National Guard Soldier and UNO Point Guard Ja Harvey Leads On and Off the Court

Fresh from the transfer portal, Ja Harvey arrived from California to play for the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) during her senior season.

Prepared for this pivotal moment of her college basketball career, she was ready to be the floor general for Maverick women’s basketball and connect with her teammates. The team had just started gathering for summer practices in preparation for a new season. However, she would first need to address another cause bigger than herself. She had to return to California for two weeks of training with the National Guard.

For someone who is goal-oriented and is used to working as part of a team, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Sometimes my schedules for the Guard and the Mavs align,” she said. “But when they don’t, I feel the support come from both sides and what I’m trying to accomplish with both.”

Harvey long had an interest in joining the armed forces, initially considering being active duty in the U.S. Navy before learning what was possible in the National Guard. She signed up after high school, serving in the military police and training for duties like supporting relief operations after natural disasters.

A state activating the National Guard could mean something different each time, with orders ranging from responding to wildfires in the West to hurricanes hitting the Gulf region. Other times, it’s logistical support or maintaining order in a chaotic situation. “But it’s always preparation for the next thing,” she said.

Now finished with her duties in California, she transferred to the Nebraska National Guard, finally joined the team, and immediately impacted the court. Carrie Banks, head coach of Maverick women’s basketball, described adding Harvey as lighting a spark for the team.

“Ja has been great for us on both ends of the court,” said Banks. “She puts pressure on defenses with her ability to attack the rim and make open shots. Defensively, she sets the tone for us with her ability to guard the ball.”

Harvey has seen how serving in the armed forces has helped her basketball game. Beyond the practicality of maintaining her peak physical fitness, she found that the National Guard’s training in maintaining discipline and taking in the moment has come into play.

“Appreciating the process matters in the National Guard, especially because you can't determine an outcome,” she said. “You have to be present and focus on what you can control at that moment. That's one of the big takeaways I try applying to basketball.”

Balancing practice, games, life on the road, classes, and everything else student-athletes manage can be nearly impossible. It gets even more challenging when mandatory drills occur one weekend a month, along with the annual two-week training. Avid support from the coaching staff makes this possible.

“I think it is admirable how Ja balances serving our country with being a student-athlete,” said Banks. “It is a big-time commitment, and she never complains about the extra work or responsibility.”

Harvey, an interdisciplinary studies major, plans on pursuing professional basketball after graduation. She also plans to enlist in the U.S. Air Force with hopes of becoming a pilot. Regardless of what she does, her experience at UNO has taught her more than she ever imagined

Not only has she gotten a chance to pursue her passion for serving her country, but she’s also been part of a complete turnaround of the basketball program, going from 8 wins last season to one of the best starts in team history and gaining national recognition.

“It means absolutely everything,” she says. “I want to win. I want a championship. We have a unique team that is chasing its potential, and it’s showing.”