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THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022
PLAYER’S JERSEY HUNG IN RAFTERS GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Features and Opinions Editor
When Truman State University women’s basketball coach Theo Dean received an email asking if he could send junior starter Hannah Belanger’s jersey to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, he thought it was a scam. After some further research, he realized it was not a scam, and Belanger’s jersey now hangs in the Ring of Honor in the WBHOF in Knoxville, Tennessee. The jerseys chosen for the Ring of Honor were those of the Div. I, II, III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and high school All-Americans, along with the player of the year and other notable players. “ … they reached out because Hannah was one of the All-Americans for Division II,” Dean said. “They wanted her jersey to display in their hall of fame, which I think is pretty sweet — one, to have someone to get recognized for that, but also it continues to put our program on the forefront around the country, just showing that we have great players — we have a great program here, which I think is pretty cool.” Belanger said when Dean first reached out to her to tell her about her jersey being sent, she didn’t really know what he was talking about and replied with a short message along the lines of, “cool.” When she told her parents about it two days later, they helped her realize what a big accomplishment it was. She was shocked when she realized what an honor it was for her jersey to be hanging next to great players’ jerseys such as Paige Bueckers of the University of Connecticut. Dean, who has been involved in Truman women’s basketball for 10 years now, said Belanger, named an All-American for her sophomore year season, is the first Truman All-American in over 20 years. The last All-American was Kelli Kreuser who was an Honorable Mention in the 1999-2000 season. The last first team All-American was Carol Jarrard in 1982, Dean said. Belanger said she wasn’t expecting to be named an All-American and didn’t even know she had been nominated. She was just happy to get first team Great Lakes Valley Conference. She found out about the award when a teammate sent her a tweet announcing the All-Americans, and she even texted Dean to confirm it was real. “Obviously, it’s just like a really big honor,” Belanger said. “And it’s just a really big accomplishment to even be nominated for because it showed that my hard work has paid off a little bit. It was a very proud moment, and I was in awe of being an All-American.” Belanger said she was shocked that the performance of one year can bring so much success and national recognition. She said her teammates were a big part of her success and were able to put her in positions to do well. She also said her coaches taught her she would have to work for everything she got, such as time on the court.
Guard Hannah Belanger calls out the play during a game. Belanger is averaging five assists a game this season. Photos by Oliver Malone
“She’s not given anything, and I think she’s okay with that. She doesn’t want to just be given this and given that. She wants to work for every single thing because it makes it more special to her.”
-Theo Dean, head coach
Belanger brings the ball up into the half-court set. The Bulldogs recently beat #1 ranked Drury University.
Dean said from the beginning, Belanger set specific goals, such as starting every game and being Freshman of the Year. Dean told her that she would need to prove to him she wanted to accomplish those goals by putting in hard work. Once she demonstrated the work ethic to accomplish them, Dean told her he’d do whatever he could to help her reach those goals. Dean described Belanger as someone who plays with the confidence of the best player in America but practices like she’s trying to earn a position. “You know a lot of times great players are just more talented than other people, but she truly works like she’s not talented at all, and I think that’s one thing that really sets her apart, you know, in our league and also around the country, just her hard work, and she earns every single thing that she gets,” Dean said. “She’s not given anything, and I think she’s okay with that. She doesn’t want to just be given this and given that. wants to work for every single thing because it makes it more special to her.” See BASKETBALL page 12
ATHLETE o f
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Redshirt senior forward Maddie Re is a rebounding force for the Bulldogs. Re is averaging 6.8 rebounds per game this season, the 12th highest average in the GLVC. Re is also averaging 11 points per game for the Bulldogs, making the forward the team’s fourth leading scorer.
VOLUME 113
ISSUE #7
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MADDIE RE
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