BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Before TCU took on Texas in the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament, Hailey Van Lith received a heartfelt message from her father. It read, “The sun is going to rise tomorrow no matter if you win or lose. So go out there and have fun.” Such words offered Van Lith some comfort after scoring 17 points in TCU’s 58-47 defeat to Texas on Monday night. During the emotional postgame news conference, Van Lith reflected more on her rewarding college career rather than the disappointment of the game’s outcome.
Van Lith’s journey through college basketball is marked by her stints at three different schools, accumulating a total of 2,599 points. She etched her place in history as the first college basketball player, regardless of gender, to reach the Elite Eight five times, bringing three different programs to an NCAA regional final. The 23-year-old from Wenatchee, Washington, played her first three seasons at Louisville before transferring to LSU last year, earning the nickname “Miss March” for her consistent tournament appearances.
While seated next to coach Mark Campbell and teammates Sedona Prince and Madison Conner, Van Lith reminisced on her challenging journey. “I’m sitting up here now with women that I love and a coach that I love and a team that I love,” she expressed, “and we aren’t even sad about losing. We’re sad that we aren’t going to see each other probably next week. My journey has been crazy, and I’m super grateful for it; I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Among the cheering fans Monday night was Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, proudly wearing Van Lith’s jersey backward to show her name. Van Lith’s tenure at Louisville led to a Final Four spot, after which she joined forces with Angel Reese and four-time national champion coach Kim Mulkey at LSU, following last year’s Elite Eight loss to Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
By adding Van Lith, TCU achieved a new best, reaching beyond the second round in March Madness for the first time. The Horned Frogs (34-4) set records not just in overall victories and Big 12 wins (16) but also maintained an undefeated home record during the regular season. Van Lith, who boasted averages of 17.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, left a lasting legacy at TCU in just one year.
“I don’t know the criteria in regards to getting your jersey hung at TCU,” stated Campbell, “but I have a hard time believing that anybody in any sport in one year can have a greater impact than what Hailey Van Lith has had at TCU.”
As one of the most recognizable figures in women’s basketball, Van Lith revealed after TCU’s second-round victory against Louisville her struggles with mental health. She credits playing for TCU and her faith with helping her overcome these challenges. “It was a lot of nights of being, like, ‘I feel like God has put this thing on my heart to be great, but it’s not working out right now,'” Van Lith shared. “A lot of times, I had to look at myself in the mirror and just be like, ‘What do you want, Hailey? Who are you?’” She concluded, “I’m grateful for it. I’m grateful for the fact that (God) gave me a hard journey because I would not be the woman I am sitting up here without it.”