To say that Helmer has left a massive imprint on athletics at St. Joseph’s Catholic is an understatement. Helmer will depart from St. Joseph’s Catholic as the Knights’ all-time leading scorer and has had a banner raised in her honor. When she begins her collegiate journey, Helmer will be wearing purple instead of blue – as in the signature purple hue of Division I Furman where she will focus on volleyball. The last two seasons would see Helmer lead her St. Joseph’s Catholic group to back-to-back 3A Upper State championship games. She first played varsity basketball in the seventh grade and varsity volleyball in the eighth grade. Helmer averaged 14 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.5 steals this past season for the Knights. 

The final postseason journey for St. Joseph’s Catholic’s all-time leading scorer has commenced in emphatic fashion. After tallying 14 points and collecting six steals in the first round against Mountain View Prep, Helmer led her Knights with 13 points and five rebounds as St. Joseph’s Catholic scored a 52-33 to dispatch Broome from the 3A playoffs. Helmer is looking to lead her Knights to this year’s big 3A prize after advancing to the Upper State finals last season. The Furman volleyball commit will return to the court with her Knights this Tuesday as they take on Woodruff in the Upper State semifinals. 

Helmer’s name is one that will be all over St. Joseph’s Catholic’s record books. The Knights are also entering this year’s 3A state tournament with plenty of momentum as evidenced by their 10-game winning streak. One of those victories occurred on Jan. 16 when St. Joseph’s Catholic hosted Carolina. The Knights scored a dominant 60-32 victory over the Trojans and it was when Helmer – already the all-time leading scorer in program history – reached the 1,500-point marker for her career. A banner was also raised at St. Joseph’s Catholic to commemorate her achievement. Following the tournament, Helmer will put all of her attention on her transition to Division I Furman as she is a Paladins volleyball commit. 

Helmer’s 3A St. Joseph’s Catholic team had a rough go of things at the She Got Next Thanksgiving Classic which was co-hosted by 5A Division 1 Lexington and 5A Division 2 Irmo. The Knights were on the receiving end of losses to SCISA 4A Northwood Academy and 5A Division 2 Riverside but Helmer achieved program history when she became the program’s all-time leading scorer. Helmer is continuing to pad that stat with another season of stellar play. Through 13 games, the Furman volleyball commit has averaged 15.5 points and 1.9 steals per contest. Helmer’s Knights are set to commence region play this Friday against Christ Church. 

Helmer is one of the more difficult players to guard across the Palmetto State. She proved that once again against 5A Division 2 Chapin when her 10 points were a key contributor to the Knights’ effort against the Eagles. A multi-sport standout who committed to Furman for volleyball, opposing defenses have to watch out for Helmer when she has the rock behind the 3-point arc. Toughness is another element to Helmer’s game as she has no problems drawing contact and making things happen from the free throw line. Helmer will handle the ball with either hand and her ability to change direction with the ball in her hand can throw many opposing defenders for a loop. 

Already the all-time leading scorer in the history of the St. Joseph’s Catholic program, Helmer added 19 points to her career total when her 3A Knights were locked in a hard-fought contest against 4A Daniel. Helmer did the bulk of her damage in the second half. St. Joseph’s Catholic trailed the Lions by 14 at the half before she spearheaded a ferocious comeback that had her team within striking distance of Daniel. When the season concludes for the Knights, Helmer will put all of her athletic focus towards volleyball as she is a commit to Furman. She is one of two seniors – and one of two team captains on this season’s Knights team. 

Following its 3A Upper State berth from last season, St. Joseph’s Catholic drew a tough draw on the first day of She Got Next matching up against one of SCISA’s premier 4A teams in Northwood Academy. Helmer held her own against the Chargers with a 25-point performance to lead her Knights. Out of the 25 she placed on the scoreboard, 19 occurred in the first half. As potent a scorer as she is, one can see that she attracts so much attention from opposing defenses when she has the ball in her hands. Helmer can put crooked numbers on a scoreboard from all three levels and combines overall talent with overall veteran instincts. Helmer is a two-sport athlete who will put all of her emphasis on volleyball at Furman following this season. 

A commitment announcement also occurred by way of the Upstate. Helmer, a talented standout from 3A St. Joseph’s Catholic will be staying in said Upstate to join the volleyball program at Furman. Her Knights basketball team last season advanced to the 3A Upper State championship game. Hoops-wise, she has proudly worn St. Joseph’s Catholic’s signature blue since she was in the seventh grade. The 13.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game were key in the deep run the Knights made as they made the jump from 1A to 3A last season. On the volleyball court, Helmer plays as a libero. 

Tiffany Helmer Tiffany Helmer 5'7" | SG St. Joseph's Catholic | 2026 State SC made some nice cuts and adjusted well to finish at the rim even with hands in her face.  She stepped outside the perimeter showing off her range knocking it down from deep.  She did well making smart passes into her teammates on in-bounds plays.  Her leadership on the court is unmatched with the way she talks to her teammates and gives them assessments and feedback in the middle of the game.