ELON — Lacey Suggs has captured one of college basketball’s greatest honors.
She’s the Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her league.
The product of East Bladen High School and three-time captain for UNC Wilmington earned the distinction Tuesday when the Colonial Athletic Association announced its postseason honors. Suggs has a 3.71 grade-point-average, majoring in exercise science with a double minor in business and health.
In an interview with the Bladen Journal last month, Suggs said the lessons learned and ingrained through the game of basketball will serve her well as she seeks a job as a medical sales rep after graduation.
“It will always be a part of my life,” Suggs said. “It’s taught me a lot of things. I’ve persevered in a lot of things through it.”
She speaks of the game as a part of revealing who she is as a person.
“Our former Lady Eagle gets it done in the classroom!” tweeted her high school coach, Patty Evers. “Student first! @LaceySuggs What a great accomplishment! So proud of you!”
Her Seahawks head coach, the first NCAA man or woman to score 2,000 points and dish out 1,000 assists, will forever be known for her intensity and passion. Karen Barefoot raves about Suggs, who brings a very similar work ethic to all she approaches.
“She’s just so amazing as a person,” the third-year leader said. “Forget about basketball. She’s the ultimate teammate where everybody wants to have her on the team. She’ll break her neck for anybody.”
Barefoot arrived after Suggs’ freshman season, one notable because she was a walk-on and had chosen UNCW for academics first, basketball second. She played three games, totaling seven minutes of playing time. In offseason workouts heading into the start of official practices in the fall, teammates and coaches voted for captains — Suggs received the most votes that year and has every year since.
Suggs was awarded a scholarship in an emotional evening at the coach’s house after her sophomore season was underway.
She said the approach Barefoot and her teammates saw wasn’t any different than her four years playing for Evers.
“It’s always been the same,” Suggs said. “Throughout high school, and back to when I was playing with my brothers, it’s always been the same. I’ve always wanted to win. I’ve always had a competitive mindset. I’ve always worked hard.”
Suggs, the daughter of Karen and Mike Suggs, is the 17th player in UNCW history to score 1,000 points. She has 1,059 after Wednesday’s opening round victory over the College of Charleston in the CAA Tournament at Elon’s Schar Center. Her total is 14th highest all-time.
This season, Suggs averaged 12.7 points per game.
At East Bladen, Suggs was a four-year letterman and with UNCW teammate Abby Ward led the Lady Eagles to a 106-11 record in four seasons. She was three times all-state, and three times league Player of the Year. She finished her career with 2,166 points and 829 rebounds, averaging 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. She also was a standout volleyball, softball and soccer player, earning Player of the Year in volleyball as a senior.
Lacey Suggs has been named the Colonial Athletic Association’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s basketball. The White Lake native is a product of East Bladen High School.