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ARKANSAS BOUND: Carl Junction’s Logan Jones excited for her commitment to the Razorbacks

By:
Lucas Davis

The countless hours Logan Jones has spent on the volleyball court have officially paid off after she announced her commitment to continue her athletic and academic career at the University of Arkansas via Twitter on July 17.

“It’s really exciting,” Jones said in an interview with SoMo Sports. “I grew up a Razorback fan, so it’s always been a dream of mine. To see it come true and to be able to play in the SEC (Southeastern Conference) is a really big deal to me.”

Jones has had a love for volleyball for as long as she can remember, and her passion has led her to incredible success on the court as a setter, which is essentially the point guard on a basketball team or a quarterback on a football team.

Carl Junction junior setter Logan Jones has committed to Arkansas to play volleyball. Photo by Israel Perez.

“Volleyball is really important to me,” Jones said. “I love being able to compete while still making connections with other people. It has allowed me to travel to places I wouldn’t have otherwise, but also being able to meet people from all over the country and identify with them through volleyball is great.”

Last season as a sophomore at Carl Junction, Jones finished with 914 assists—setting a single-season record for the Bulldogs. Jones, who helped lead Carl Junction to a 24-7 record as well as a district title, also holds the single-match record in assists with 54. She also finished the year with 66 kills, 48 aces, 30 blocks and 186 digs.

“Playing at the high school level has really helped me become more well-rounded,” Jones said about how prep volleyball has helped her development. “I’ve learned to connect with my teammates more, and that has really helped me.”

Leading up to her junior prep season with the Bulldogs, Jones played for the MAVS KC 16-1 club team, running a 5-1 offense. Jones’ club team had third-place finishes at the 2021 GJNC in Las Vegas and at the Adidas Windy City National Qualifier as well as fifth-place showings in the Asics Show Me National Qualifier and the Northern Lights National Qualifier. 

Jones is currently the third-ranked overall player in Missouri by Prep Dig and is a Top 150 player according to Prep Volleyball. She was named to the 2021 Girls Junior National Championships 16 Open all-tournament team as well as the 2021 Under Armour All-American Selection Camp. 

“Club volleyball has really helped me specialize in my position,” Jones added about what her play at the club level has helped in her development. “Playing at both levels have really helped me and have been valuable tools.”

Of course, you get two different dynamics when playing for your prep team than you do your club team. But for Jones, both experiences of playing volleyball for her prep team as well as her club team were instrumental in getting to this point.

“You get that sense of community and family with your high school team,” Jones said. “That includes the big rivalries with Webb City and all of that. That environment is super fun. When you go to club, depending where you play, it might take you to a more intense and higher level of competition depending on where you play.”

Of course, Jones is no slouch in the classroom either. She currently holds a 4.0 GPA and is ranked as the top student in her class. Jones plans to study dietetics at Arkansas. Managing her time in the classroom while playing volleyball at a high level both at the prep and club level as she rounds out her high school career over the next two years, which hasn’t been easy, is preparing her for what it will take to be successful on and off the court with the Razorbacks.

“I am not going to lie, it’s pretty hard,” Jones said with a laugh. “I remember nights coming home from practice in Kansas City and I would have a picture of my notes from class and text it to my dad so we could facetime and he could quiz me on my notes. Basically, we would just be studying over the phone. It was pretty difficult.

“I think (the academic side) is really important because you never know when your (athletic) dream is going to end. And, obviously, God’s plan is better than what we have planned, but I think it is best to be prepared for whatever comes at you. Putting in hard work in both academic and athletic areas is a must have.”

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