Former Warriors’ basketball standout Jonathan Luster recently completed his junior season at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and capped the campaign by being named to the 2016 Liberty League All-Academic Basketball Team. Jonathan, who graduated from Valley in 2013, had a solid year for the Engineers by starting all 25 games and averaging 7.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per contest from his point/shooting guard positions. In the classroom, the civil engineering major is a staple on the dean’s list who excels with a 3.43 grade-point average.

“It was an honor to be selected to the Liberty League All-Academic team,” Jonathan says. “I pride myself on working just as hard in the classroom as I do on the court and it is always nice to get recognized for your efforts.”

Jonathan played basketball, soccer, and baseball when he was at Valley and even ran track in his senior year. On the basketball court, the two-time captain helped lead the Warriors to state titles in 2011 and 2013. Jonathan was named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year for his junior and senior seasons, made All-State in both of those years, and averaged 15.1 points, five rebounds, and 4.3 assists a night as a senior. Jonathan also garnered All-State honors in soccer that year and was an important member of a Warriors’ squad that won two Shoreline Conference titles.

Since making the move to college, Jonathan has been a fixture for RPI men’s basketball and he’s played in every game during his time with the team. Jonathan scored four points per game as a freshman and then averaged 4.6 while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and hitting on 16 of 37 from three-point range in his sophomore season. He was also second on the squad with 52 assists as a key player off the bench. Jonathan then had his best year yet in the recent winter campaign.

“Coming into college was a big adjustment because everyone was bigger, faster, and stronger,” says Jonathan. “When you drove into the lane in high school, you had guys who were [6-foot-2], where in college, they are 6-6. It forced me to become a better player and I think that showed up this year with all the time and work I put into it.”

Jonathan’s improvement also showed up in RPI’s won-loss record. The Engineers finished with identical marks of 8-17 for Jonathan’s first two seasons, but saw a four-game improvement to 12-13 with him as a full-time starter this year.

“Jonathan has progressed a lot since I’ve been here. One thing I point out since I got here for his sophomore season was how he does everything right. His attention to detail is incredible and he runs every drill perfectly. His footwork, form, positioning, has all helped him become a great player,” says RPI Head Coach Mark Gilbride. “Jonathan also does a variety of things for us defensively, has learned all the concepts of our team defense, and he gets after it for loose balls and rebounds. On offense, he passes very well, can shoot, and has worked hard to have the ability to run all our sets. As a person, he’s just a great kid. Sophomore year, he was a little quieter. This season, he was a year older and took a more prominent role. He’s got natural leadership ability and I expect him to take on an even bigger role in that capacity next year. The guys on the team all love him, he’s got a great sense of humor, and we all look forward to Jonathan being around.”

Basketball has been a huge part of Jonathan’s life for many years as he’s played the game since childhood. Next year will mark Jonathan’s final season of collegiate basketball and so it’s important for him to end his career at RPI on a high note.

“I love the competitive nature of basketball and I also love the fact it can bring different types of people together. The beauty of basketball is all you need is a ball and a hoop to play,” Jonathan says. “Next year, I hope to have a great senior season and make the conference tournament. We have nine teams in our division and the top four make the tourney, so that’s a big goal. If we win, we get to go to the [Division III] NCAA Tournament and I think we will be improved next year because we are returning four of five starters and we will get back a valuable player from injury.”

With all the years of dedicating himself to the sport he loves and experiencing plenty of success, Jonathan appreciates everyone who’s helped him along the way.

“I would like to thank all the great teammates and coaches I’ve had throughout the years. Without them, my athletic experiences would not have been as memorable as they were,” says Jonathan. “And of course, I have to thank my family—most importantly, my mom and my dad, who have been present for nearly every game and continue to support me.”