From Cub to Bear

College basketball was always a major thought in the back of my mind since I started playing as a kid, but it never became a reality until my junior and senior years of high school. The thought of going to college was life changing enough but deciding who to build a basketball family was even more overwhelming. Many obstacles occurred during those years of recruiting; a coach change, rival players, and a torn ACL, just to name a few. Now I know with a full heart that all of them happened so I would end up where I was supposed to be, here at Lenoir-Rhyne University, a Lady Bear.

If I would give any advice to a high schooler out there that wants to play college basketball it would be to choose carefully. Choose the coach, the players, and the program that you personally want to be a part of. Choose the school name that you want and are proud to have on your chest every single day. Choose the family that is right for you, because they will give you some of the best times of your life. The relationships I have built with my teammates and coaches will be forever. Nothing is perfect and there will always be struggle, but you must choose who you want to struggle with.

To incoming freshman I would tell them not to be scared of who you are as a person and as a basketball player. Find what you excel at and do it better than anybody has before you. Coming in as a post player I know I was one of the smaller ones, but what I lacked in size I made up for in rebounding and defense. I may not have been very big in size, but I got every rebound I could get my hands on and my voice was one of the biggest on the court.

I hope I can leave behind lasting and meaningful memories to each of my teammates on and off the court. I have a unique bond with each of them and we have shared our own special moments I hope they will always remember. I want them to know even after I am gone they will always have me no matter where my life has taken me. Also, determination and hard work can take you further than you thought you were capable of, so don’t take a single second for granted because time flies. Every moment I’ve had are my best and ones I will cherish.

A big thing I have learned is life sometimes has a funny way of being ironic and showing you what is best for you. The adversity I went through to get here ended up being the best thing I could have asked for. I get the opportunity to share my senior year with my high school coach who is a major reason I am the player I am today. My biggest rival in high school ended up being my roommate and one of my closest friends. My ACL injury taught me more than a coach could and lead me to LR. It just goes to show that going through adversity makes you stronger and in my case showed me where I belonged. God put all of these incredible people in my path for a reason and it all starts to make sense when this time is coming to an end. They are why I come to practice and leave everything I have on the floor. They are the reason I am proud to be a Bear.

I owe a lot to this school. It gave me my future, my closest friends, and my favorite memories that will stay with me for a lifetime. Going to classes made me a Lenoir-Rhyne student, but wearing the name on my jersey and stepping on the basketball floor every day made me a Bear. I am happy to say my family battles on the court with me every day and I wouldn’t want it to be any other group of people.