title for just the second time and won their first
ever NEW-8 Tournament championship. WPI finished 23-6 and defeated
Westfield State in the NCAA Tournament first round before bowing
out to perennial national power Southern Maine.
The co-captain averaged 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.1
helpers her senior year and averaged a career-high 44.9% from
3-point range. Plante was honored at the WPI athletics banquet with
the Patricia Graham Award, presented to the senior female
student-athlete who displayed the best example of sportsmanship
while a WPI athlete.
“Jenny was a true leader and the heart and soul of our
team,” said Hall of Famer and teammate Kim Landry. “Her
unselfish style of play, enthusiasm, and competitive spirit were
key to our team’s success.”
For her career, Plante found it was better to give than to
receive as the diminutive point guard totaled 283 careers assists
to go along with 128 steals.
She earned a master’s degree in English from Clark
University in 2000, where she has been teaching since. Currently,
Jen is the director of Clark’s Writing Program and Writing
Center.
