Meet the Lady Mavs of 2016-2017

I thought that since tomorrow is the first official game of the 2016-2017 season for the Lady Mavs, I would write my own personal bio for each of my teammates. They deserve to be introduced in the most realest way, not just for their basketball abilities, but as the young women of character that they are.

Aysia Evans is one of the freshmen on the team. She is what I like to call a “silent assassin”. Aysia comes off as very reserved and nonchalant, but she has the most beautiful singing voice (especially to Beyoncé) and the dirtiest dance moves I’ve ever witness (HUGE COMPLIMENT). Aysia is such a joy to be around and has one of the most beautiful infectious smiles I have ever seen. She is such a beautiful person inside and out and when you really get to be around her she is super goofy and always just trying to have a good time. I am really excited about being a fifth-year player in this class, because I am just telling you in the most humble way that we are really.. I mean like really scary good and we are going to be really.. really great when it’s our senior year. I can’t wait to get on the floor to play with this one and I hope she is ready for some three-point goggles and chest bumps from me and learns to embrace the passion that comes out of me when I get an assist due to my fellow three-point shooter. (They are my faves behind big post players). I love this girl so much and she’s extremely fun to watch because she’s so crafty and athletic.

Ericka Mattingly is also a freshman on the team, but like.. not really. I see so much of myself in her in the way that she acts like she’s been here and done this before (even if inside she really has no clue what she’s doing) no one else knows that. She has a confidence about her that demands respect. Ericka also has the most beautiful long blonde hair I’ve ever seen and it’s amazing to watch how she SPEEEEEEEEDS down the court past 9 people, scores a lay-up, and her long blonde pony-tail flies up and lands back into its perfect straight ways. It is actually a talent in my eyes. Ericka is one of the coolest people I know with one of the most genuine hearts. I am so proud of her and the desire to get better in every aspect of life that she has. She wants to grow and wants to mature and that is something that I didn’t have a year ago when I was in her position as a freshman. She is going to be one of the best point guards to ever play in this program and she is going to big a huge part in taking this team to many championships. Ericka and I are also fluent in Spanish….. one. (Nosotros son muy inteligente) ;) I really do thank God for putting this girl in my path and also in my Spanish class because Lord knows iron sharpens iron and we for real teach each other that language hahaha! I guess it is kind of important to learn if you want to be like.. I don’t know a missionary in a Spanish speaking country trying to tell people about Jesus.. just saying.

Kelsey Johnson is a redshirt freshman from OKLAHOMA and don’t forget that she’s from OKLAHAOMA. Kelsey is one of my prettiest friends and she knows it… but for real apparently she won Oklahoma’s prettiest smile award in some pageant or something like that I heard. She also apparently broke her pinky and screamed in front of Coach Gerlich in highschool.. (embarrassing). In other news.. Kels is actually one of my very best friends and one of my accountability partners. I am so thankful to have a friend like her push me towards Jesus every day and to be able to call me out when I need correction and encourage me when I am down. She is just there for me and that is so appreciated. Kels is a neat-freak, a typical basic white girl, is super sarcastic, and is also a 6’3 shooter, so there’s that. I remember doing shooting workouts with her three or four times a week in the Summer and watching her drill ten straight threes and thinking like ok wait what? I didn’t know SHE WAS LIKE DAT. Anywhos, she ended up tearing her ACL this year and although it’s been a miserable process to witness, I think it may be one of the best things for her to experience. I mean, seriously, I have had friends tear their ACL’s, but I’ve never been an insider being with them every single day and it is one of the worst things to watch someone you love go through. I am serious I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. She has been such a good sport about it and has been so positive despite the outside things she has been going through. When I read through the book of James in the Bible I think of Kelsey and the adversity she has been through already and will endure in the future and the maturity she will gain through this experience. I am so proud of her and so grateful for her. I have prayed to tears thanking God for this girl and she will be one of my bridesmaids in my wedding (only because I know she will have pretty hair). When this girl gets back on the court she will be doing some great and big things for us and knocking down a lot of huge shots. I know this sounds selfish, but I am so glad I have her here with me when the team travels, to encourage me during redshirt workouts and weights. Again, iron sharpens iron, and two is better than one. Kelsey is that friend who continues to make me better every day.

Lauren Billie is the only sophomore on the team (technically I guess if you don’t count me this year). Lauren is one of the most free-spirited people I’ve ever known and somehow always makes me laugh even when I don’t think it’s an appropriate time to laugh. Like tell me how in a middle of a scrimmage verses Texas Woman’s, she is playing defense, trips on a girl.. laughing on her way down.. laughing on her way back up and steals the ball from the girl and again is still laughing through that process. Seriously, she is the light in a dark situation. She in a lot of ways reminds me of my younger sister (ironically named Lauren). She just makes you smile when you don’t want to smile.. and makes you laugh when you’re in a bad mood. She is such a sweet girl and majorly boosts people when they dance lol. She is also super fun to watch on the court just because she’s everywhere and she has huge calves. No seriously, just look at her calves, they’re huge. She is a very productive player, gets offensive rebounds, makes the hustle plays, and is a spark in our team. I love her energy on the court and the light that she is in our program.

Greta Kairyte is a transfer junior from a JUCO. She is one of the three lovely JUCO transfers on our team this year!! Greta is from Lithuania.. so cool fact.. sometimes I walk into the lockerroom and she is speaking in another language on facetime and I am pretty sure it’s something bad about me. (Just kidding, but seriously sometimes it sketches me out). I know Greta mainly from the training room. Seriously though I think she owns that place. She has injuries in places you didn’t know could be injured, but yet she tapes it up and gets to practice. Greta has a different sense of humor than mine and I think she laughs at my humor just because she thinks it’s so not-funny. For example: she does not like having objects secretly put into her hoodie when she isn’t looking or being poked on the shoulder and turning around to have no one there and me laughing on the other side of her shoulder. Sorry not sorry. Greta is a scoring machine, like I have never seen a 6’4 player shoot floaters from the free-throw line, but it’s a thing. Greta has such great potential to be a dominant player. She proved that in practice this past week and when she’s really aggressive it’s hard to stop. It was actually really cool, Coach Gerlich gives out bracelets after practices some days representing the practice player of the day. Greta clearly deserved it this past Monday or whenever it was, and it was super refreshing to see the smile and affirmation on Greta’s face. It’s genuine love when a teammate is happy for another teammate’s success. I hope Greta continues to get that practice player bracelet and shows that grit on the court during games. She is really really good… I believe it.

Miranda LeJune is another one of the billion juniors on the team this year. Miranda has this like soft smile smirk thing that she does to me and it’s kind of her way of saying I love you (at least that’s how I take it because it makes me happy lol). Miranda is extremely tough and literally will run through a brick wall to try to make a play or save a ball. She sacrifices herself for the team every single day in practice. She works so hard and I really believe it’ll pay off for her. We also have many great conversations about passing. Yes. Passing. It is important. Good passers are kind of rare in women’s basketball.. and especially crafty ones. Although crafty ones can get us in trouble when they become turnovers (biggest strength can be the biggest weakness sometimes lol) she is so fun to watch. I think it is amazing to watch a 5’6 point guard be trapped and she somehow does a 100 mph swing pass to a player on the opposite side of the court to get out of trouble. I mean honestly as a six foot guard it’s not too hard to pass over traps, but like it takes a major skill to do what she does. Miranda is one of the kindest people I know and I always feel at ease around her. She doesn’t like hugs, but I still hug her. I love her to pieces and she better get used to it!!!!

Crystal Allen…… oh crystal allen. If you don’t know this girl, then you have been living under a rock. I am just saying. How do you not know Crystal? I think her name defines her. She shines and she is rare. (I think crystals are rare). She is the most out-going, friendliest, funniest person ever. She is so fun to be around and I love the energy that we feed off from each other. Crystal is in my opinion one of the best girl basketball players I have seen and it’s time for her to get back on that dadgum court. I heard she was like freshman player of the year at University of Seattle or something like that.. She is also an amazing cook and some godly man needs to wife her up. I think it is the most heart-breaking thing for Crystal to be out of basketball, but when she comes back in a few weeks She. Is. Going. To. Go. Off. And you know what.. I am going to be on the bench going off for her. This girl will cheer you on so much she makes you feel like Michael Jordan by the time you’re done working out. I will say.. having her push me while I am doing planks and screaming “AND ONEEEEEEE” is umm.. well not appreciated in the moment, but you know it is something to laugh about later and makes me stronger in the moment (HAHAHA) Plus “And Ones” in games will mean SOOOO much more now that it’s a thing outside of basketball hahaha. I love Crystal and I know you will too. She is a fan favorite, she is my favorite, and she’s the only person who can make me laugh every morning at 6 AM.

Christina Devers is a D1 student-athlete, a sister, a daughter, a wife, and a mom to the most beautiful little one-year-old. She is a beast. I could not be doing what she is doing right now. Christina is… well.. pretty good at basketball… I mean I GUESS. If you want to call a step back three sixty shake and bake behind the back between the legs double pumped alley oop lay up pretty good. And yes, that’s a thing, because she made it a thing. She is pretty good and I also admire her passing skills. I love a player that can score, create, and also create for her teammates. She is just good. I know she is a great player and it’s amazing that she can be the best player, on top of being a full-time student at a Tier 1 education school, while being a mother of a one-year-old. That is not easy.. and I love that my coaches and teammates have been so willing to help and genuinely love her and her family. That speaks so much volumes to me that I have really never seen before. The opportunity that Christina has is GREAT and I truly can’t wait to see the opportunity taken and executed to the fullest. It is also cool being around Christina with Ayden. The love she has for her baby really makes me want to have a baby lol. She talks about him like he is the most prized possession and I know she is doing everything she is doing in support for him.

Cierra Johnson is one of my favorite people. I really do consider her one of my best friends and I love the daily “C” hug and smile I get from her. I walk in and hear “BROOKIE COOKIE!!!” welcomed with a hug. Not gonna lie when I first came to UTA I was terrified of her and thought she hated me, but HEY we love each other and #buckem right? Cierra genuinely makes me want to be a better person and the best version of me that I can be. She is real, she is bold, she is honest, and she is fearless. I respect her so much as a person and player. I always want Cierra guarding me because I know she will rip the ball from me and push me and expose my weaknesses. I always want to guard her because I know I will learn the quickest how to guard the best guard in our conference. I love that I am her teammate, her friend, her sister, and her daily dose of encouragement. She has such an infectious personality and smile. God has huge things in store for miss Cierra and she is going to do great things in this world. She is so unique and full of confidence and independence. I also really love her because she picked me first to be on her team when we had swimming races knowing that one of the things I’m worst at in life is swimming. That is TRUE LOVE. But I really do enjoy the conversations I have with this girl and the talks over Jesus and devotionals that really change our hearts.

Shelby Richards is another one of the million juniors on the team. Shelbs is one of my closest friends and my running partner. Shelbs is one of the toughest girls I know and wants to be the greatest. Shelbs is such a sweet and encouraging person. She genuinely cares and I think it’s just natural. She really knows how to make me feel like I’m the best person ever. She walked into the locker room after I missed practice the day before due to illness and she was like “HEY! Wow it’s like Christmas morning!” Not a bad thing to hear after being alone coughing your life away for 24 hours. She is my church buddy, my running buddy, my encouragement buddy, my six-flags buddy, and my weight-room buddy. We are always the last ones done in weights, but I am convinced we are somehow stronger for it. Shelbs is an amazing basketball player, she’s crafty, can shoot the ball, and has a great attack to the basket. She is going to be really fun to watch this year and play with next year. I have never wanted someone to succeed so badly than I do for Shelbs.

Rebekah Vandijk is my roommate. She’s got blondish orange hair or something, I don’t know, but it’s pretty. She’s also my mom. She’s also my bible-study partner and FCA co-co-co leader? What even is that? I don’t know.. but she does a pretty good job of being the hands and feet of Jesus every day. She is the kindest and purest heart and I am so glad Coach Gerlich put me to be her roommate. No offense to people like Kelsey or something but seriously I just couldn’t live with anyone like Kelsey. HAHAHA jk. But no. I love Bek and I also love that she’s 6’5. She has the best hands I have ever seen. Seriously I have never seen her drop a pass. She will jump 40 ft in the air for some of these wild passes. She will dip her arms around three defenders, scoop it up, bring it back to her height, and still score. She is a phenomenal player and it’s just the truth. She makes us all look good and is so humble about it. She hates attention and the fact that she has all of these accolades is just so great because she just really can’t stand the attention that comes along with it. Let’s face it, my roommate is famous, but she plays it off like it’s no big deal. Nah Bek, you’re a big deal, God gave you gifts, just embrace it. I will do the boasting for her, though, since I guess that’s biblical anyways.

Allyson Te’O is our lone for year senior on the team. She has gone through hell and back apparently. Thankfully I am on the back side (road towards heaven on earth AKA championship city), but she for real went through hella seasons. She is passionate and when she wants something done you will know it. She also threw me into SAAC and I’m super thankful for it. It is not easy being a new person, especially at a college for the second time, and she really embraced me and was very welcoming to me and the other newcomers. She has this terrible joke she does where she makes you look at her hand where SHE IS HOLDING NOTHING. Like who does that?? But she gets me every time and there’s nothing I can do about it. Te’O is also very passionate about children and people in need. That is something that I think will always connect us as teammates and friends. She is always making kids laugh, throwing kids in the air, and making kids feel loved. I will tell you one of the coolest things I have ever witnessed was the day Te’O, Bek, and I volunteered to be helpers at a disabled softball game for children. It was a really hard morning for me honestly. Te’O helped this boy with Special needs run around the bases and he was loved. Bek helped a boy who was pretty much in a full body brace that helped him walk. He couldn’t control his body and could understand what was being said to him, but couldn’t communicate back. Bek helped that boy run from third base to home and I sat in the dugout with tears down my face. Helping the community, children, and people in need is very cool, but it is also so hard. To see the joy in these children despite their circumstances really puts a change in your heart and makes you see the world differently. Te’O and Bek have done a lot of community service things with me, but ones with children is always the coolest to see and be a part of, because it is truly life changing, and I am glad my teammates could be a part of that.

Breck Clark is our second senior on the team. Breck is known for selfies and threes, and maybe even taking selfies while making threes, I mean I don’t know, but it could be a thing. She is also known for making guest appearances in Lauren Billie’s dance videos. They are best friends and pretty cool together I guess.. Breck is also one of the sweetest hearts that I know and is just fun to be around. She always has a good time and I have honestly never seen her with a bad attitude. One specific moment I remember about Breck is after a drill I really I mean really struggled with and honestly wanted to take off my shoes and hang them up because I felt like the worst basketball player to ever play. After practice I was shooting free throws and she walked up to me and gave me a high five, patted me on the back, and told me not to hang my head, because she’s been there. It made me feel not as crappy or hated and I think the best words someone can say to you when you’re going through a hard time is “Me too.” To know your friend has been there, done that, gone through it too, and made it brings a level of trust and understanding. I felt more compassion and encouragement than I did feeling condemned and honestly stupid. That is one thing that is cool about Breck, is that she can tell you things in ways that makes you realize it’s not the end of the world if you make a mistake, just learn from it and get better because of it. I also admire Breck for her gorgeous blonde hair that is inspiring me to make mine lighter (AHHHHH) and her red lipstick. She always looks like a doll right before games, and that in and of itself is a talent. Breck is going to have a great stand out senior year and I can’t wait til that last second buzzer beating three pointer happens I get to carry her off the court and obviously post it on Insta.

I love this team with all of my heart and will be everything I can be to be a part of it without being a part of the games on the court. We are good, but we can be REAL great as long as this fantastic group of girls comes together as ONE to make the greatest season of UT-Arlington Lady Maverick Basketball program history. I am excited for this upcoming season and especially excited for the three years after that when I am on the court. I have a lot of pretty amazing girls around me and thank Jesus every day for them. You are all loved and you are all so cherished. Thanks for being you.