By Mallory Mattingly
March Madness is in full swing, putting many players on the biggest stage of their lives. Some are taking this opportunity to share their faith in God.
Here’s a list of four men’s and women’s basketball stars to watch:
Hailey Van Lith (TCU)
Van Lith has helped the Horned Frogs reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
After their win against Louisville on March 23, Van Lith opened up about the mental struggles she faced prior to her transfer to TCU.
“When I was younger in college, I was suicidal, I was heavily medicated and felt trapped. And you would never know it because I was having a ton of success on the court,” she told the media in the locker room. “But internally, and in life in general, I was ready to be done. That’s what I mean when I speak on suffering and pain. I didn’t even want to live.”
Now attending a Christian university, Van Lith is blessed to look up into the stand and see all the kids wearing her jersey.
“I mean, it’s a blessing,” she told ESPN at the press conference after the game. “But I really — I’m really standing on God’s shoulders right now…He’s delivered me from so much, man, and so much pain and suffering and confusion.”
Dylan Cardwell (Auburn)
Cardwell plays center for the Tigers and has helped his team reach the Sweet 16.
Aside from basketball, he hosts a podcast called “Chillin with Dylan.”
In one episode, Cardwell explained how the Tigers are dedicated to the Lord.
“I’ve never seen a team pursue the Lord as much as this team has,” he said, per Crosswalk Headlines.
After his team advanced to the Sweet 16, Cardwell posted a photo on Instagram of him sitting on the bench in what looks to be a posture of prayer.
“Life wouldn’t be this Sweet without Him🤍🙏 Blessed to advance!” Cardwell wrote as the caption.
Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame)
Hidalgo has proven to be a weapon for her team as she has averaged 24.1 PPG, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and is shooting 47.3% from the arc.
Hidalgo was recently named an Associated Press first-team All-American.
Upon hearing the news, she posted on X and said, “All glory to God.”
Hidalgo has “Saved by Jesus Christ” penned in her Instagram bio so the first thing people see when they visit her page is her faith in Jesus.
While on the Sports Spectrum Podcast, Hildalgo declared that “Christ is my everything.”
“I mean, He’s my Lord and Savior. He’s the reason that I fight, the reason that I do everything, the reason that I’m able to do what I do. He’s just everything in my life, and I wouldn’t be able to do anything without Him,” she added.
Trae Benham (High Point University)
Although Highpoint is no longer in the tournament, Benham made his first appearance this year and in a post-game press conference talked about how his faith in God has helped him find success on the court.
“The thing that has helped us so much is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Benham said. “I give Him all the glory because it’s Him that’s the leader, and He is the one that shows …all the guys on the team how to properly sacrifice their own ego for the betterment of something bigger than themselves.”
At one point in his career, Benham put his identity in basketball. But on Nov. 23, 2021, he gave his life to Christ and since then he has found his “full identity in Jesus Christ. Without Him, I’m literally nothing,” per an Instagram post.
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