Warley Reflects on Reaching 1,000 Points & Rebounds

RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Courtney Warley's path to stardom at Manhattan College was never in doubt. The move to a new city and the belief in the Jaspers' program was part of her vision for success when she first arrived. By choosing to come back for a fifth year, Courtney's storied career has been a gift that keeps on giving for Manhattan fans who watched her reach the one-thousand rebound mark against Marist on January 8th at Draddy.
 
Entering the game eight boards shy of the magic number, Courtney accomplished the feat with 3:24 left in the Jaspers' convincing 72-45 win over the Red Foxes. After Courtney pulled down the clinching board, Head Coach Heather Vulin called a timeout to let her fifth-year center soak in all the emotions. It was a moment she and her teammates will never forget as the entire team gathered around Warley to celebrate her becoming the second player in program history to join the one-thousand point and one-thousand rebound clubs.
 
"We've had 22 people in our program history get one-thousand points, but only two people get one-thousand rebounds," Vulin said about the rare achievement. "I just wanted to make sure she was able to have that moment to celebrate with her teammates."
 
Courtney has reflected on the magnitude of that moment as well. To be able to rewrite the record books with her family, teammates, and coaches all supporting her makes it all the more rewarding.  
 
"I take it as a blessing to get the extra year and my family as well just to see me play basketball for another year is a treat for them," Courtney said. "To hug my teammates and Coach V means the world to me. They're the reason why I play so hard and why I try to do as much as I can."
 
Courtney's basketball story is rooted in her family's cherished tradition playing the sport. The Warley family name is well-established on the hoops scene in Philadelphia. Her father, Carlin, and uncle, Jason, were members of the St. Joseph University men's basketball teams of the early 90s. From 1991 to 1995, Carlin Warley amassed 1480 points and 1138 rebounds in 114 games played for the Hawks. The two brothers followed in the footsteps of their father and Courtney's grandfather, Ben Warley, who starred at Tennessee State in the late 50s and was a teammate of Wilt Chamberlain on the Philadelphia 76ers. 
 
Her mother, Cherie, enjoyed a successful career playing at the Division III level for Philadelphia University, now known as Jefferson University. Fittingly, she too reached the one-thousand rebound milestone, foreshadowing the type of player Courtney would one day become. 
 
"My dad was a great scorer, and my mom was a little more of an IQ player," Courtney said. "I do think I'm kind of a mix of both of them out on the court."
 
Warley is not alone in her quest to carry on the family legacy. Her sister, Morgan, plays at Division II West Chester University in Pennsylvania, close to where the family lives. Meanwhile, Jalen Warley, son of Jason, is a freshman on the Florida State men's basketball team. 
 
"Sports are a way to connect with people, so that's something that our family takes to heart," Warley said.
 
Carlin Warley was there at Draddy to see his daughter make history. Before the game, the elder Warley told himself he wouldn't get too emotional. But the manner in which things unfolded was almost too good to be true, leaving him overwhelmed by the support of her coaches and teammates.
 
"How Coach V and those coaches and those kids cheered for her was the most emotional part for me," Carlin said. 
 
According to Carlin, there was no doubt about where Courtney would play her final season. After completing four seasons at Manhattan, she was convinced that no other opportunity was going to replicate what Manhattan offered.
 
"One good thing from COVID was that she was able to stay home at Manhattan and get her master's and play another year under Coach V," Carlin said.
 
Courtney has an abiding love for Philadelphia and all the fond memories she's made there. At the same time, New York has become a second home to her and comes with its own flair for playing the game. 
 
"I think playing in this system for five years I've gotten pretty used to it," Warley said about adjusting to the playing style of New York players. "Because my family is from Philly, it's been kind of nice to go somewhere else and start something for myself with my new family in New York."
 
Chris "Smooth" Williams '93 has been friends with the Warley brothers dating back to their youth days together in Philadelphia. As part of his work as a commentator, Williams has had a front-row seat to witnessing Courtney blossom into the player she is today.  He says he sees a lot of Tim Duncan qualities in the veteran Jasper with how she's a "consummate pro" and gets better every season.
 
"I think the one thing that strikes me the most is that she's become more vocal and aggressive," Williams said of Courtney's development. "She's one of those players who doesn't need to score to dictate the game."
 
Williams can't overstate Courtney's will to win.
 
"When you think of Philly ballplayers, you think of an all-around player, a player who does a little bit of everything, doesn't have to be flashy, wants to win, plays to win, not afraid and not intimidated," Williams said about the prototypical Philly player. "All those things you see in Courtney, she comes out and gives you a great effort and does what she needs to do to help this Jasper team win."
 
Warley has compiled quite the resume on the court. She has earned spots on each of the three All-MAAC Teams, highlighted by her appearance on the All-MAAC First Team for the 2019-2020 season. In doing so, Warley became the eighth player in program history to be named to the conference's first team. Even before that, Warley cemented her legacy during her sophomore season in 2018-19 when she took home MAAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the second player in program history to do so.
 
Leading the Jaspers to a MAAC Championship remains an elusive goal for Warley and her teammates. The importance of potentially leading the Jaspers to a MAAC title was a big factor in her decision to return for one last campaign. Warley has helped the Jaspers compile a 13-8 record to date, including an 8-4 mark in conference play. She averages 10.4 points and 10.8 rebounds — the latter of which ranks her tied for 21st nationally. 
 
Warley will be recognized alongside Sini Mäkelä and Sydney Watkins for Senior Day on Feb. 5 against Niagara before the trio of seniors has one last shot at winning a championship in Atlantic City, N.J., starting March 8. The program will also honor Warley for reaching the 1,000/1,000 milestone before the game.
 
"That's why I came here," Courtney said of her goal to win a MAAC Championship. "The individual accolades are nice, and the one-thousand points and rebounds are nice, but I came here to win a MAAC Championship… I want to help give this to Coach V and help give this to a program that has given so much to me."
 
Until then, Warley will take every moment in stride while enjoying the journey. She is 123 rebounds behind Rosalee Mason '04 (1,217) for the all-time lead in program history ahead of Saturday's game at home against Monmouth. Beyond that, Warley boasts top 10 marks in blocks and steals for her career with 151 and 231, respectively. Her 1,158 career points rank 14th in the program annals.