Mia Jacobs is filling a void in the Oregon women’s basketball program that has existed since its most recent regional semifinal in the 2020-21 season.

The six-foot-two forward shot 38% from 3-point range at Fresno State University last season, leading the Mountain West Conference. In the 2025-26 season, she will become the first Oregon forward to even attempt more than one 3-pointer per game since Erin Boley in 2020-21.

Through five games this season, Jacobs shot 35% on 5.6 3-point attempts per game. Her ability to stretch the floor is a breath of fresh air for an Oregon program that dropped from 18th in the nation in 3-point percentage in 2022-23 to 240th the next season, and only recovered to 205th last season.

“I think just being confident in my shot and knowing when I’m open and the right shots to take is what I’m working on now,” Jacobs said at media day. 

Originally from Perth, Australia, Jacobs began her NCAA career by making the 2023 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team at La Salle University. After playing her sophomore and junior seasons at Fresno State, including an All-Mountain West selection in 2025, the senior’s career crossed paths with an Oregon program in the process of building a new identity ahead of the 2025-26 season. 

“It’s really similar to the Australian style of play, which is kind of why I leaned more toward here when I transferred,” Jacobs said at media day. “Being able to run the floor, stretch the floor, shoot, drive, (and) kind of create for each other is the style of play that I’m used to. Being in that now — it feels like home and is normal for me.”

Head coach Kelly Graves set out to significantly increase the team’s pace in the offseason, after struggling to maximize six-foot-eight center Phillipina Kyei while playing at a pace that fit his roster in Kyei’s four years at Oregon. Three-guard lineups that either struggled to shoot or were made predictable by the team’s lack of versatility added to the recent struggles, and made Jacobs an instant standout in Fall practices.

“Mia Jacobs has been terrific — has maybe been our best overall player for the whole fall,” Graves said at media day.

While Jacobs’ shooting would have been a valuable addition to any team in the program’s recent history, she is more than just a role player. Jacobs brings a proven ability to get to the rim, draw fouls and make her free throws to Eugene, leading the Mountain West in free throw attempts (213) and free throw percentage (85%) last season. 

She has immediately translated that ability in her first five games at Oregon, averaging 5.2 attempts per game and making 92% of them. Her versatile scoring has led to her leading the Ducks in points in three of the first five games, including a season-high 26 points against former Mountain West foe Grand Canyon University.

Jacobs shot 12-for-13 from the free-throw line in the game against Grand Canyon, including 12 straight makes. When asked the last time she hit that many in a row, her answer was simple. “Last year. Yeah, it’s pretty common,” Jacobs said. 

Fittingly for Graves’ vision for the 2025-26 Ducks, the key to Jacobs’ success in getting to the rim is her speed. Defenders are forced to respect her outside shooting, but she regularly catches them off guard with her ability to drive into the paint.

The same speed helps her on the defensive side of the floor, where she makes up for what she lacks in rim protection by being an active defender, averaging two steals per game last season. 

Even accounting for potential regression in Big Ten play, when Jacobs will face the best competition she has seen, she will end the program’s drought in production at her position in 2025-26, and give the Ducks a chance to go further in the tournament with their newfound identity.