ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced on Wednesday that Jade Geif's No. 21 women's basketball jersey will be retired by the Naval Academy Athletic Association. The ceremony recognizing Geif will be held on January 14 as part of the Navy-Loyola women's basketball game. Geif, a member of the United States Naval Academy's Class of 2014, will become the third Navy women's basketball player to have her number after Becky (Dowling) Calder saw her uniform raised to the rafter in January of 2014 and Courtney (Davidson) O'Brien was honored in January of 2020.
 
"Jade was one of the most dominating, game-changing, high intensity athletes to wear the blue and gold over the past 20 years," remarked Gladchuk. "She simply refused to lose as she led us to N-stars and league championships throughout her playing career. She inspired a very talented group of varsity women that had great team talent and chemistry, who always looked to her when the game was on the line. Jade embraced the pressure and repeatedly displayed why she was truly the undisputed leader among her peers. Focused, relentless on the court, and determined to succeed, her competitive exploits set the stage for outstanding contributions to Naval Academy Athletics and ultimately the Marine Corps community. This honor is clearly earned and justifiably deserved."
 
"I am truly humbled and honored by the retiring of my jersey by the United States Naval Academy and am so thankful for all the people involved in making this possible," said Geif. "This achievement could not have happened without the hard-working coaching staff, my extraordinary teammates and the love and encouragement from my family. I am forever grateful for all the once-in-a-lifetime experiences, lessons learned, and relationships built over my four years as a Navy Women's Basketball player. Go Navy, Beat Army!"
 
"Jade has not only left an indelible mark on the Navy Women's Basketball record book, but she epitomized all the intangibles of leadership, service and commitment that make the Naval Academy such an incredible place," said Tim Taylor, head coach of the Navy women's basketball team. "Her basketball stats and awards alone put Jade in elite company not only in NWB history but the entire history of women's basketball in the Patriot League. Everyone I spoke with at the Academy raved about how Jade played her best in the most important games as evidenced by her helping NWB teams win three Patriot League Championships. Her accomplishments off the court were just as impressive as she won the prestigious Sword award as a senior. I am excited that Mr. Gladchuk and our administration have chosen to honor Jade. It is a great day for Navy Women's Basketball."
 
A four-year standout for the Midshipmen from 2010 through 2014, Geif immediately made her presence felt as a physical freshman forward during the 2010-11 season. A two-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week and the eventual Patriot League Rookie of the Year, she played in and started all 32 games for the Mids, while scoring in double figures 17 times and grabbing 10 or more rebounds on nine occasions. Her output and the team's success increased throughout the year as Navy won its first-ever Patriot League Women's Basketball Championship on the strength of Geif's MVP performance of 10.7 points and 10.0 rebounds over three tournament victories. In the championship game, she recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds against American. In the program's first NCAA Tournament game, she led all players with 14 points and 12 rebounds against DePaul. Geif finished the year with averages of 9.6 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds, while also leading the team in shooting with a 48.5 percent field goal percentage.
 
With expectations high for the Patriot League Tournament MVP and the defending league champions, Geif and Navy were up to the task in 2011-12 and repeated both feats. After going 15-13 in the regular season and claiming the third seed in the league tournament, the Mids defeated the sixth-seeded Colgate Raiders and the second-seeded Lehigh Mountain Hawks before coming from behind and knocking off the fifth-seeded Holy Cross Crusaders, 57-48 in the championship game. Geif led the Navy's effort with a career-high 22 points and seven rebounds on her way to being named the Patriot League Tournament MVP for the second straight season. For the three-game tournament, she averaged 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists, while shooting 50 percent from the field. Geif's strong postseason play continued in the NCAA Tournament when she shot seven-of-ten from the field and scored 14 points, in addition to grabbing seven rebounds against Maryland. For the season, she led Navy with averages of 11.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and a 51.2 field goal percentage over 32 games and was selected to the All-Patriot League Second Team.
 
As a junior in 2012-13, Geif was once again a dominant force for the Mids as she headlined the team's scoring, rebounding and shooting percentage statistics with 13.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game to go along with a 53.2 field goal percentage. She ranked first in the Patriot League in shooting, while standing 13th-best in the nation. Additionally, her scoring and rebounding averages each were fourth-highest in the conference. Geif was recognized for her success with a spot on the All-Patriot League First Team. Starting and playing every game for the third straight year, Geif led the Mids to a 18-11 regular season record before ramping up her postseason theatrics with 13.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as Navy swept through the conference tournament with wins over Lafayette, Bucknell and Holy Cross. For the third straight year she was selected to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team. During their appearance in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, Geif and the Mids went toe-to-toe with the Kentucky Wildcats and held a 26-25 lead at halftime into the intermission. Over the second half of the contest, the second-seeded Wildcats re-took the lead from the Mids and held on for the victory.
 
One more standout campaign by Geif cemented her legacy as one of the greatest players in Navy and Patriot League history. Playing in all 32 games during the 2013-14 season, she posted a statistical line of 12.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.7 percent from the field. Geif had the Mids' ripping off of wins at a then-program record pace as the team went 22-6 during the regular season and specifically 15-3 in Patriot League play. That mark versus conference opponents was and still is a program-high and gave Navy its first outright regular season league title. Though falling in the semifinals of the 2014 Patriot League Tournament, Geif and the Mids advanced to the WNIT Tournament for the first time in program history and faced off with Old Dominion in the first round. A 68-60 lost to the Monarchs in Norfolk closed the Mids' 2013-14 season with a 24-8 record. As a class, Geif and her senior teammates set a program-record with 83 wins over their four years on the hardwood and won over 64 percent of their overall games. She was recognized as a member of the All-Patriot League First Team for the second consecutive season, as well as on the Patriot League All-Tournament Team for the fourth straight year.
 
Over her four years with the program, Geif totalled 1,501 points and 1,033 rebounds, while making 51.9 percent of her shots over 3,937 minutes of action in 129 contests. She is the only Midshipmen in program history with more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and joins David Robinson and Vernon Butler as the only players in school history to reach that milestone. Among Patriot League women's players, she is one of only six players in conference history with more than 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds. Her rebounding total is a Navy record and ranks eighth all-time in the Patriot League. For the category of field goal shooting, Geif ranks second in Navy's record book and seventh among her Patriot League peers. Additionally, her 128 games started and 409 offensive rebounds are the most-ever in Navy history. When considering her playing accolades, Geif is the only player in league history to garner four All-Tournament team honors and one of four to earn two MVP awards.
 
The Naval Academy Athletic Association acknowledged her outstanding career as she was the Class of 2014 recipient of the Vice Adm. Lawrence Sword for Women. Most recently, Geif earned her a spot on the Patriot League's Silver Anniversary Team that was announced in the summer of 2015. Geif joins Davidson and Dowling as the only three Mids named to this historic list of high achievers.
 
The Lakeville, Minnesota native was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps following her graduation in May of 2014. During her time in the corps, Geif became an Aviation Supply Officer, where she served at Beaufort Air Station and Parris Island Recruit Depot as a Platoon Commander. 
 
She is currently a civilian in South Carolina employed as an executive assistant for Tactical Baby Gear. Geif also volunteers for the local fire department on her off time. Geif has a six-year-old daughter and is engaged to be married in November of 2022.
 
The Naval Academy Athletic Association and the Navy women's basketball program will celebrate Geif throughout the weekend with gatherings, a luncheon and the program's annual alumni game. The activities will culminate with her No. 21 jersey being raised to the rafters during halftime of the Navy-Loyola game on January 14.