One of the best stories in women’s college basketball this season has been the TCU women’s basketball team. The Horned Frogs have had one of the biggest turnarounds in the country, going from a below-average Big 12 team to the best in the league in one year.
TCU has been boosted by a number of key transfer additions, but none have been bigger than star point guard Hailey Van Lith. The former Louisville and LSU guard has had arguably the best season of her college career in Fort Worth and was a massive reason why TCU was able to take home its first ever Big 12 championship.
Before the season, Van Lith was widely criticized for taking a fifth season in college instead of heading into the WNBA or pursuing a professional career elsewhere. On Tuesday, she fired back at those critics, via Nick Girimonte of Sports Illustrated.
“I’m not gonna allow people to make me feel bad that I was blessed with the opportunity to play five years.”
Hailey Van Lith on how taking her fifth year at TCU has benefited her. pic.twitter.com/NUJpOTMSl0
— Nick Girimonte (@GirimonteNicky) March 4, 2025
“There’s a lot of girls that are taking their fifth years and a lot of girls that are having a the success that I’m having that are taking their fifth years,” Van Lith said. “It’s the new norm. It’s what’s gonna happen now, and it’s funny to see people react and think about it negatively. 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 that I was blessed with this opportunity to play five years.”
Hailey Van Lith honored for special senior season
On top of leading TCU to its first Big 12 championship in program history, Hailey Van Lith took home the conference’s biggest individual honor as well.
On Tuesday, Van Lith won the league’s Player of the Year award for her efforts this season, where she has consistently been one of the best players on the court night in and night out. For the season, Van Lith averaged 17.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while leading TCU to a 28-3 overall record and a 16-2 record in conference play.
Van Lith was also named the Newcomer of the Year in the conference and head coach Mark Campbell was named Coach of the Year. The Horned Frogs will be the top seed in the Big 12 Tournament and will kick off their quest to sweep the conference titles this season in the quarterfinals on Friday.
If TCU can get to at least the title game, it will very likely be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That means TCU will get to host the first weekend in Fort Worth and head to the Sweet 16 if it can win two games in front of its home fans.
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