HENDERSON — At the Brewer Sports Center, the jersey No. 41 has always had a mythical quality to it. Since last doffed by hall of famer Jana Cross Gobble at the conclusion of the 2009-10 season, only three Lady Lions have worn it in competition. As of February 7, 2026, no Lady Lion ever will again as Freed-Hardeman University will retire the jersey of the late All-American.

The recipient of several awards, Gobble was the 2006-07 TranSouth Conference Freshman of the Year, also marking the first of four straight first team All-Conference nods. She was also a four-time NAIA All-American with her biggest award coming in 2009 when she was the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's NAIA Player of the Year.

As of this writing, she is the second leading scorer in program history with 2,222 points with her field goal percentage of 57.3% still being the highest of any Lady Lion in history.

"We are honored to be able to retire Jana's jersey," said FHU head coach Abby Stutts. "Her legacy of who she was as a Lady Lion speaks louder than just a stat line. She is someone who represented what it means to be a Lady Lion in every aspect. A great player and even better person. The stories that have been told say everything about the impact Jana had on our women's basketball program. She is one of the greats that will forever be a part of our program's story." 

Gobble passed away on August 7, 2025, after a lengthy battle against cancer. She is survived by her husband, Wesley, and two children: Maizy and Grayson.

The retirement ceremony is scheduled to take place during the FHU doubleheader against Bethel on February 7.