Sarah Ashley, Lady Pioneers headed to NCAA Div III tourney

About this time last year, Sarah Ashley was helping to lead the Corbin Lady Redhounds basketball team to their second consecutive 13^th Region championship title. Now, she is helping the Transylvania University women’s basketball team find success on the court in her freshman year as a Lady Pioneer.

 

Ashley enjoyed a stellar career as a student-athlete at Corbin, averaging nearly 12 points a game in her senior season with the Lady Hounds, and leading the team in rebounding with 217 boards on the year. She also took care of business in the classroom, graduating as the third-ranked student in the class of 2014.

 

After earning all of these accolades, it came as no surprise to anyone when this talented young lady signed on to compete at the next level, but only time would tell just how successful she would become as a college athlete.

 

True to form, Ashley wasted no time in jumping to the head of the line once she arrived on campus, already playing a major role in Transy’s success in 2014-15. She has found playing time in each of the Lady Pioneers’ 27 games this season, including 24 minutes in a thrilling triple overtime win over the University of Mount Union back in November. With her help, the team has achieved an overall record of 25-2, going undefeated in regular season conference play to earn their third straight Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season title. They fell just short of an HCAC tournament championship, falling to Hanover College 106-98 this past Sunday, but they are still headed to the NCAA Division III Tournament after receiving an at-large bid earlier this week.

 

“I’m really liking it here,” Ashley said of her experiences so far at Transy. “The speed of the game is probably the biggest difference compared to playing in high school. Plus, when I got here we didn’t have a backup point guard. I was asked to step in and fill that role, which has been a big adjustment for me because I had never played that position before. As time went on I got more comfortable though, and I just consider myself very fortunate to be a part of such a great team with a great coaching staff. I think this trip we’re about to take to the NCAA tournament will be whirlwind ride, and a lot of fun.”

 

When asked about how it feels to be able to have an impact on her team’s success as a freshman, Ashley said, “It is a great honor to be able to play college basketball at Transy. I’m really happy that I came here and was able to make all the necessary adjustments in order to get some playing time.”

 

As for her future, Ashley said, “We hope to win some games in the NCAA tournament. The team is led by five seniors, one an All-American (Nichole Coffman), so next year will be a lot different. We have several good recruits coming in, though. This year has actually been a lot like my freshman season at Corbin, because that team was led by a strong senior class as well. I just hope that my career here will be as successful as what I was able to enjoy in high school.”

 

Ashley’s head coach at Transy, Juli Fulks, said of her hard-working freshman, “Sarah has been a really important piece of the puzzle for us this season. She is incredibly tough physically and mentally, and she has been able to come in and give us key minutes at the point guard position. We have been really thrilled with her performance so far. She is an incredibly intelligent young woman, and I believe she has a bright future ahead of her.”

 

Ashley’s head coach as a senior Lady Hound, Jason McDaniel, said of his former star athlete’s recent success, “I was very excited to hear the news that Transy has advanced to the national tournament this year. They are tradition-rich, and one of the premiere small college programs in the entire nation.”

 

“I’m even more excited that Sarah is a part of this team. She is one of the most dedicated and determined young adults I have ever been around. She will always find a way to contribute on the basketball court. I’m very happy for her and her team for this tremendous accomplishment.”

The Lady Pioneers are scheduled to face Wittenberg University, a 23-6 team from Springfield, OH competing in the North Coast Atlantic Conference, in round one of the NCAA Division III Tournament in St. Louis, MO this Friday, March 6.

 

For more information on the 2015 NCAA Division III Tournament, go to ncaa.org/d3. For more information on Transylvania University’s women’s basketball team, as well as other athletic programs, go to transysports.com.