More than a Player - Khiarica Rasheed

MORE MORE THAN THAN A A PLAYER PLAYER

Within reach of NAU’s all-time scoring and rebounding records, Khiarica Rasheed focused on much more

By Izzy Madrid

Over the past four years, Khiarica Rasheed has grown into an exceptional leader on and off the court for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.

Through those four seasons, Rasheed has recorded 1,423 points, 731 rebounds and 366 free throws made to rank among the team’s best in its nearly 47-year history. Due to COVID-19 and the NCAA’s decision to grant basketball athletes an additional year of eligibility, Rasheed decided to return for another season and now has the chance to reset some of the program’s records.

However, there’s something else Rasheed has her eyes on this year.

“I am looking forward to winning,” she said about this upcoming season.

Injured at the beginning of last season, having undergone multiple surgeries amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, Rasheed said that she is now ready to get back on the court with her team and get a chance to earn a Big Sky Championship.

“Getting a small taste junior year of getting close to almost being there, and I feel like our team is good enough to do that again,” Rasheed said.

In 2020, the team reached the Big Sky Conference Tournament and reached the semifinal against No. 1-seed Montana State. While the Lumberjacks fell 7671, a win would have still led to disappointment as the NCAA canceled all sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic just one day later.

“We just need to put all of our pieces together and really buy into what it’s like to be a Division I basketball player,” Rasheed said. “I just want to be able to be healthy. Last year with COVID, plus me having surgery as well, everything felt rushed and not set in stone ever.”

Having an explosive junior year statistically, Rasheed also feels she grew intellectually. Saying she is proud to be a leader on her team, Rasheed prides herself in continuing to push not only herself but also her teammates.

As for on the court, she has made more of a dedication to studying the game.

“When I first got here, I didn’t know how to shoot the basketball,” Rasheed said. “Now, I’m perfectly confident shooting the ball and my mindset is different. I’ve always liked watching basketball, but now it’s more intense. I have a WNBA League pass and I’m intentional about watching or being on the sidelines, really intentional about watching what I see on the court and passing the little nuggets here and there to my teammates because they look to me for certain things as well.”

The improvement showed on the court, with Rasheed shooting 47.2 percent from three-point range as a junior after hitting just 5-of-17 from outside in her first two seasons. Similarly, Rasheed went from shooting 43.9 percent her first two seasons to 48.6 percent.

Her development over the past few years has helped Rasheed better understand her role as a leader and strives to push her teammates.

Rasheed also recognized that her leadership on the court is also just as valuable off it. Dating back to high school, she has been very involved in her community. She coins herself as a natural leader and an activist.

During her time at NAU, she has become a leader of Athletes for Social Alliance and makes a point to continue to educate. Over the past year, Rasheed took

“It is important as a leader to immerse in different people’s cultures as well,” Rasheed said. “I think I take that to heart and find that very important. You know we’re all here for a certain time, so why not learn more about each other.”

Though her leadership and activism off the court is a key focus to her time at Northern Arizona, Rasheed also reminisced about the chances of breaking records and making history on the court.

“It’s an honor. I never thought that I would be in a position to break records,” Rasheed said. “I feel like in my head I said, ‘I could get 1,000 points,’ but it never was ‘Oh, I’ll get it in my junior year like that fast.’ After I thought to myself, ‘This is interesting’.”

Rasheed explained that she has always had an underdog mentality. The mindset has helped her accomplish many small goals that have eventually given her the chance to break records at NAU and After this year, Rasheed said that she is hopeful of playing overseas. This idea has not always been a goal of hers, but once she began playing at NAU, she realized the opportunities she had to continue playing. Additionally, seeing her former teammates play overseas helped inspire her to go after that opportunity.

“Throughout junior year, and seeing my performance and all the work that I put in to grow each year,” she said. “I’m a different player now than I was when I first got here, and I can just see that blossoming more and more as I continue to play. I’m looking forward to seeing myself continue to grow overseas. That is my first stop.”

Overall, Rasheed said she is proud of her growth throughout the past four years and is looking forward to being confident on the court and giving it her all in her final year.

“I’m just going to play,” she said. “I’m going to play and let the cards fall.”

“It is important as a leader to immerse in different people’s cultures as well. I think I take that to heart and find that very important. You know we’re all here for a certain time, so why not learn more about each other.”

- Khiarica Rasheed

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