University of Evansville women's basketball guard Jordan Scott, 19, was killed early Sunday when her car left State Road 62 near Franz Road in Warrick County, struck a utility pole and overturned into a tree line, according to law enforcement reports. The sophomore had just transferred to Evansville this offseason to play alongside her younger sister, Jayden, and had barely begun her first season with the Purple Aces before the crash claimed her life.
The crash happened at approximately 12:42 a.m. on Sept. 6, 2026, as Scott drove alone after dropping off a friend, according to EssentiallySports. The Evansville women's basketball X page confirmed her death on Monday and asked the community to keep the Scott family and Jordan's loved ones in their thoughts, as reported by MLive.com.
Authorities suspected vehicle speed may have contributed, while a witness described a sharp curve on State Road 62; physical evidence suggested the car may have gone airborne before it hit the pole, according to a report shared on Facebook by Courtside Buzz. The crash occurred on State Road 62, and data compiled by traffic legal analysts at Tuley Law shows roads in and around Evansville see an average of roughly 1,500 motor vehicle crashes each year. According to the City of Fort Wayne, nearly 14% of all traffic fatalities in Indiana in 2024 involved alcohol, while more than 35% involved drug impairment; those statewide figures do not establish a cause in Scott's crash.
A Rising Star Cut Short
Scott appeared in 27 games and made 26 starts last season while playing at Wabash Valley College, averaging 12.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game, per MLive. As a freshman guard at Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, Illinois, during the 2025-26 season, she finished third on her team in scoring with 337 total points while recording 82 assists and 62 steals, according to Wabash Valley College Athletics.
Before that, Scott starred at Castle High School in Newburgh, Indiana, graduating in 2025, and played under head coach Bobby Meier while earning two All-State Honorable Mention picks, First Team All-Metro honors and two First Team All-SIAC selections, according to University of Evansville Athletics.
A Basketball Family Reunited, Then Grieving
Scott came from a family steeped in the sport. Her father was Mario Scott, and this season Jordan and her younger sister Jayden had joined the Purple Aces roster together, with Jayden entering as a freshman guard. The sisters' reunion on the same Division I team made Jordan's death only weeks into her tenure at Evansville especially painful for the program.
Evansville Head Coach Ben Wierzba and Vice President for Athletics Dr. Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried said team members and coaches are deeply grieving, noting that Scott had made an immediate impact during summer and fall workouts, according to a report from Us Weekly. The university described Scott as a beloved student and women's basketball student-athlete and has made support and counseling resources available to students struggling with the loss.
Services Set for Neu Chapel
A public visitation for Scott is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to an obituary posted through Browning Funeral Home. The obituary also provided information about Scott's services.
