Suffolk

Jennifer (Ruys) Baker, a four-year letterwinner, and senior captain, certainly left her footprint in Suffolk women’s basketball history.

The 6-foot forward was a steady, post-up force for the gritty cager teams of the early 2010s. Voted the team’s Offensive MVP as a junior, named Charles Law Student-Athlete as a senior and selected a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) First-Team honoree twice, she could always be counted upon for consistent contributions and solid leadership. 

In 102 games in a blue-and-gold jersey, Baker put up historical numbers on both ends of the hardwood. She became the second-ever Ram to reach the coveted 1,000-point mark as a junior when she buried a jump shot from the free throw line with 3:27 left in the first half against Emmanuel Feb. 16, 2013. She wrapped up her career with 1,486 career points, the third highest scorer in program history to this day. Her offensive output came behind 561 field goals made and .453 shooting percentage from the field, both which land in Suffolk’s top-10. 

Defensively, she blocked 144 shots and pulled down 654 boards. Not only do those statistics rank in the Rams’ all-time greats, but make her one of three players in the record book to produce 1,000-plus points, 500-plus rebounds and 100-plus blocks. She was the second-ever to accomplish the feat, following Allison Fox, who laced up her high tops for the Rams from 2001-05.

The numbers tell it all, but it was her unselfish, unassuming and dedicated play, motivating teammates to always play to the best of their abilities that sealed Baker’s spot in the Hall of Fame. She was a crucial cog to a pair of GNAC Championship contest runs and four consecutive trips to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament, including a finals appearance in 2012-13. That year, she pushed the blue-and-gold to its winningest season to date with a 23-8 (.742) ledger.

“I have so many amazing memories of wearing that Suffolk jersey,” Baker said. “Many of my favorite memories are the soft spots with my team, coaches and athletics staff. The pregame dance parties in the locker room, hanging out in the Ridgeway Lounge and the competition and love I shared with my teammates every day at practice. It was the people that made it so memorable and something I’ll never forget.”

After her collegiate playing days wrapped up, Baker earned her Bachelors of Science in Biology in 2014 and went on to get her Masters in Athletic training at Bridgewater State. She has done AT stints at Boston College and Belmont Hill, where she joined the faculty staff in 2023-24.