Usher, Joanna

Joanna Usher was a defensive force on the basketball court for Seton Catholic High from 1998 to 2002. Usher stood an impressive 6'5 and used her height to defend the rim like Dikembe Mutombo. She recorded 75 blocks her sophomore season including a career high ten against Chino Valley. Usher's ten blocks in a game are second all-time at the 3A level. She had a breakout junior campaign that saw her record 110 blocks for the season, fourth all-time at the 3A level. Usher managed 8 blocks in a game five times her junior season, and was named first team all-state. After putting up nearly 70 blocks her senior season, Usher finished her career with 292, a 3A record.
Usher was a four year starter at UC-Irvine in the mid-2000's. Her intelligence and acadmic dilligence was on full display at Irvine. An economics major, she was named a Big West Scholar-Athlete every year, and made the Big West All-Academic team in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Joanna Usher was one of the greatest defensive players at the 3A level ever. While so many players cared about scoring, Usher was content with protecting the rim. Her career blocks mark still stands, and it is certainly a record that will be hard to challenge for future player. A well-rounded person, Usher was just as committed to her studies as she was to basketball; her three All-Academic conference teams are a rare and impressive mark for any athlete.