Living the Good LifeLiving the Good Life
Women's Basketball

Living the Good Life

My time in college has taught me many things, but above all else, it's presented me with opportunities and experiences to grow both on and off the court.

A perfect example of this is the trip I took with my teammates to Greece this past summer.

I was really looking forward to exploring one of the oldest countries in the world with such a rich history.

I knew Greece would be otherworldly to see, but I didn't know it would have such a personal impact on me and my team.

When we visited the Archaeological Site of Olympia, our tour guide told us about how women weren't allowed to watch – let alone compete – in the sport we know today as track and field.

What really struck a chord with me, though, was when she told us the story of a mother that snuck into the site.

If she got caught, the punishment was death.

Yet, she didn't care.

She was willing to risk her life in order to fulfill her dream of watching her son compete.

For me, one of the key takeaways was how far women have come since then. And women's sports.

As I enter my fourth year of college, it's a reminder that every time I put on that Nebraska basketball jersey, I'm playing for women that never had the opportunities I've been given.

It also made me reflect on everything I've accomplished thus far in my career, and what I still hope to accomplish before my career ends.

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Coming home

I was born in Missouri but grew up in Omaha, so I'm a born and bred-Husker. I used to walk by a painted picture of Memorial Stadium every day in our house growing up.

I remember my sister and I had little cheerleading outfits when we were young, so I've been quite literally waving my pom poms for NU since I could walk.

Believe it or not, though, my collegiate career didn't start in Lincoln, Nebraska.

After high school, I had the opportunity to play basketball at the University of South Dakota.

My time at USD was nothing short of amazing, especially my sophomore year when we made it to the Sweet 16.

At the conclusion of that season, however, Coach Dawn Plitzuweit pursued a coaching opportunity elsewhere, and that's when I began to contemplate my future at USD.

Losing the coach you committed to is always difficult, so I had to do some serious soul-searching.

In the end, I decided to enter the transfer portal and started looking for a new home.

And that's when Coach Williams reached out to me at NU.

Once she showed interest, it was a no-brainer to come back and play for the school I had grown up watching.

I was coming home.

Constantly challenging myself

Playing for Millard South in high school, the goal was to make it to the state tournament at PBA (Pinnacle Bank Arena) every season.

With PBA being the ultimate destination, I've always looked at the venue as being almost larger than life with all sorts of moments and cherished memories. 

To now call PBA my home court at NU is (still) a surreal feeling.

In my first season at NU last year, playing at a larger arena and in the ultra-competitive Big Ten, I felt like I had made it to the next level in my playing career. 

I was ready to take on new challenges.

But I've always taken pride in challenging myself in the classroom as much as I do on the court. 

I recently graduated and earned my bachelor's degree in child, youth and family studies. While I'm proud of myself for earning my degree in three years, it undoubtedly pushed me to my limits.

Transferring schools and navigating the transfer process with credits made it more difficult, but walking across that stage on graduation day made it all worth it.

I'm also incredibly fortunate that I have two years of eligibility left to live out my dreams playing at PBA for NU and continuing to further my education.

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Who I play for

I've only been back home at NU for a year, but I already have what feels like a lifetime's worth of memories that I'll have to look back on and treasure when my time in Lincoln comes to an end.

My favorite memory so far, and one that will be hard to top, is the trip to Greece that I mentioned before. I couldn't be more grateful to my team and the university for the opportunity to take this trip.

I'd never been out of the country, so it was a breathtaking experience visiting a country and area of the world I never thought I'd see. 

In the 10 days we were there, we visited different towns in Santorini, went to the beach in Nafpaktos, and explored Athens.

Circling back to the story of the mother at Olympia, I think that emphasized how important this trip was for our team. Throughout the ups and downs of a season, sometimes it can be easy to forget how fortunate we are to play a game that we love. Not to mention, having the support of a university and community that cares and values women's sports.

We played a game at home against Maryland last season dedicated to Title IX and the 50-year anniversary, which helped showcase how far women in sports have come these past 50 years.

Going into this upcoming season, our trip to Greece reminded us of the privilege we have to take the floor every night, and to never forget the opportunities we have to inspire little girls and the evolution and advancement of women's sports going forward.

Beyond the hardwood

My biggest goal was to play basketball for four years, and with the COVID year, I'm blessed that I get to play even longer for the next two seasons.

Basketball's always been such an integral part of my journey, but there's so much more I want to accomplish beyond the hardwood. I want to work with people, help them overcome challenges, and make a significant difference in their lives.

I'm currently pursuing a master's in youth development, with the hopes of entering a career in counseling or therapy once I've hung up my basketball shoes for good.

I have nothing but endless gratitude for the opportunities I've had and the people who have supported me along the way. None of this would be possible without my amazing parents, coaches, and teammates, who have believed in me from the start.

Nebraska's had my heart since the day I was born, and I'm thrilled to continue to represent a state and university that have allowed me to live out my dreams.

And taught me to empower others to do the same.