The Bowling Green State University men’s basketball program and coach Todd Simon announced the signing of Jaxon Pardon on Thursday.
Pardon, a 6-foot-4 guard, will join the Falcons from Fort Wayne, Ind. and will be the second generation of Falcon basketball players, following his father, Brandon Pardon, who came here from Van Wert Lincolnview where he led the Lancers to a state championship.
Brandon Pardon played at BGSU from 2000-02, and is third in program history for career assists and sixth for career three-point field goal percentage.
“A lot of family history here and I loved the campus and coaches early on in my recruiting process,” Jaxon said.
Simon says Jaxon brings the same energy and ability that his father brought when he came to BGSU.
“Jaxon is a hard nosed competitor with plus athletic ability and shooting. He has shown excellent instincts to make the right plays,” Simon said.
“His passion for being the best he can be is intriguing but also he is passionate about BGSU. As the son of a great Falcon, we believe he will carry the winning Pardon legacy on in the Orange and Brown.”
Pardon will come to the Falcons from Fort Wayne, Ind. Pardon has been named First Team All-Conference each of the last two seasons and aided the Chargers to a sectional championship in 2020. He’s also served as a captain.
Apart from high school, Pardon has played for both Indy Heat and Ohio Buckets.
Womens golf signs three
BGSU womens golf coach, Erin Fahey, announced Macie Elzinga, Addison Kartusch and McKenzie Miller have signed National Letters of Intent with the Falcons for the 2024-25 academic year.
“Each one of these players will impact BGSU Women’s Golf immediately when they step on campus, both in the classroom and on the course,” Fahey said. “All three of them have the desire and drive to push our program to get better and better each year.”
Elzinga hails from Byron Center High School (Mich.), where she is a four-time individual OK White Conference champion. While at Byron Center she earned all-state accolades in 2021, 2022 and 2023, which includes first-team D2 (2021).
Elzinga earned All-State Super team honors in 2022 and 2023. She was a 2022 D2 individual state champion and helped lead the Bulldogs to a 2021 state runner-up finish.
“Macie is a proven winner who has been tournament-tested at all levels,” said Fahey. “She is a team-focused player, who at the core wants to accomplish great things with her team.”
Kartusch (Winnipeg, Manitoba) currently competes for St. Mary’s Academy, where she helped her school to the 2021-22 and 2022-23 high school provincial team championship.
She has played in the Canada Summer Games and placed No. 10 out of 20 participants. She has won individual medalist honors at four tournaments and boasts eight top-10 finishes over the last three seasons. Kartusch also plays hockey and is an assistant captain for the current 2023-24 season.
“Addison is a very athletic player and one that has had success at the highest levels in her junior career,” said Fahey. “She is a multi-sport athlete and has an amazing work ethic.”
Miller attends Hilliard Bradley High School, where she has spent three years on the boys’ golf team. She has earned girls’ golf first-team all-conference, all-district and team MVP honors in 2020.
In 2022 and 2023 she earned honorable mention All-Central District and team MVP accolades for the boy’s golf team. She is a two-time Joe Haase Cup Champion (2022-23) at the Firestone Country Club (North).
Miller finished in fifth place at the 2023 Ohio Junior Girls tournament. She reached the Round of 16 at the Ohio Women’s State Amateur tournament in 2023 and was the first alternate for the USGA Women’s AM Four Ball at the Losantiville Country Club.
“McKenzie is an experienced tournament player and will bring the team a lot of heart,” said Fahey. “She is a team player, who will do whatever it takes to accomplish her goals. McKenzie is a well-rounded student-athlete whose passion for BGSU is apparent.”
