Westfield State University alumna Jen Ashton, who spent all four years of her college career playing for the Owls, is continuing her career as a professional basketball player. Ashton won no shortage of honors for her time with Westfield (The Kurty award, MASCAC player of the year, NEWBA All-Region honors), and missed the all-time scoring record by just one basket - which, in an interview with Salem News, she pins on her team-oriented play.

"I wound up on the all-time scoring in second place by just one basket, but even in high school shooting was not my first priority. Anyone will tell you I pass too much."

Ashton joined the team in June of 2017, and at the time of writing, is approaching the end of her first season with an impressive 13-5 record. That's an improvement from the Hatters' last season, which saw them going 11-7. So far, she averages 11.1 points, 5.35 RPG, seven assists, and 3.35 steals per game.

We got the chance to ask Ashton a few questions via email about what her first season with the Hatters has been like. She gave us some insight into not only the transition between Westfield and Sheffield, but also what her future plans are, and how she's improved since dominating the court with the Owls.
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You were born in England but moved to America when you were very young. Does playing in the UK feel like "coming home?" Did you spend much time in England before this basketball experience?
Playing in England is very surreal, after being born here and leaving to America. I had come for a couple family visits, back in primary school, but had not been back in years, until May 2018 when I came to market myself and vacation.

What was most difficult about moving to the UK for you? What's been the best part of the experience?
The main difficulty is relying on public transportation in day-to-day travel. On a more social aspect, it is difficult communicating with people back in the States, as we are five hours ahead here. The best part of the experience, so far, is being able to train with the Great Britain National Team back in November. The level of play and understanding of the game was at a completely different, higher level than what I have experienced.

What has the environment been like playing professionally versus playing on a college team? Do you think Westfield State helped prepare you for playing professional basketball for a living?
I think Westfield State offered me great preparation to play the game at a professional level. The University provided me with amazing facilities, dedicated coaching, and ample amounts of gym time to keep my body and performance at whatever level I wanted it to be at. Westfield provided me the opportunity to meet the people I have needed to excel as a person, as well as an athlete. The environment is similar at a competition level, but the time dedicated to training is extremely different.

How does the competition level with the Hatters compare to Westfield State?
The competition level is a lot different, in my opinion. I am playing more of a point guard position in England, where as in America I was primarily an off guard. Physically, everyone is a lot stronger and able to sustain more game play than in college. The rules within competition are also different, and have taken some time to get used to.

Are there many American players in the league?
The league's rules allow each team to sign up to two American passport players, and no more than five non-British passport players. Luckily, for my team, we have four Americans on the team, including myself, but two of us hold British passports.

Do you feel like you've grown much as a player since joining the Hatters? How so?
I think I have had to adjust my game, somewhat, in moving to the point guard position. I have had to gain a lot more muscle to be able to endure the physicality of the European game, but I still use my same basketball IQ, style of play, and intensity to help my team achieve success.

What does a "typical day/week" look like for you in England?
Currently, during the day, I wake up and work in a school as a PE teacher. I then immediately go to trainings, or officiating depending on the day. After that, I usually get some strength and/or flexion work in before relaxing at the end of the night. We have team trainings twice a week, with typically one match on the weekends. We also train once a week with the local University team in the city.

What's left in your season? What goals do you have for the remainder of the year?
We are coming up on the last couple months of the season. Our goals are to win the trophy tournament, coming up next month, and use that momentum to help us moving forward into league playoffs at the beginning of May. We have a good chance of winning the league playoffs, as long as we stick together and play within our team style.

What are your plans for after the season?
After the season, I plan to stay in England through July, as that is when the school year finishes up. Once that wraps up, I hope to take some time back in Westfield, to be able to see my family, officiate AAU, work basketball camps in the surrounding areas, and get back to the hours of gym time available in the city.

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If the Hatters' latest season is anything to go by, Ashton has been an invaluable pickup for the English basketball giants. Even before she brought her talents across the pond, you'll have found nothing but high praise for Ashton's performance on the court from her peers. Acting not only as a talented individual, but an effective leader and team player, Ashton is a force multiplier for any team she's on.

"She understands the game better than any player I have coached here," said women's basketball coach Andrea Bertini, when interviewed about Ashton's MASCAC Player of the Year honor. "She interprets situations quickly, and does just what we need - whether it is score the ball, get a big rebound, or find an open shot for a teammate. If she's not the best passer who has played at Westfield State, she's pretty darn close, and we have some Hall of Famers."

Even as she's moved on to forge her legacy in England, Westfield will be humbled to have her back for a while as she visits her family in the off season. We wish her the best of luck as she continues make us proud.




Written by Michael Cottuli