Feb. 12, 2008

 As one of the three seniors on the University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team this season Jared Josten has found himself in a new position. With 10 underclassmen listed on the UNI roster, Josten is now one of the most experienced players donning a Panther uniform.

 

"Its going to be really important for Eric, Adam and I to step up and become leaders," Josten said. "The young guys don't have a lot of game experience and it's going to be our job to help them through this."

 

Last season Josten led the Panthers and was fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference in three-point field goal percentage (.479) and reached double-figures in scoring 10 times. This year, Josten plans to build on the success from last season and hopes to make a return appearance at the NCAA Tournament.

 

"Our expectations never change," Josten said. "We want to try and win a Valley championship and make it to the NCAA tournament."

 

A summer trip to Thailand to represent the USA at the World University Games provided Josten and the Panthers with valuable game experience that will hopefully help the Panthers down the road this season.

 

"It was a great opportunity for our team," Josten said. "It was really cool to represent the USA and it really helped us become closer as a team."

 

Josten often finds himself with the difficult task of guarding the opposing team's strongest offensive player. Last season Josten was able to hold Iowa and the Big Ten's leading scorer, Adam Haluska, to just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting in the Panthers victory over the Hawkeyes last season.

 

"I know that my strength is in defense," Josten said. "On the other hand I tend to try and play too fast. I need to learn to slow down and stay in control."

 

Josten's entire life doesn't revolve around basketball however; when he's not spending time in practice, lifting or in class he enjoys hanging out with his friends, playing X-Box and fishing.

 

Following graduation, Josten hopes to find a career relating to tourism. But after five years of playing Panther basketball Josten will miss being a part of the Panther family.

 

"I love being able to play games and being in front of the fans," Josten said. "I going to miss all my teammates and the coaches a lot, but I'll really miss just being able to play the sport that I love."

 

Josten lists his own family as a big factor in making him the player he has become today.  With two older brothers to look up to and learn from Josten appreciates his brothers and how they have helped him.

 

"My brothers both played basketball and taught me what they knew," Josten said. "They pushed me to become a better player."

 

With family being an important part in Josten's life, he found himself having to overcome the death of his mother to cancer when he was in high school.

 

"That was the hardest thing I've had to overcome in my life," Josten said. "My mom and I were really close so it was pretty hard. But it helped put me put my life into perspective and find out what's really important."

 

With his senior season just beginning Josten plans to leave it all on the court and work as hard as he can to make his dreams into a reality.

 

"I hate the feeling of a loss," Josten said. "There is nothing worse than that feeling, so we just need to play as hard as we can as a team and leave everything on the court."

 

With three NCAA Tournament appearances under his belt Josten knows what it takes to make it to the Big Dance and his ready to lead this Panther team to one more apperance before he hangs up his Panther jersey for good.