Fab Five: Jake Kosakowski

LA JOLLA, Calif. – Photographs have the ability to capture important pieces of our past and help us recall people, places, feelings, and memories that made an impact on our lives. For many scholar-athletes, pictures secure those special moments and assist in making their collegiate careers last forever.

In a feature called “Fab Five”, Triton scholar-athletes are tasked to pick five of their favorite photos to be highlighted on UCSDtritons.com. 

Today, Jake Kosakowski, a rising junior on the men's basketball team, shares his collection.

Last season, the program's second competing in Division I and the Big West, Kosakowski led the nation in three-point field goal percentage, connecting on more than 47% of his tries from beyond the three-point arc. In the first Big West game of the season, Kosakowski drained an off-balance, game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer to send that contest to overtime – where the Tritons ultimately prevailed over the defending conference champions.

A native of Chicago, Kosakowski is a communication major in UC San Diego's Roosevelt College.

1. ENERGY

Man this game was lit. This was the first home game of our season; moreover, it was our first game after a year and some change where we could have fans in RIMAC because of COVID. The atmosphere in the building was unlike any time I had seen in before. It was packed! I love those moments because to me, I look at basketball as entertainment, and the more people can find enjoyment through my and the team's play, the more fun I end up having with the game. But most importantly, I make myself happy playing! 
 

2. Talk That Talk!

Speaking of energy, our first game at home was against an athletic and fast George Washington team from D.C. We all wanted to bring the intensity and show the fans the energy we were coming with that season. Most of the season I came off of the bench, so it was important for me to bring that spark when it was needed. After hitting a few threes against some minimal defense, I had to let the defenders know I was somebody they had to guard. And I let ‘em know. 

3. Pick Your Brother Up!

We had ups and downs through the season. We learned a lot, as individuals and collectively as a team. We had some great wins, and some losses we shouldn’t have had, but we learned from those. This picture was taken during our game against UC Santa Barbara, which was a tough and scrappy game for us. This picture really encapsulates the energy and chemistry of our team. From having two guys help Bryce up To Francis giving the strong arm to Bryce, we always had each other’s backs throughout the game, and throughout the season. 
 

4. Ugly Faces

When I see this picture I immediately laugh. If you play sports, you know there are moments when you’re caught lacking with an ugly face trying to do something quickly or with a lot of strength. I just hope this pass became an assist!!
 

5. "…"

*record scratch* yup. That’s me. You might be wondering how I ended up in this position. Well, down 3 with less than a second left on the clock against UC Santa Barbara, Coach Olen drew up a play that gave us a couple options for the shot to tie the game. My path was pretty clear, and I would end up getting a shot in the corner, as you see here. Kill (Jake Killingsworth) made a great misdirection by looking at another teammate, and as I turned my body around the screen to get to the corner, I saw I had an opening. As Kill passed me the ball I turned to get whatever parts of my body I could to face the basket, and as I caught it fading out of bounds I tried to shoot it as normally as I would any other three. The result? Well, you might have to go back and check it out for yourself.

Check back on UCSDTritons.com all summer for future editions of “Fab Five” from other UC San Diego scholar-athletes. Previous “Fab Five” entries are below.

2022
• Rachel Wagner (Women's Tennis)
• Matt Palma (Men's Volleyball)
• Nick Cirrito (Men's Soccer)

2020
• Sergi Mata (Men's Golf)
• Gabe Hadley (Men's Basketball)
• Jonathan Sabouri (Men's Soccer)
• Grace Murphy (Swimming & Diving)
• Collin Shannon (Men's Volleyball)
• Cindy Tran (Women's Volleyball)
• Jake Selstad (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
• Calder Hilde-Jones (Men's Water Polo)
• Anu Bhadada (Women's Tennis)
• Natalie Widmer (Women's Soccer)
• Konami Masui (Women's Fencing)
• Sarah Proctor (Women's Rowing)
• Neil Tengbumroong (Men's Tennis)
• Cameron Leonard (Baseball)
• Isabel Lavrov (Softball)
• Zeinab Torabi (Women's Track & Field)
 

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.