Before joining TCU women’s basketball, Hailey Van Lith endured a horrid season with LSU, averaging only 11.6 points per game on 37.8% shooting last season.
However, she entered the transfer portal and made the move to TCU, which was met with skepticism from college hoop enthusiasts.
Hailey Van Lith’s Redemption Arc: From LSU Struggles to TCU Stardom
The TCU star ended her fifth-year regular season with a healthy amount of standout performances. Van Lith, who silenced her critics by averaging 17.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, made it clear that she did not feel bad for returning to college basketball for a fifth year.
“I’m not gonna allow people to make me feel bad because I was blessed with this opportunity to play five years,” the TCU star said in an Instagram post by Yahoo Sports. “So, I think it’s a great thing. I’m happy for anybody that wants to exhaust their eligibility.”
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Van Lith also discussed the WNBA, which she said was not as easily accessible as college basketball. She said she’s happy for her fellow female basketball athletes who chose to take advantage of the Name, Image and Likeness deals to grow their brands.
“You know for a female in sports, the reality is the professional level isn’t as accessible or attainable as the men’s side,” Van Lith said. “So, you know to maximize on your brand and what you bring to the table, you capitalize on your Name Image and Likeness.
“You know, you have to take advantage of that at college. And so a lot of people see that as a bad thing. But I’m happy for my fellow female athletes that are gonna use up all the limelight they can to make the money they can when they are in college.”
Van Lith’s Big 12 Awards
Van Lith won Big 12 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year after helping lead the TCU Horned Frogs to the conference regular season title for the first time in 13 seasons. She became the first player in the league’s 29-season history to win both awards in the same season.
On Tuesday, Van Lith recorded 14 points, two rebounds, and two assists to help TCU defeat Baylor 52-48.
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“Hailey, she’s our lead dog,” said TCU head coach Mark Campbell, who took home Big 12 Coach of the Year honors after the win over Baylor. “She has this warrior spirit.”
TCU, now ranked eighth in the latest AP Top 25 polls, will likely enter March Madness as a No. 2 or No. 3 seed, with Van Lith expected to lead the Horned Frogs’ charge.
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