WATCH: TCU's Hailey Van Lith and teammate excited to be "back" team kicks off media day fun

Hailey Van Lith (Image Credits: Instagram/@haileyvanlith)
Hailey Van Lith (Image Credits: Instagram/@haileyvanlith)

Hailey Van Lith is all set for a new season with the TCU Horned Frogs. After spending her senior year with the LSU Tigers, Van Lith chose to use her fifth eligibility and entered the transfer portal again.

With the 2024-25 season nearing, the Horned Frogs had their media day, and Hailey Van Lith joined guard Maddie Scherr for a TikTok video posted on Monday. The clip had Kim Kardashian's viral "Okay guys, we're back" audio from "The Kardashians."

"How we feel about college bball being back #gofrogs #tcu tune innnnnn 🐸💜," the caption read.

Hailey Van Lith was supposed to leave for the WNBA in April. However, her continued struggles with finding consistency in her game led her to not achieve her full potential. She averaged 11.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals at LSU.

While she had offers from multiple schools, Van Lith chose TCU. She explained it during a chat with reporters at the TCU practice facility in July.

“It was all a really good fit for me, and I felt really comfortable when I came for my visit,” Van Lith said. “It was kind of a no-brainer.”

She also said while the WNBA has always been her dream, one more year at college seemed like the best choice.

“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 reveals that NIL did not influence her return

The WNBA is notoriously known to underpay its players. This is one of the leading reasons why athletes have to take up international careers in the offseason to help supplement their salaries.

With the introduction of NIL in 2021, student-athletes have been able to monetize their brand, with some college players earning six-figure incomes. When Hailey Van Lith chose to stay in college, some speculated that the NIL money was one of the reasons. She is valued at $779,000 by On3.

However, the guard denied the claims and said:

“Money is something I’m blessed with; I’ve been raised that money will never satisfy you, and it will never sustain you. I made these choices because I thought it was the best for my heart, and career, basketball-wise.”

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

Also read: "My college experience definitely helped me": TCU's Hailey Van Lith credits March Madness after bronze medal win at 2024 Paris Olympics

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Edited by R. Elahi
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