By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The NCAA Transfer Portal doesn't always produce the result college athletes, envisioning greener pastures, are looking for.
Jordan Tenpas
But Jordan Tenpas' decision to test the transfer waters after the 2022 soccer season has paid amazing dividends for both Tenpas and the Washburn University women's soccer program.
After playing three collegiate seasons at Minot State, N.D., including the 2020 Covid-shortened season, the standout defender made the tough decision to enter the portal, eventually choosing to join Davy Phillips' Ichabods for her junior year.
The result was an All-American season for Tenpas and the most successful season in Washburn soccer history, capped by an appearance in the NCAA Division II championship game.
"It feels so good,'' Tenpas said during WU's Soccer Media Day. "Going into the transfer portal is a scary thing. You never know what's going to happen -- if you're going to get picked up or if you're not, if you're going to regret it, if you're not.
"And oh my gosh, I could not be happier with my decision.''
A native of Placentia, Calif., Tenpas started in 21 matches for a total of 1,860 minutes, the sixth most minutes played in a season in program history, while helping the 21-4-1 Ichabods record 11 shutouts on defense.
Washburn senior defender Jordan Tenpas (left) was a first-team All-American and the MIAA Defender of the Year last fall for the national-runnerup Ichabods. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Tenpas was named the MIAA Defender of the Year and was a first-team all-conference pick before earning first-team United Soccer Coaches and Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-America honors and being named to the NCAA National Championships All-Tournament Team.
"I couldn't do without my team,'' Tenpas said. "It's an individual accomplishment of course and it's great to achieve that, but I wouldn't have gotten those awards if my team didn't get me to where we were last year.
"I just trust in my teammates and the girls that I have around me and just do the best that I can and try to be there for my teammates when they need me.''
After graduating just two seniors off last year's team, which dropped a 1-0 decision to Point Loma in the national championship game, the goal for Tenpas and the Ichabods this fall is to take the final step and capture WU's first title.
"I think it's a great advantage,'' Tenpas said of WU's returning nucleus, "because we already have that team chemistry and we have that experience as a whole collective group and we have seniors going into these games knowing what to expect and having had that experience of playing on the field already.
"We fell just short and now that we know we can make it that far we just need to add that last piece of winning the championship.''
Washburn will open its 2024 season on Sept. 5 at Yager Stadium against Missouri-St. Louis (6 p.m. start).
The Ichabods will also be at home on Sept. 7 to face Maryville (1 p.m.).
