A 7-Year Journey: How ORU’s Jalei Oglesby Finally Found Her Basketball Family

Jalei Oglesby
Hometown: Howe, Oklahoma
Master’s in Professional Counseling

 

 

“I’m the grandma on our team.”

This is how ORU Basketball’s Jalei Oglesby describes herself. What Jalei actually means is she’s been playing college basketball for a while—7 years to be exact.

With all due respect to Jalei, we disagree with her description. Grandmas aren’t named to the All-Summit League First Team. Grandmas don’t win the Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year award—two years in a row. And grandmas definitely don’t make 245 out of 447 field goals (54.8%), ranking first on the team and third in conference.

Taking the Long Road to ORU

In 2019, Jalei began playing basketball at a Division II university.  “Playing,” however, isn’t exactly the way things went for her. During Jalei’s freshman year, she suffered a season ending injury. The next year—her sophomore year—was derailed by COVID, and as a junior, she was sidelined again with a torn ACL/meniscus. In 2023, Jalei graduated, but because of her injuries and COVID, she still had 3 years of eligibility remaining. Enter ORU.

“For any athlete,” Jalei said, “the dream is to play at a D1 university. After graduating, I entered the portal, and right off the bat, ORU contacted me. I was freaking out. The whole thing was a work of God. Eventually, I signed with ORU, and despite where I started, I ended up exactly where I wanted to be … at a D1 university where you can speak about your faith and pray with your teammates. That’s something special. Most universities aren’t like that.”

 

For the past three years, Jalei has played a big role in the growing success of ORU Women’s basketball. In 2023-2024, Jalei was a member of ORU’s historic WNIT team, and last year, during a 24-9 season, Jalei was named to the NCAA.com starting five after a win against the SEC’s Arkansas Razorbacks. Some of this success can be attributed to the team’s “championship” mentality. According to Jalei, it’s also because of “family.”

“There’s a difference between having teammates and having family,” Jalei said. “Family's always been important to me, and at ORU, I’m surrounded by athletes who share the same faith. As believers, we have a shared destination. We all love Jesus, and we have a coaching staff who thinks of us as more than just athletes. They also care about our growth and wellbeing. Mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually … the coaches care about all of it.”

Climbing the Success Ladder

This year, Jalei’s coaches challenged every player on the team to read “Make Your Bed” by Admiral William H. McRaven. This is part of the care and growth that Jalei talks about. This book, according to Jalei, is a tool that’s intended to make everyone better, not just as athletes, but as people too.

“Sometimes,” Jalei said, “I can be a little individualistic. I think I can do things on my own. But the thing I’ve taken away from this book is that I need a team. It’s challenging me to grow as a leader and to trust my teammates more. My coaches know me well enough, and they’re pushing me to remember that I have a team who’s there when I need help.”

ORU Basketball is Jalei’s family, a family who has her back and who’s helping her grow through prayer, guidance, and teaching. It’s a family of champions, and a family of faith, but it’s also a family with a strong leader. According to Jalei, Head Coach Cophie Anderson is a big reason why ORU Basketball feels so close. It’s also why the team feels like a “rock.”

“As Coach Anderson describes it,” Jalei said, “every player by themselves is an individual pebble. But when we all come together as a team, we become one. We become stronger. We become a rock. With Coach Anderson’s support, I feel so much more confident in myself this year. I’m not in the background anymore. I’m a team leader, and now, Coach Anderson’s holding me to a higher standard. She continues to encourage me, and that keeps pulling me further and further up the success ladder.”

Nationally Ranked, Globally Recognized

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 17 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor’s level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. In 2024, the Carnegie Foundation recognized ORU with a “Leadership for Public Purpose” award, a distinction earned by only 25 universities nationwide. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 174 nations in the last 6 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.