Hailey Van Lith, in her fifth and final college basketball season, didn’t just make an impact—she made history. Her performance in the 2024-25 season propelled TCU to new heights, and in return, the Big 12 honored her with both the Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards. It made her the first player in conference history to earn both distinctions in the same season.
Hailey Van Lith Makes History with Her New Accolades
The Big 12 unveiled its annual women’s basketball awards, and Hailey Van Lith stood at the forefront, marking an unforgettable season for the TCU Horned Frogs. The awards are voted on by the league’s 16 head coaches. They were not permitted to vote for their players recognized Van Lith as the driving force behind TCU’s record-breaking year.
Van Lith, a seasoned guard, transferred to TCU for her final season of eligibility after playing at LSU for a year and previously spending three years at Louisville, where she had already built an impressive collegiate résumé.
At TCU, she averaged 17.6 points per game, finishing seventh in the conference in scoring. She also ranked fourth in assists, dishing out 5.4 per contest. Throughout the season, she notched 12 games with at least 20 points. She proved herself as the consistent offensive leader for the Horned Frogs.
Her arrival at TCU immediately transformed the program. She led the Horned Frogs to their first-ever Big 12 regular season championship, shattering program records for total wins, conference wins, and home victories. For a program that had never won a Big 12 title in its 13-year tenure in the league, Van Lith’s leadership and on-court dominance were game-changing.
Alongside Van Lith, several other players earned All-Big 12 First Team honors. Iowa State’s Audi Crooks and TCU’s Sedona Prince were unanimous selections, while Utah’s Kneepkens, Baylor’s Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, Kansas’ S’Mya Nichols, K-State’s Serena Sundell, OSU’s Stailee Heard, and TCU’s Madison Conner rounded out the top ten. But no one matched the historic season Van Lith delivered.
Her achievements, however, didn’t come without scrutiny. During a media session after receiving her awards, Van Lith addressed the criticism surrounding her decision to take advantage of a fifth year of NCAA eligibility.
HVL isn’t listening to the noise 😤
(🎥 via @GirimonteNicky) pic.twitter.com/1OHEE99W1a
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) March 5, 2025
“I think people are only saying that about me because I’m one of the ones they’re paying a lot of attention to. There’s a lot of girls that are taking their fifth years, and there’s a lot of girls that are having a lot of success [like] I’m having that are taking their fifth years,” Van Lith said, per an X post from On SI’s Nick Girimonte.
“It’s just the new norm; it’s just what’s going to happen now. It’s funny to see people react and think about it negatively, but when you really analyze it, a lot of it comes down to frustration that they didn’t have that opportunity. I’m not gonna allow people to make me feel bad because I was blessed with this opportunity to play five years.”
Maximizing Opportunities in Women’s Basketball
Van Lith also touched on a significant issue in women’s sports: the lack of accessibility to professional opportunities compared to men’s basketball. She emphasized that college is the prime time for female athletes to establish their brands, maximize exposure, and secure financial opportunities through NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals.
“For a female in sports, the reality is the professional level just isn’t as accessible or obtainable as the men’s side. So to maximize your brand on what you bring to the table… you have to take advantage of that in college,” she explained.
“A lot of people see it as a bad thing, but I’m happy for all my fellow female athletes… that are gonna use up all the limelight they can to make the money they can while they’re in college.”
KEEP READING: USA TODAY Sports Network’s 2025 All-SEC Women’s Basketball Awards
While Van Lith was the star on the court, TCU’s head coach, Mark Campbell, also earned recognition for orchestrating the team’s remarkable turnaround. Campbell was named Big 12 Coach of the Year, making him the first TCU coach to receive the honor.
Under his leadership, the Horned Frogs not only claimed their first Big 12 regular-season title but also positioned themselves as a powerhouse in women’s college basketball. With her collegiate career now winding down, all eyes will be on what comes next for Van Lith.
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