In 1984 Jodi and Jacki graduated from high school and headed off to college – Jodi at Houghton and Jacki at Bartlesville. Both were highly successful on and off the court. In 1987 the urge to join her sister resulted in Jacki transferring to Houghton. Jodi completed her work and graduated with a BS in Christian Education and a minor in Bible in 1988, while Jacki, having taken a year off between schools, completed her BA in Sociology with a minor in Christian Education and graduated in 1989.
Jodi and Jacki were exceptional basketball players who could easily have chosen to play at a much higher level. In many ways they re-wrote the basketball record books during their time here.
Jodi served as a team captain and was the team MVP in 1985, 86 and 87. She was a 4-year letter winner. She was named All-District and 2
nd Team All-American multiple times by the NCCAA. She holds the Houghton College records for most points and most rebounds in a career. She was named the Outstanding Female Athlete in 1988. She received the Student Senate Award for Excellence in Athletics in 1988.
Jacki served as a team captain and was a 2-year letter winner. She was named All-District and 1
st Team All-American multiple times by the NCCAA. She holds the college’s single season scoring and rebounding records along with several others. Her combined scoring at Bartlesville and Houghton exceeded 2,000 points. She, too, was named the Outstanding Female Athlete in 1989.
In July of 1988 Jodi married Glenn Hess ’88. They live in Salem, Oregon and have 6 children – Isaac, Victor, Simeon and Annika, along with Sarah and Samson from Ethiopia. Jodi has been involved in short-term missions trips, including the recent Houghton College Alumni Team’s trip to Germany and the Czech Republic. Jodi’s busy life includes service to her family, church and community. A few examples of her service are:
- Homeschooling her children and others.
- Teaching Physical Education for their Home school co-op.
- Coaching her kids’ basketball teams.
- Serving as Sunday School Superintendent at Capital Park Wesleyan Church.
- Volunteering at her church’s food bank.
In 1993 Jacki married Louis Ortega. They live in Phoenix, Arizona and have 7 children – Hannah, Samuel, Grace, Noelle, Naaman and their twins, Abraham and Esther, from Ethiopia. Jacki has served in short-term missions programs, including the recent Houghton College Alumni Team’s trip. She is very active with her family, her local church and her community. Just a few of her many areas of involvement include:
- Coaching her kids BB teams and being involved in the Upward Basketball ministry.
- Volunteering in the classrooms at her kids’ school.
- Serving as a tutor for a friend who was one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” in college classes.
- Serving in the “Kids World” ministry, VBS and team that provides meals to families in need.
- Actively participating in “Moms In Touch International”
I am often asked to list the best players I’ve ever coached. I try to avoid answering those kinds of questions, partly because there are so many intangibles and secondly, because everyone’s contributions are important to the success of the team regardless of whether they scored the most points or got the most rebounds. It might be more appropriate to ask how a particular player contributed to the fiber of who we are as a program and a department. In that area, Jodi and Jacki are great examples of the kind of people who have made up HC WBB over the years and more broadly of the kind of student-athletes that comprise all of our teams. It is fitting that we are able to recognize them here tonight, along with such a quality group of seniors. One could also measure Jodi’s and Jacki’s impact on Houghton by looking at the number of people who have joined us here tonight from all over the country to celebrate with them. We are called to be Christ to those with whom we interact as we go through life. Jodi and Jacki did that for us here at Houghton and they continue to do it with their families, friends and colleagues in their lives today.
