By Rodney Haas 
605 Sports 

VERMILLION —  When Jayda McNabb arrived in Colorado Springs to begin her college basketball career with the Air Force Academy, she was in for a culture shock.

“I don’t think anyone who doesn't go to a military college can really understand what it's like,” McNabb said following the Falcons’ 75-50 loss to the University of South Dakota on Nov. 7. “At this point I’ve been there for a while and I’m starting to get the flow and how to do everything right — militarily while still getting my grades up so I can continue to play and continue to excel at school. But it’s definitely been an interesting experience. It’s hard. It’s not the most fun place to be at. I think seeing what I’m able to do with my college education and my commission in the Air Force, I’m excited.”

Through the first six games of the season, the Rapid City Stevens graduate is averaging 7.7 points per game which puts her third on the team while her field goal percentage of .543 leads the team. But off the court, McNabb said there was so much that was expected of her, which includes the military training she goes through on a daily routine beginning at 6:45 a.m., where she will form up and march to lunch or make sure her uniform is pristine.

McNabb said it’s all the little things that help to prepare her to be an officer in the Air Force that also adds to an already packed schedule. As a junior at the academy, she is put in charge of four sophomores and four freshmen which at times could include doing uniform and room inspections. She adds how it all adds up to building her up to a leadership role in four years and helps train her to become an officer in the Air Force once she’s completed the academy. 

“I think it helps us be more resilient because basketball is probably the best part of our day if military stuff wasn’t going okay,” McNabb said about how the military training helps on the basketball side of things. “Even if something bad goes down in practice. This is just a game. The coach has designated us (upperclassmen) to different leadership positions because adopting to the academy can be hard.”

Last year, McNabb started in all 33 games for Air Force in which she led the Falcons with 6.7 rebounds per game which put her seventh in the Mountain West Conference and her 221 season rebounds were fifth most in Air Force’s NCAA Division I history.

McNabb, who was a two-sport athlete at Rapid City Stevens, decided to commit to Air Force after talking to her coach at the time who told her how he regretted giving up his offer to Air Force when he was her age.

“I talked to my family and they said you can’t give up this opportunity so I guess I’m going,” she said of accepting the offer.

McNabb said she has plans on becoming a military chaplain and adds that after her time at the academy is complete, she will go into her required military service.

In the meantime, McNabb has enjoyed having family and friends cheer for her when the Falcons played the Coyotes.

“I had a lot of family drive up, unfortunately it was like six hours away, but it was definitely fun to have them come up,” McNabb said. “I saw some of my coaching staff from high school. Then some of the players on the other team, I know their families too. So I’m excited to see them as well.”