Jessica Gaspar

"Jessica is extremely competitive. She's physical and aggressive and loves to take it inside and mix it up with the big players. With her deadly three-point shot, she's a crowd pleaser." - Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell

Besides her statistical contributions, acts as Carolina's emotional leader on the court
  • Spent last season regaining her speed and confidence after suffering a knee injury at the end of the 1996-97 season.

    In 1997-98: Started 13 games, including nine in ACC play
  • The team's best free throw shooter at 77.6 percent
  • Had her highest scoring game of the season in an 82-78 overtime win against UCLA on Dec. 18. Gaspar totaled 21 points, including 7-of-7 from the free throw line, and also added three steals and three assists
  • Averaged nine points per game over the last six games of the season.

    In 1996-97: Second-team All-ACC Tournament
  • Played in 31 of the Tar Heels' 32 games, starting against Maryland and Duke in Chapel Hill
  • Tore the ACL in her left knee in the second round NCAA game against Michigan State
  • Won the team Hustle Award for her fearless play throughout the season
  • Was the Tar Heels' fourth leading scorer with 9.7 points a game
  • Led the team in three-point field-goal percentage at 36.8 percent
  • Third on the team in steals with 64 and in assists with 88
  • Second on the team in free-throw shooting at 67.5 percent
  • A second-team All-ACC Tournament selection after scoring 15 points, grabbing
  • Scored a career-high 26 points against 17th-ranked N.C. State at home on Jan. 23. Gaspar was a perfect 6-for-6 from three-point range, 10-of-13 overall, and added four rebounds and two steals. She left the game for six minutes in the second half after spraining her right elbow but returned with it heavily bandaged and hit two more threes.

    In 1995-96: The team's starting point guard while Marion Jones redshirted to prepare for the Olympics
  • Saw action in all 27 games and started 15
  • Averaged 6.7 points and 1.7 steals per game
  • Had her best game of the year at Wake Forest, scoring 20 points and adding three steals
  • Had seven steals against Towson State in her collegiate opener.

    At Dartmouth High: Led her team to four straight conference titles and a 1995 sectional championship
  • Named to the 1995 Nike/Lady Foot Locker Girls' High School All-America Team, along with Carolina teammates Natasha Davis and Chanel Wright
  • Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year in both 1994 and 1995
  • Also the Gatorade New England Player of the Year
  • High school All-America in 1994 and 1995 by USA Today and Street & Smith
  • Massachusetts Female Athlete of the Year in 1995.

    Off the court: Jessica Kellie Gaspar is the daugher of Kathy and Stephen Gaspar and was born Dec. 7, 1976. She has an older sister, Jenn, a younger sister, Sara, and a younger brother, Tim
  • At Dartmouth High, she played four seasons of field hockey and was a student council representative
  • At Carolina, she is majoring in communications and made the Dean's list last year
  • Her hobbies are photography, filming and producing, field hockey, traveling and cliff jumping.

    Personality profile:
    Favorite food: Rotel
    Least favorite food: sushi
    Favorite TV show: The Rosie O*Donnell Show
    Favorite movie: Set it off
    Favorite book: My Sergei
    Favorite band: Bare Naked Ladies
    Favorite athletes: Natasha Davis, Tracy Reid
    Favorite pro team: New England Patriots
    Favorite thing about Carolina: Franklin Street
    Favorite thing about playing college basketball: the friendships that I've made
    The best moment in my athletic career has been ... my first game back last year after my ACL tear
    If I could take a vacation anywhere, I'd go ... to the Greek Islands
    If I could invite three people to a dinner I cooked ... I'd invite three friends-Jen DiCuollo, Jana Withrow and Kelli Withrow-and cook chicken fajitas with extra salsa

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