Dear Bulldog Nation,
 
No one letter that I could write would ever get close to expressing how thankful I am for you. I mean, I could definitely write it...but I don't think you would want to read a 40-plus page letter of me rambling on and on about how great you all are...or would you?? ;)
 
Anyway, I was asked to write a letter to you, Bulldog Nation, and put into words what you all have meant to me over the past four years. Honestly, I've been trying to write this for almost two weeks now, but I've struggled to find the words that describe just exactly how grateful I am for each and every one of you. But I think I have it now.
 
You are one of the reasons I am who I am. I never would've become the strong woman I am today without each and every person that touched my heart at Southwestern, and I'll be forever grateful for that.
 
That all being said, now I'm going to tell you a story. Many of you have not heard it, but it's something I think you would like to hear. It's me being raw and real with you all about my journey to Southwestern.
 
I didn't know what I wanted to do coming out of high school. I'd played basketball since I was six years old. I remember being in the YMCA little league in my hometown looking up into the stands hearing my parents yell 'GO SCORE!!' every time I touched the ball. That little girl absolutely loved the game. She would lie in her bed every night working on her shooting form. She would come up with in-bounds plays for her mom's high school team during her free time in her second grade class. She would've practiced for 10 hours a day if she could have. That little girl was 100% in love with basketball.
 
That love for the game would start to fade away, though, as I got older because of the countless summer games. Countless practices. Countless tournaments. We used to call basketball tournaments that were out of state our "summer vacation" because we really never had money to do much else other than basketball. My life became playing three games a day and traveling to numerous states every weekend.
 
But things picked up when I was in high school and I started getting recruited by some very big-name schools. I met some incredible coaches along the way, and I was feeling on top of the world that, hey, these Division I schools wanted me. They wanted ME, a small-town-turned-big-town kid with two left feet that knew how to put a basketball in a hoop.
 
I then started to take visits. An unofficial visit here, an official visit there, attending a camp here, going to a game there. While that part was a lot of fun, something was missing. I'd constantly heard what my fellow athlete friends called a "feeling" during their visits, but I hadn't felt anything like it. Every visit I took, I waited for it. It was like I craved it. I wanted to feel what every other high school recruit felt when they went to the school where they were meant to be. Why wasn't I getting that feeling? That's when the worst happened. That other feeling came back.
 
"Do I even want to play college basketball?" I asked one day.
 
I remember the look on my mom's face whenever I said that to her. You would've thought I'd told her the world was ending. I struggled with that for a long time, not knowing what to do until I realized that God had given me a gift and I should use it.
 
I had just taken a visit to a D-I school and, again, I didn't get that feeling everyone was talking about. I was so disappointed. If you know me, I'm not a crier. But at the airport coming home, I remember crying. I remember feeling helpless and praying to God to please help me find my place because I knew that I had to play basketball. I knew that it was a way to get my college paid for. I knew that I was meant to play the sport that had been in my life since I was six years old.
 
At that point, I'd told every Division II school that had recruited me that I was going Division I and I didn't want to waste their time. But one Division II kept on me, a school with two women coaches who called and texted even though they knew I had big D-I schools after me, and it began to feel like they just genuinely cared about me.
 
I had either just gotten back from a D-1 visit, or it was a couple of days after, when I got a text from "Coach Anderson SWOSU." I couldn't tell you what it said, but the fact that they were still trying and they still wanted me meant something. So, I told them I wanted to take a visit out to western Oklahoma. Only three hours and sixteen minutes away from my house in Bartlesville. The visit I had just taken? Over thirty hours away. So it was quite a different feeling getting to drive to a prospective college. (PS... I get to SWOSU from my house in under three hours… but don't tell my parents that).
 
April 10th, 2015, was one of the best days of my life: I met Coach Musick and Coach Anderson and all the players at SWOSU. I remember walking around the campus and seeing the Pioneer Cellular Event Center and being in awe. I also remember meeting some of the members of the athletics community and feeling completely comfortable.
 
I was sitting in Coach Musick's office while she and Coach Anderson were talking about how good of a fit I would be in their program, how they could see us going far with the recruiting class they had coming in. When I told them, 'I want to win a national championship,' the look on their faces sealed the deal. I knew that they were in it 100% and believed we could compete.
 
And I remember finally having that 'feeling.' It was the best feeling I'd ever felt, and I knew SWOSU was where I belonged. That it would become my new home.
 
Now, I tell this story not to say that the other colleges I visited weren't beyond belief, but they just weren't the right fit for me. And if anyone out there reading this is in their recruiting process right now, do what is best for YOU. Don't fall into the stigma that "Division I is the best and if you go any lower than that, your scholarship or playing days don't matter."
 
My dream came true. I played for a National Championship. I played for a team and coaches that I get to call family for the rest of my life. I played for a town that supported us every day and believed with every part of themselves that we were the best.
 
And now, Bulldog Nation, I finally get to you. I've been staring at a computer screen for two weeks trying to find the words to describe you. I've been thinking about each and every memory I've had with you. I'm still upset it's over, but I'm so thankful and blessed to have been a part of this community for four years.
 
To Weatherford and the community, thank you for being my home away from home. Thank you for being safe so that my parents never had to worry. Thank you for being a comfortable environment that I couldn't wait to get back to after away trips.
 
To the boosters, thank you for always having our backs and supporting us. You gave us so much over the years, and we couldn't be more thankful. The love you showed us every day was such a blessing, and please know that we were so appreciative of every dime, donation, and team dinner that you had for us (especially the team dinners…).
 
To the fans, thank you from the bottom of my heart for always being there. This year was an absolute whirlwind. You showed up. You cared. You cheered. You're the reason why we had the season that we had. I mean, you traveled for 30+ hours on a bus to come watch us play in one last game. That's AMAZING.
 
To the athletics department: thank you for everything.
 
Coach Thurman, thank you for traveling with us everywhere and supporting us with everything you had. You were there every step of the way, giving us big bear hugs after we won, giving us advice on what we needed to do to be better and most importantly having a relationship with us. Most athletes don't even know their Athletics Director, but I'm proud to say that I do. I will always cherish that, so thank you again Thurman. I really appreciate everything.
 
Helton, thank you for always being helpful with compliance and rules and always telling me if my ideas were good or not. Also, thank you for only rolling your eyes a few times when I would yell, "Hey, Helton!!!" down the hallway at you.
 
Nate Downs, thank you for allowing me to get into the gym whenever I wanted and for always being just a phone call away whenever I would break the light system or forget something in the locker room. I know you'll definitely miss me messing with the lights… you don't have to admit it. It's okay. I already know.
 
Pam Nichols, thank you for being everyone's saving grace in the department. Everyone knows who to go to whenever they need someone or whenever they just need to talk. You are seriously the reason why everything works. You're one of those people that would drop everything to help anyone out and you are truly a gem.
 
Jacob Cope, Klemson Lancaster, Stephen McTeer, Cody Roper, thank you all for giving me memories I can hold onto forever. The videos, pictures, the calls and productions that we can have for the rest of our lives.. Nothing will ever be able to top that. So, thank you, seriously, for giving your time to our school, for having incredible vision and for making incredible things from that vision.
 
Douglas Self, I can never thank you enough for what you've done for me. Well, not even just me, but the entire SWOSU community. You put us on the map. You've helped me so much with furthering my broadcasting career and I will never be able to repay you. There are no words to describe every story, post, and media segment that you have done. I tell you all the time, but if there is an award for the best Sports Information Director in NCAA, you need to be up for it. SWOSU definitely is lucky to have you. You're the best SID Assistant Athletics Director out there! And I'm so thankful that you were a part of my journey at Southwestern.
 
To the professors and advisors of SWOSU, thank you for always being so understanding of athletes and for always going the extra mile to help us achieve our academic goals. This university is the best in the world, and you all make it that way. Thank you for always helping and being there every step of the way.
 
President Beutler, thank you for your emails congratulating us for any award or success we had. I think it's amazing that you take the time to recognize accomplishments like that. Also, thank you for being there throughout our postseason journey. Having your support meant a lot to our team, and we hope we represented the university the way you would want us to.
 
To my family, thank you for being by my side every step of the way. I love you all so much.
Mom and Dad, you traveled everywhere to watch me play. You took off work, bought hotel rooms, traveled countless hours all just to watch me play basketball. I can never thank you for the support you've given me.
 
To my teammates, thank you for giving me the best senior season imaginable. I love you all so much. I can't wait to see what you all accomplish. Just remember, it goes by too fast, so enjoy the moment that you are in right now with your teammates and your coaches.
 
To my coaches:
Coach Anderson. My rock. You are truly the essence of the person I want to be. No matter how mad you were at us, how angry you were at me (throwback to Ouachita my junior year), I never doubted how much you loved and cared for me. You believed in me every step of the way. I knew I could call and text you whenever and you would be right there with whatever I was needing. I will never be able to repay what you've done for me.
 
Coach Musick. I have no words to describe what you've done for me. You turned me into the player I always wanted to be. You took a skinny, 120 lb girl and turned her into a collegiate basketball player. I know you said that we are the velvet on your brick, but you truly are the velvet on ours. You believed in my ability and taught me more than I ever could've imagined. Thank you for being the example of what we should aspire to be as young women.
 
Both of you are two of the most incredible women I've ever met. I'm so thankful that you chose me. I'm so thankful that God placed me at Southwestern and allowed me to be a part of something this unreal. I'll forever be thankful that you both have become my family, and I know you will always be there for me no matter what. Thank you for sharing your kiddos with us, your time off with us, and sacrificing some sanity for us (sorry, had to throw that one in there). You both touch the lives of everyone you meet. I'll be forever thankful to have had you as my coaches.
 
Bulldog Nation, I can never thank you enough. You took in a lost 18-year-old kid who was losing her love for the game. You allowed me to find it again. You gave me everything and more. Thank you to the best university in the world for allowing me to be a Bulldog.
 
I'm blessed to be able to forever say, 'Go Dawgs!'
 
   - Hailey Tucker #12
   
 
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – On Tuesday, it was announced that former Lady Bulldog Hailey Tucker has been selected as one of the Top 30 honorees for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The Top 30 honorees were chosen from an initial pool of 585 nominees, with 10 individuals being selected from NCAA Division I, Division II and Division II.
 
In early October, the selection committee will announce the nine finalists, made up of three women from each NCAA division. From those finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will select the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year. The Top 30 will be celebrated and the Woman of the Year will be named Oct. 20 at a ceremony in Indianapolis.