Jordan Thompson meets Cincinatti Volleyball stars.

This season, Cincinnati is once again AAC champions and are heading to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year. And once again, Jordan Thompson is a big reason why.

In Thompson’s first season with the team, they made it to the Elite Eight. The next year they won the American Athletic Conference Championship and made it back to the Elite Eight. Last year they won the AAC again and made it to the Sweet Sixteen.

“She just makes everyone around her better,” said Cincinnati head coach Molly Alvey. “She has this aura about her that when she steps on the court, people just rise to her level. And I think that’s what great players do.”

Thompson, a 6-foot-3-inch middle blocker, was named the AAC Player of the Year for the second straight season and is one of four Bearcats to be named to the All-AAC first team. She is also a two-time AVCA All-American and was named the AAC Tournament MVP for the second consecutive year.

The AAC regular season may be over, but that didn’t stop Jordan Thompson from giving back to the sport of volleyball.

Thompson, who starred at nearby Lakota West High School before going on to have a stellar career at the University of Cincinnati, was on hand to offer instruction and guidance to some of the next generation of local volleyball stars.

“It’s always good to come back home and help out the community,” Thompson said. “I’m just trying to give back and show these kids that anything is possible if you work hard.”

The camp was put on by AAC Volleyball, a local club team that Thompson has been involved with since its inception.

“It’s been an honor to be a part of this program and to help build it into something special,” said Thompson. “I’m just blessed to have been able to play with some amazing teammates and coaches over the past four years.”

In her four years at Cincinnati, Thompson has amassed 1,471 kills, which is second in program history. She also ranks fourth in career blocks with 548.

Thompson and the Bearcats will find out their NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday when the 64-team field is announced. Cincinnati is expected to be a top-10 seed and could potentially host the first two rounds of the tournament.

“It would be awesome to be able to play in front of our home crowd,” said Thompson. “Our fans have been so supportive over the past four years and it would be great to be able to repay them by playing some more games here at Fifth Third Arena.”

“I remember my first AAC tournament, I was so nervous,” Thomson said. “I think the biggest thing that I learned from that experience was that it’s just another volleyball tournament. It’s the same game that we play every day in practice. “Once I calmed down and realized that, I started playing better and our team went on to win the AAC championship that year.”

Now, as a mentor, Thomson is hoping to help AAC’s student-athletes have a similar experience. “I want to be someone that the AAC athletes can come to and talk about anything,” Thomson said. “Whether it’s volleyball-related or not, I’m here for them. I think it’s important for student-athletes to have someone to talk to who has been in their shoes before.”