As one of just three returning basketball players, Connors State sophomore Emma McCurtain finds herself in a key role as the 2022 basketball season is about to begin.

“Emma really exemplifies what the Cowgirl Way is all about,” said head coach Jamie Fisher. “After last season we got those coming back together and talked about how unhappy we were with the season. And so we’ve come back this year with a chip on our shoulder feeling we have something to prove. And Emma has really taken that to heart. Last year she played off the bench and even though she’s 5-10, she tended to get pushed around a lot in the middle. So, in this off-season she has dedicated herself to spending more time in the weight room to add some strength and muscle. And even during the summer she continued to work out at home. She’s also been a good leader for us in pre-season because we have so many new faces this year. She’s talked with the newbies about the differences in the game at this level and the hard work that will be required to be successful. She’s just head and shoulders ahead of where she was at this time last year.”

Emma, who hails from Keys where she played soccer, softball and ran track as well as basketball, started out at a college out of state and transferred to Connors where she had to sit out a semester.

“I transferred to Connors because the environment here just felt more comfortable and it’s nice that it’s just an hour from home. I think one of the big lessons I learned last year was how important it is to keep a positive attitude and give it your all and if you do, you’ll be successful no matter what the scoreboard says.”

In addition to adjusting to the speed and talent level of the game at the junior college level from high school, Emma also had some advice for the newcomers and to any future prospects about the academic side of college life.

“Balancing basketball and studies can be a challenge but if you establish goals and keep pushing towards them, it all works out.”

Working to better herself on the basketball court and in the classroom is what makes Emma McCurtain a standout in the Cowgirl Way.