"We're educated and sporty": TCU's Hailey Van Lith details academic achievement after winning a bronze with Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics

Hailey Van Lith successfully concluded her debut run at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a bronze medal in 3x3 basketball. Although the team's goal was to retain the gold medal they won at the 2020 Tokyo Games, others outperformed Team USA and they had to settle for third place.

While she was in Paris with the national team, Van Lith was also preparing for her transition from LSU to TCU. After spending her senior season with the Tigers, the guard will now play her fifth year of eligibility with the Horned Frogs. Speaking about this to USA Today, she said:

"I'm finishing my master's in business at LSU and I'm starting my master's in liberal arts at the same time at TCU. So, doing that together, it's been a process, but hopefully, it'll work out and I'll graduate in a couple days from LSU. Diploma and medal, we're educated and sporty here."

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Van Lith's teammate, Cierra Burdick, then asked her LSU professors to go easy on her, to which the guard added:

"Please, please give me an extension."

Hailey Van Lith's lone season with the LSU Tigers ended poorly as she failed to show up. The guard averaged 11.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 37.8% from the field. With her hoping to transition to the WNBA next year, her time with the Horned Frogs is crucial as she tries to make her case in front of WNBA teams.

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Hailey Van Lith claimed foul play from referees cost Team USA their gold

Team USA's campaign at the Paris Olympics started on a disappointing note with three consecutive losses. However, they recovered and won the next five straight games to book their semifinal berth against Spain (August 5). This round proved tough to get past and eventually, they lost 18-16.

Hailey Van Lith blamed their loss on the referees, who made a few questionable calls.

"This was 1000% BS," she said (via OutKick) "Those refs wanted the U.S. to lose. They were flopping left and right. They are not that good. Great job, ladies. We know who should have won."

At the same time, Van Lith acknowledged that Team USA was far behind in expertise in the 3x3 format since 5v5 is the most played in the States.

"We're playing against basically professional 3-on-3 players," Van Lith said. "America's really the only country that hasn't evolved to that. All these girls are playing, they get paid by their country to play 3-on-3 full-time. And in America, 5-on-5 is the culture. Like that's what we do. This is our side job."

In the previous Games in Tokyo, Team USA was led by Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum and Katie Lou Samuelson.