SMU’s leading scorer for the women’s basketball team, senior post Janielle Dodds, has much more going for her than breaking a school record. Dodds, currently at 1,630 points, needs 155 points to clinch the lead for most career points scored while playing at SMU.
SMU alumna Karlin Kennedy is currently in first with 1,785 points. Averaging 14.5 points per game, if Dodds stays on track, she should break the record on Feb. 28 against the University of Texas-El Paso.
Originally from Fairfax, Va., Dodds based her decision to play basketball at SMU on the coaching staff and teammates, as well as her attraction to the Dallas area. Upon coming to SMU, Dodds was given the choice to red shirt her freshman year. She decided to red shirt because, “it allowed me to get a year of practice under my belt, and also adjust to school,” Dodds said.
Dodds was a nationally ranked tennis player until the age of 14. Naturally aggressive when it came to competition, Dodds played only basketball in club leagues as more of a side activity, second to tennis.
“Tennis made me mentally tough, and since it was an individual sport I wasn’t able to give up on myself. Tennis also helped me with my hand-eye coordination and footwork,” explained Dodds. She went on to say that tennis was more a calm, non-aggressive sport, basketball eventually got the best of her, causing Dodds to commit to SMU.
Now in her fifth year at SMU, Dodds is working toward her master’s in Liberal Arts.
Dodds has created many memories as a Mustang. Talking about the thousands of memories Dodds has of SMU, her favorite was “being recognized at half court before a game last season for surpassing 1,000 points and turning around and seeing my boyfriend standing there at half court with 48 roses in hand.”
With conference play under way, and the conference championship on the distant horizon, Dodds has many other goals on her mind besides making a name for herself in SMU history. “Breaking the school record for points and rebounds was something I was told I could do by someone when I was in my red-shirt year,” said Dodds. “Now, five years later, it is a reality. It is something I’ve worked hard for and would love to achieve, but I’d rather break another ‘record.'”
SMU women’s basketball hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament for a long time nor won its conference tournament. “Breaking the all-time scoring record would mean much more to me if I can get my team to the NCAA tournament,” said Dodds.