By Mallory Mattingly
Texas Christian University women’s basketball star Hailey Van Lith led her team to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history, but her journey there has been anything but easy.
She recently opened up about her mental health struggles and how she turned them over to God.
“The way that I got exposed to the media and social media at such a young age, I really struggled with mental health things,” Van Lith said in a postgame interview in the locker room. “When I was younger and in college, I was suicidal, I was heavily medicated, and I felt trapped. And you would never know because I was having a ton of success on the court. 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. Like to come from that to this is incredible,” she added.
Incredible is the right word to describe her journey, but Van Lith refuses to take any of the credit. She constantly praises God for all that He has done in her life.
“I’ve been praying all year, like God, I know you’ve given me this testimony to share it with the world and shed your light,” she explained. “And I think that this is the year that, and this is the moment that He wants people to know my story and how He’s taken me literally from the depths of wanting to die to this moment of loving life.
“Even if basketball went away today, I truly would want to be here and love these people,” she added. “So that’s really my story with God, and He’s just so powerful. That’s what I mean when I say that He’s delivered me from literally the worst suffering ever.”
That wasn’t the first time Van Lith spoke about her faith.
In a separate interview shared by Sports Spectrum, she said, “It’s a blessing, but I really am — I’m really standing on God’s shoulders right now. He’s delivered me from so much pain and suffering and confusion…it’s all glory to God, truly. I would be nothing without Him in the darkest moments of my life. He never turned His face from me and I just couldn’t be more grateful to experience His love in this moment.”
For the first time in TCU program history, the Horned Frogs advanced to the Elite Eight, thanks to Van Lith’s 26 points and nine rebounds.
In addition to her outstanding play, the athlete set a new Horned Frogs record for the most points scored in a single season (663) as well as the most points scored in a single NCAA March Madness tournament game (26), according to ESPN.
Unfortunately her team’s March Madness run came to an end last night, falling 58-47 to Texas.
Read Next: 4 March Madness Stars Who Put Faith First
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