As a senior in high school, I always dreamed to play college basketball down south, while getting a great education. My dream was fulfilled when I received a scholarship to an HBCU in Nashville, Tennessee.

Unfortunately, my coach was fired in my sophomore year and changes were happening drastically. I decided that I needed to transfer schools if I still wanted to have a successful student-athlete college experience. There were many schools down south that wanted me to attend their school, but home is where the heart is.

On my first visit to LIU Post, I was amazed by how beautiful the campus was. The first time I met Coach Deirdre Moore, she had such an upbeat personality. She made me feel welcomed and wanted. After multiple conversations with the coaches and pick-up games, I decided that LIU Post was the perfect match for me to earn my bachelor's degree while doing what I love, which is to play basketball.

As my time is winding down, I cannot help but to reflect on the experience I've had here at LIU Post. When talking to my academic advisor, she told me that I could graduate in one year of being here, but because of my love for basketball, I stayed an extra year.

The first year was very tough basketball-wise, but it helped me mature as a person. Coach D always tells us that what she is doing with us is more than basketball. It is about being able to deal with adversity in the real world. I believe she did teach me how to deal with things when they aren't necessarily going my way. She would always tell me that things will get better and that I just have to be patient.

Sure enough, things did get better. This year, we have already more than twice the number of wins we had my first season here. With my time winding down, it is bittersweet. I love the fact that I am graduating and getting ready to go to an accelerated program for nursing, but I am emotional about leaving the great teammates that I have. This year, my teammates are like my family. We bonded very well and we do whatever it takes to win.

I especially love all the friends that I've made here and the entire faculty that have helped me and pushed me to have a GPA of 3.7.

I think my biggest contribution to the LIU Post women's basketball team is my ability to be a leader, to be a point guard and remember where everyone has to go in certain plays, to deliver what the coach wants to the players, to always having heart and passion for the game, to be vocal, to share my IQ of the game and to be a positive teammate.

The one thing I always loved about my time at LIU Post is all of the blood, sweat and tears in practice, where there are no fans and no parents. It is just us as a family going at each other every day to get each other better and getting ready to get our next win.

Thank you Coach Deirdre, Coach Basimah, Coach Vanessa, Coach Aikens and the whole LIU Post family -- you made my college experience the best experience.