Women's Basketball: Davison Looks To The Future

Pat Riley once said, "There are only two options regarding commitment. You are either in or you are out. There is no such thing as life in-between." After four years of starring on the UNI women's basketball team on the court, and shining off the court, it is safe to say that Stephanie Davison is all in.

"All in" is the motto that the Panthers adopted for the 2015-16 season, a season that led to a MVC regular season title and WNIT run into the third round. Davison will reminisce about the on court honors, but it is the memories that she made in the Cedar Valley that she will hold onto forever.

"Records are broken and new banners are hung, but the way you make people feel and the example you set for others lasts forever," the Maple Grove, Minn. native said. "Getting involved in the community is both beneficial to those you are helping and to you. You get the satisfaction of helping someone, you gain a new perspective on life and you set an example for other athletes to serve as well."

Recently, Davison got the chance to serve others on a national stage after being named to the 2016 WBCA Allstate Good Works Team. She was one of five Division I women's basketball players chosen along with five student-athletes from NCAA Divisions II, III and NAIA after being whittled down from a total of 103 nominees.

The WBCA Good Works Team is in its fourth year, honoring college basketball athletes that have dedicated themselves to bettering the lives of others through giving back to their communities. Davison is the first UNI player to be named to the team and just the second player representing the Missouri Valley.

Davison traveled to the Indianapolis, Ind. for the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four to be a part of a weekend that she wouldn't forget. The WBCA Team consisted of players from George Mason, Utah, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Nebraska-Kearney, St. Ambrose, Nova Southeastern, Loras and Westmont College, all student-athletes with common goals.

"On our first day, we got to meet the rest of the team and get to know each other," Davison said. "I found out right away that it was a special group of girls and we all got along very well. We each got a chance to share about ourselves, and they were all very inspiring and impressive."

Speaking of inspiring and impressive, Davison and the rest of the Good Works Team got to spend the weekend with WNBA legend Tamika Catchings. Catchings, a graduate of Tennessee and 10-time WNBA All-Star, started the Catch the Stars Foundation in Indianapolis in 2004, an organization in place to help disadvantaged youth achieve their dreams.

"It was really awesome to get to know Tamika and find that we shared a lot more interests other than basketball, Davison said. "She is an amazing basketball player and a lot of girls can look up to her for that, but she really is an even better person and she is doing so much to change people's lives."

One of those interests that she found in common with the WNBA star was faith. Davison, who is the president of UNI's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, has FCA to thank for some of her memories including a mission trip to Guatemala and leading one-on-one Bible studies with student-athletes.

"Early in my freshman year at UNI I accepted Jesus into my life after attending an FCA event," she said. "While growing in my faith, I found myself more eager to serve others. I learned that my purpose was more than just playing basketball, it is to set an example for my teammates and community and to serve others."

She got the chance to serve others while in Indianapolis with the WBCA Good Works Team. Davison participated in the WBCA Good Works Day at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center, spending time creating journals for patients and putting together bags with Final Four souvenirs. Davison was able to spend time with staff members and patients alike, learning from their experiences and strength.

"We got to hear from some of the staff about how they use art and music therapy to help the patients," Davison said. "When everything was made, we walked around and delivered the bags and journals to the patients, and we got to interact with them. It was rewarding for us to be able to exchange smiles and make their day a little better."

Davison and the rest of the Good Works Team were recognized on the court at halftime of one of the Final Four games and it wasn't the first time that Davison has been recognized for her off court achievements this year.

This season, Davison earned the Cedar Valley Character Counts Pursuing Victory with Honor Award and the MVC Good Neighbor Award. The two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete selection has been an avid volunteer in the Cedar Valley, spending time with the Salvation Army, New Aldaya Senior Center, Lowell Elementary, Covenant Rehab Center, Orange Elementary and the Boys & Girls Club.

Wrapping up her weekend in Indianapolis, Davison got to take in both Final Four games along with the championship game on Tuesday night. That morning, she had a video interview and a meet and greet with WBCA executive director Danielle Donehew.

Donehew offered advice to the Good Works team about reaching goals. She asked each team member what their career goals and dream jobs were, wrote them down and told them she was going to hold them to it.

Davison, a graphic technologies major, will graduate this spring. She will leave UNI with championships, places in the record books and trophies, but she will also leave with something much more valuable – the spirit and strength to make a difference in the world.

"It is natural for athletes to be very disciplined and want to train as much as possible, because we are all trying to win championships and break records," Davison said. "But I think it is essential for all athletes to realize that, although success is good and we should work hard for it, the impact we have on the people around us is more important."

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Women's Basketball: Davison Looks To The Future

Players Mentioned

Stephanie Davison

Upcoming Events

University of Northern Iowa Athletics