"He took a risk on me": Hailey Van Lith makes her feelings clear on Mark Campbell recruiting her to TCU amid emotional farewell

TCU guard Hailey Van Lith played her final game of college basketball on Monday. After the Horned Frogs lost 58-47 to the Texas Longhorns in the Elite Eight round and were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, the senior guard expressed her appreciation for TCU coach Mark Campbell.

“He thanks me for coming to the program but he took a risk on me," Van Lith said. "And he met me with full belief and he had a vision of who he thought I could be.

"At the beginning, he probably was convincing me that I could be that person. I wasn't necessarily in a place where I even knew who I was anymore. [HC Mark Campbell] has just breathed life into me."

The pairing of Mark Campbell and Van Lith was an unlikely one. Campbell was named the Horned Frogs coach before the 2023-2024 season. The program was coming off an 8-23 season and things got so bad for TCU in Campbell’s initial season that they had to forfeit a couple of conference games due to lack of players.

With only one year of eligibility left after three seasons at Louisville and one more at LSU, Hailey Van Lith took a shot on Campbell and a TCU program that had not made an NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years. The pairing worked wonderfully for both.

The Wenatchee, Washington native averaged 17.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists this season and was considered one of the top guards in college basketball.

In her final college game, Van Lith led Texas Christian with 17 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough for the Horned Frogs, making the first Elite Eight appearance in school history.

Mark Campbell recognizes Hailey Van Lith’s impact on TCU

Just like the guard hailed her head coach for the impact he had on her, Mark Campbell also gave Hailey Van Lith credit for what she did at the school in her only year at TCU.

"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," Mark Campbell said.

Besides taking the school to its first Elite Eight participation, Van Lith also set new records for points and assists in a season.

The bronze medalist at the Paris Olympic games is now expected to enter the WNBA Draft while Mark Campbell will look to build on the Horned Frogs March Madness run to strengthen the program.