Hailey Van Lith is one of the highest-rated players in NCAA women’s basketball. She began her career with the Louisville team, where she shined as a star. She then transferred to the LSU Tigers, where she became more of a role player, prompting her to seek her own place within the franchise.
Now, Van Lith has decided to join Mark Campbell at TCU Horned Frogs. Following the victory against West Virginia, the guard explained why she made this decision, which was not an easy one.
Why did she leave Kim Mulkey’s LSU to join Mark Campbell at TCU?
Regarding her decision to join Mark Campbell’s team, Hailey Van Lith explained: “I met him when I was in high school. He was my recruiter at Oregon when he was coaching there. I knew the system he ran, I knew the type of people he had on his team—their character and basketball skills.”
“I can’t really explain what I think it was.”
Hailey Van Lith was thinking about coming to TCU before Mark Campbell even called her.Cool clip about HVL’s thought process choosing a team out of the portal pic.twitter.com/BW7PjAUWbT
— Nick Girimonte (@GirimonteNicky) February 23, 2025
She also stated: “I knew the staff and how they operated. It’s something you want to be part of because I knew the girls on this team. I knew Sedona, I knew who Maddie Conner was.”
“Sometimes, God just puts things in your heart, and I immediately knew that was a school I needed to check out. It was a chaotic time for me—I had just tried out for the Olympics. A lot was happening, and every day when I woke up, something told me to pick up the phone and call the coach. That’s just God working in my life. I really can’t explain what I think it was,” Van Lith added.
2024 was not the best year for Hailey Van Lith
It is very likely that Hailey Van Lith’s decision to join TCU was influenced by her 2024 matchup against women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark. In that game, the Iowa player completely dominated. Delivering a blowout against the TCU Horned Frogs.
This performance further propelled Clark into the spotlight. Meanwhile, LSU underwent changes—Angel Reese graduated and moved on to the WNBA. Van Lith entered the transfer portal, and ultimately, she joined TCU.
