Hailey van Lith candidly lifted the lid on her struggles with mental health throughout her college basketball career.
The TCU guard and the Horned Frogs reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament Sunday with an 85-70 win over Louisville, one of her former college programs.
The 23-year-old began her collegiate career at Louisville before transferring to Kim Mulkey’s national championship-winning LSU.
But after just one season with the Tigers Van Lith returned to the transfer portal, landing with the Horned Frogs – a move that was slated by many as a step backwards.
Yet, TCU’s ‘Lead Dog’ silenced her critics this season, spearheading the Horned Frogs’ bid for its first-ever Big 12 regular-season title.
And following Sunday’s second-round March Madness win, Van Lith detailed her struggles with mental health, including battling suicidal thoughts.
Hailey van Lith lifted the lid on her struggles with mental health throughout her college career
The guard spearheaded TCU’s charge to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament Sunday
‘The day that I got exposed to the media and social media at such a young age, I really struggled with mental health,’ Van Lith said. ‘When I was younger in college I was suicidal, I was heavily medicated, and I felt trapped.
‘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. That’s what I mean when I speak on suffering and pain, it’s like I didn’t even want to live.’
Van Lith averaged 11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a freshman with Louisville.
After helping the Cardinals to the ACC regular season title and the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA tournament, she went on to earn two All-ACC First-Team honors.
Her achievements spurred her to enter the transfer portal to chase her championship ambitions, where she joined LSU.
Yet her career with the Tigers didn’t go to plan. LSU failed to replicate their success of the previous season, losing to Iowa in the Elite Eight in a game where Van Lith was heavily criticized for failing to guard Caitlin Clark.
However, she has enjoyed a comeback with the Horned Frogs this year, something she credits her faith for.
‘To come from that to this is incredible, and I’ve been praying all year, like, ‘God I know you’ve given me this testimony to share it with the world and shed your light’ and this is the moment that he wants people to know my story,’ Van Lith added on Sunday. ‘How he’s just taken me from literally the depths of wanting to die to this moment of loving life.
The 23-year-old was heavily criticized last year for failing to guard Caitlin Clark (right)
‘Even if basketball went away today, I truly would want to be here and love these people. So that’s really my story with God and he’s so powerful. He’s literally delivered me from the worst suffering ever.’
Van Lith had a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists as the second-seeded Horned Frogs advanced past the second round for the first time Sunday.
‘To make it to the Sweet 16 is really, really hard to do,’ second-year TCU coach Mark Campbell said. ‘Somehow Hailey just seems to do it every year, so it´s normal for her. But for everybody else, it´s not normal.’
Van Lith, whose 19 tourney games played are more than any other active player, initially shrugged her shoulders before breaking out in a smile.
Before winning twice at home when hosting for the first time, the Big 12 champion Horned Frogs hadn´t even made the NCAA field in 15 years – and last won a tourney game since 2006. They were 1-17 in conference games two years ago before Campbell became their coach and has since brought in 11 transfers, most with NCAA experience.
If you are struggling with mental health and suicidal thoughts, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
