The endless churn of recruiting and roster turnover never stops in college sports, even in the midst of dominant seasons like the one being put together by the Fairfield women’s basketball team.
For the Stags, that has manifested itself in a new addition to the practice court and the bench this year: first-year guard Keyarah Gregory.
Gregory, originally a commit in Fairfield’s 2029 recruiting class, graduated high school early in order to join the team for the spring semester.
“It was hard because I definitely felt like I wanted to finish off high school,” she said of the decision, “but I had the power to come here, and now I have the responsibility to be here and do what I gotta do.”
Originally from Pickering, Ontario, Gregory spent the last two and a half years playing for Fort Erie International Academy, which rests right outside the New York state border within view of Niagara Falls.
Surrounded by a large basketball family, she was exposed to the game at an early age. But it wasn’t until recent events took it away that she gained a greater love and appreciation for the sport.
“COVID-19 was a really big turning point, because obviously we couldn’t play for so long,” she said. “Last year I broke my hand, so I lost the opportunity to play for two months. It definitely changed my whole perspective and made me a lot more grateful for my ability to play.”
Despite those setbacks, Gregory still ended up a highly touted recruit thanks to her play at Fort Erie International and with the Become One AAU team. Last July, she went from nine total scholarship offers to 21.
“It was very crazy having to deal with all those calls, and those Zoom meetings, all the emails, the different coaches texting me before I could even open my eyes,” she said. “It was pretty crazy, but it was definitely a blessing.”
In choosing Fairfield out of that jumble, Gregory finds herself in a place that simply feels right, and where the coaching staff, led by head coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis, is in agreement with the values and morals she holds.
“When I came on my visit, this felt like an environment where I could prosper, grow and thrive,” she said. “I feel like me and Coach Carly kind of aligned in that way.”
Off the court, Gregory has found her sudden transition to college life to be surprisingly manageable. Her time at Fort Erie International, where she lived two hours away from home, prepared her well for the normal challenges of the college transition.
Gregory also cited her teammates and coaches at large for helping to adjust and ease her way into Fairfield.
On the court, however, things have been a little bit different. In graduating and coming to campus early, Gregory elected to redshirt, meaning she will practice with the team and take part in all team activities, but won’t be able to play in any actual games for the rest of the semester. That, combined with the step up in competition, has made the basketball part of life more of an adjustment.
“There’s a big difference between high school basketball and college basketball,” Gregory said. “You have to go way harder, the expectations are way higher, the style of play is faster but also slower and more in-depth. It’s just very complicated and intricate.”
Gregory is hopeful that this early semester of practice will better prepare her to overcome these challenges when she gets on the court next season, and position her to be a strong voice on the team in the future.
“I really feel like I do whatever I gotta do to win,” she said. “If they need me to get downhill, make plays and find open shooters I’ll do that. If they need me to defend or take a charge I’ll do that. If they need me to shut somebody down, bring energy, ride the bench, whatever it is I’m here to do it because I chose to come here.”
That mindset aligns with Gregory’s goals for the future, which are much more team-oriented than they are about individual success.
“My goal is just to win. If we win and I get Freshman of the Year, that’s great. If we win and I don’t get Freshman of the Year, oh well, that’s still great. I wanna win, I wanna play basketball, because I love basketball and I love winning.”
Luckily for Gregory, she joined a team that has done plenty of winning over the past two years. And as the Stags prepare for the home stretch of their regular season, they’ll be benefitting from the intensity and support of the program’s newest addition.
Fairfield women’s basketball is back in action tomorrow night in Leo D. Mahoney Arena to put their 38-game conference winning streak on the line against the Rider Broncs. The contest will also serve as the team’s annual Play4Kay game, supporting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Opening tip is set for 7 p.m.
Fun Facts
Basketball Inspiration: Kyle Lowry
Go to Pre-game Meal: Smoothie or acai bowl
Favorite Artist: Deca OTA or Central Cee
Hobby Outside Basketball: Reading, gaming, going to the beach
