Hailey Van Lith once said that she loved playing in front of "big crowds and crazy fans" 

Hailey Van Lith is all set for her final college season with the TCU Horned Frogs. This will be the guard's third stop in college basketball after three years with Louisville and one at LSU.

With the new season just a couple of weeks away, fans are excited to see Hailey Van Lith in action. The guard had once named the ardent following that basketball enjoys as the reason she chose the sport. In a 2020 interview with Overtime, Van Lith said:

"People in my community love basketball and so as a girl's team, we get a lot of support which I think is cool. Because (if) you go to a school next door to us and they have like 50 people at their game. But our gym is like packed. I love playing in front of big crowds and like crazy fans stuff. That's the best part of basketball." (0:46)

Hailey Van Lith did not enjoy the best season with the LSU Tigers as she averaged 11.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Her fortunes turned slightly for the better as she represented Team USA at the Paris Olympics in the women's 3x3 basketball event, from which she returned with a bronze.

Hailey Van Lith explains why she stayed in college and shares her goals

The guard's initial plans involved the WNBA after her senior season in Baton Rouge. She explained her decision to stay in an interview with Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

“I did think about it and that’s what I wanted to do. That’s always been my dream, is four years in college,” Van Lith said. “I didn’t want to take that fifth year. I think I was ready for that next level; the more I talked to people around the league and people who know me really well, there is no reason to rush.

“I wanted a year of college where I loved where I was at, and I loved who I was around, and I loved who I was when I was there.”

Hailey Van Lith will join Paige Bueckers and Kiki Iriafen for the 2025 WNBA draft. Before that, she shared her goals for her final college season.

“I’m not trying to prove anything necessarily. More just continue to play because I love the game,” HVL said. “When I play for that reason, I play my best. I’m trying to avoid playing for the critics and the people who don’t believe in me.”

The TCU Horned Frogs will begin their 2024-25 season against Houston Christian on Nov. 5.