Hailey Van Lith (Photo via Twitter)
Shortly after helping No. 2 seed TCU reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history with an 85-70 win over No. 7 seed Louisville, Horned Frogs star Hailey Van Lith had something to get off her chest. In doing so, she may have helped millions of people.
She opened up about her extensive mental health struggles going back several years.
During an interview in TCU’s locker room, Van Lith said she was “exposed to the media and social media at such a young age,” which led her to “struggle with mental health things.”
“When I was younger and in college, I was suicidal, I was heavily medicated, and I felt trapped,” Van Lith shared. “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.”
The 23-year-old continued, “And so that’s what I mean when I speak on suffering and pain. It’s like I didn’t even want to live.”
Now that Hailey Van Lith is older and worked on overcoming some of those struggles, she can see how far she’s come. “To come from that to this is incredible,” she said in the interview after the win.
Hailey is originally from small-town Wenatchee, Wash, but worked hard to be a five-star point guard in the loaded 2020 recruiting class that also featured Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and Cameron Brink.
Here is how fans reacted to what she said:
“Praise God for your deliverance. I’m so grateful we have the opportunity to watch you play. Go glorify Him with your testimony and performance. 🙏🏽🥰,” one fan said.
“We love HVL for that. It’s humanly impossible not to like HVL,” a second fan added.
“Vulnerability saves lives. Thank you @haileyvanlith for sharing your story!” a third fan said of Hailey Van Lith.
“We love HVL. Glad she speaking out about her mental health. She is a real one. HVL is the best. We love that she is going off for TCU. We love seeing her happy & succeeding,” a fourth fan commented.
One last person summed it up: “So glad you’re sharing. Young girls and women in general need to see that what’s on the outside, does not reflect what’s on the inside. I would have never known because you’re strong af on the court. God is just the only direction and I soon will be on the other side of this ❤️🙏.”
Hailey Van Lith Coming Back To College Was A Great Decision
Hailey Van Lith (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Van Lith emerged as a star at Louisville, earning All-ACC first team honors twice and leading the Cardinals to a Final Four and two Elite Eights in her three years.
She would then transfer to LSU, where she teamed up with Reese and helped the Tigers make the Elite Eight.
However, she had a down year and decided to return to college for one more year and transfer to TCU.
That was a great decision.
Throughout her first season with the TCU Horned Frogs, Van Lith has averaged 17.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
Van Lith has also been named a finalist for the WBCA All-America Team.
