By Kale Nelson, SUU Athletics
CEDAR CITY, Utah – Juggling responsibilities is a challenging component of life for many student-athletes. Classes, homework, and studying must be blended with practices, games, and travel schedules. In addition to the typical difficulty of being a student-athlete, Southern Utah University women’s basketball player Jaeden Brown has a unique responsibility that makes her impact on the court even more impressive: being a mother.
Brown’s journey to success as a student and mom off the court and an impactful player on the court is unique. It certainly veers from the traditional student-athlete pathway, but it starts in a place that many are familiar with.
Getting Started
Brown’s family has a history of athletics. Her father played football at SUU from 1988 to 1990, and her older sister, Shanae Vaifanua, had a decorated basketball career at Dixie State College from 2008 to 2012.
“I’m a lot younger than all my siblings, but my dad coached all of us. He pushed us hard, which was difficult at times, but he really helped us use sports as a life lesson,” Brown said. “It taught us work ethic, and my dad always told us it could get us somewhere if we worked hard enough. I’ve been blessed as I’ve tried to do that. Playing sports with my family has been a core childhood memory and something I love.”
Brown’s passion and persistence paid dividends in high school. After nearly averaging a double-double with 17.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in her senior year with Corner Canyon High School, the recruitment process took her to the University of Wyoming for the 2019-2020 season. In Brown’s freshman year with the Cowgirls, she racked up 7.1 PPG while playing an average of only 12.9 minutes.
Although she enjoyed her time at Wyoming, Brown proudly decided to pause her career as a basketball player and serve a religious mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
“When I went on my mission, I wasn’t sure what it would look like for me if I played when I came home. I decided I wanted to and wanted to figure out how, so I actually was in the portal, recruiting while I was on my mission,” Brown explained. “It was difficult, but I got permission from my mission president so I was calling people, responding to emails and things like that. I had known the staff at UVU previously, and my family is from the Salt Lake area, so I found my home there.”
Battling Injury
Off to a promising beginning as a starting forward for Utah Valley University, Brown averaged 9.3 rebounds and 14.6 PPG while shooting at a clip of 48.7% from the field. She also emerged as a dominant defensive presence, averaging 2.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game.
“I was just happy that I got to play again. I loved it there, and it was a good place for me, but some things just didn’t work out,” Brown said. “I feel like I learned a lot. I met my husband and got married during that period of time.”
Unfortunately, her outstanding 2022-2023 season was cut short by injury. After undergoing microfracture knee surgery, Brown endured a grueling six-month recovery process that took even more of a toll mentally than physically. Thankfully, during her time with the Wolverines, she met her husband, Ammon Brown, who supported her through the struggle of returning from injury.
As she returned to full health, Brown entered the transfer portal for a second time. SUU Head Coach Tracy Mason reached out to her and invited her to visit. Loving her small experience with the Thunderbirds, Brown decided a move to Southern Utah could be the way to go. However, a new discovery shifted her plans for the rest of her student-athlete experience.
Becoming a Mother
“The first time I was in the portal, I was on my mission. The second time I was in the portal, I found out I was pregnant at the same time. Again, I was in this place wondering if I was going to keep playing, if somebody was going to take me, if I wanted to go through that,” Brown shared. “I 
wasn’t really sure what to do, but I just called Tracy and told her, ‘This is my situation, I didn’t know, but I still want to play if you will have me.’ She took a chance on me, and now I’m here.”
Shortly after realizing motherhood was just around the corner, Brown joined Mason and the Thunderbirds. She spent much of her pregnancy sick but gave birth to her daughter Sky in November of 2023. Prepared once again to return to play — this time as a mom — Brown found another injury hurdle blocking the way of her basketball career.
“Right when I was cleared after having Sky, I found out that my first surgery didn’t heal correctly, and I needed another knee surgery to play again. It was even harder the second time around because I had a six-month-old daughter and a family,” Brown said. “Throughout my recovery, my husband helped me have faith, recover, and encouraged me to keep trying to play again.”
Despite the overwhelming obstacles she faced in returning for another year of collegiate basketball, Brown persevered and was finally cleared to play with the Thunderbirds in the 2024-2025 season.
A Year to Remember
Although the SUU women’s basketball season has had its ups and downs, Brown said this season is unlike any other she’s experienced.
“I feel like this year of basketball for me has been the most rewarding. Since I have a family now, it’s very different. I feel like my priorities are kind of different, but it’s been a really special experience to have a family and then come to basketball and have a family here too,” Brown explained. “Everyone has been so supportive and patient with me in the process and it’s been so fun to have a baby and bring her and my husband around. It’s a family thing, on and off the court, and that has meant a lot to me.”
With a hectic schedule and a family to care for this time, Brown has significantly adjusted how she manages her time. She works with her husband to ensure that when one of them has work, classes, or practice, the other can be home and take care of Sky.
Brown said, “A lot of people ask me ‘How do you do it?’ or ‘Is it so hard?’ and it is, but the support system that we’ve had has made everything feel way less hard than it should be.”
Every time she has to travel with the team, her mom makes the trip to Cedar City as reinforcements while Brown is searching for SUU road wins. In addition, the veteran player shared that her freshman teammates make the best babysitters when she needs extra help.
“I think the most rewarding part of it will be in a few years when I can look back and say that I did this, and I finished. I’m excited to tell Sky about all the hard things I was able to do as a mom and a student-athlete,” Brown shared. “I’m really excited to look back on it and say that I did my best and that she can do that too with whatever she wants to do.”
Brown’s leadership on the young Thunderbird team has been immeasurable and the story of her resilience will not be forgotten by her SUU family.
“Jaeden has been such an important part of our team on and off the court. She offers such a mature presence, and she’s a huge supporter and mentor to her younger teammates,” Coach Mason said. “She is so skilled and works so hard. She holds herself to an incredibly high standard, and those are the players you love to coach. Her ability to manage being a mom, a full-time student, and a Division I basketball player has been remarkable to watch. I have so much respect for her and what she’s accomplished, and I’m so grateful she decided to play one more year with us.”