Mauldin signs with Carroll College

HELENA, MONTANA – Seeley-Swan High School Senior Tegan Mauldin will don a purple Fighting Saints uniform next year after signing to play on the junior varsity (JV) basketball team with Carroll College. In the second year recruiting for the JV program,

Head JV Coach Taylor Edwards is excited to welcome Mauldin to the team and looks forward to helping her excel at the next level.

While on a campus tour at Carroll, Mauldin requested a meeting with the basketball coach. Not only did she get to meet with the coach, she watched some of the varsity practice and toured the facilities. After visiting, Mauldin said Head Coach Rachelle Sayers told her if she wanted to play, she was on the team.

"I think it is cool that Coach Sayers gave me the opportunity right away, after knowing me for just 20 minutes," Mauldin said.

In addition to Mauldin's visit, Edwards said Megan Baxter, a freshman on the team from Thompson Falls, recommended they check out Mauldin. Even though they were still playing, Edwards attended the Lady Blackhawks Divisional Tournament game Feb. 24 against West Yellowstone.

"That was pretty cool because they felt like it was important enough to have someone come and watch me," Mauldin said.

"She played great and it was just awesome," Edwards said. "I told her I think she would be a great fit for our team. Her overall character and everything shined through every time we had conversations with her. She is just a great kid."

What impressed Edwards the most was Mauldin's ability to "do it all." She said the JV Team really needs versatility and ability for the players to adapt, play different positions and do different things.

"Watching her hit a few outside shots and obviously she has an inside game, things like that kind of stuck out. That is huge for us," Edwards said. "She is going to continue to grow and continue to get better in a lot of areas but the biggest thing for me was her versatility, being about to go inside and outside is pretty big especially at the next level."

Edwards also feels Mauldin's positive attitude and willingness to do what is best for the team is a huge benefit to everyone.

"Whatever position we are kind of looking for, or if we need someone to fill in, wherever that void is I think she will be able to step up and give that to us," Edwards said. "That is exciting. Time will definitely tell once it gets to the start of season. As of now, I think anything is open for where she can help us and benefit the team the most."

Mauldin was offered a full ride scholarship for academics to Montana Western in Dillon, Montana. Carroll College also offered her their highest merit scholarship for academic totaling $23,000, covering about two-thirds of the tuition. She would also receive a small scholarship to play basketball.

After praying about it, Mauldin said it just felt right to accept Carroll's offer.

"I didn't really need a scholarship to want to keep playing, I just wanted to play," Mauldin said. "All the hours I put in on the court in the summer, staying after practice to keep shooting and coming in early, lifting and now I get to go to a great college that I can now afford because I did all this work and I still get to play."

At freshman orientation April 8, she met Edwards in the gymnasium where they had all the paperwork ready for Mauldin to sign with the JV team.

"That was when it actually hit – I'm going to be playing college basketball," Mauldin said. "This guarantees me a spot on the team. By signing I officially made myself a Carroll College [basketball player]."

Edwards said even though there is still a public stigma between playing varsity and junior varsity they do the same workouts and play together. Signing with the JV team does not limit Mauldin from playing on the varsity team if the coaches feel she would be a good fit in the future. While they are separate teams, they are still working on how to best build and grow the overall program.

"All our girls get along really well," Edwards said. "We just want [the players] to be the best in [their] role and the best on the team. If the opportunity arises to move up, then I think it is definitely a conversation we can have."

Mauldin said signing with the junior varsity ensures that she will get to play, something that would not be guaranteed if she signed with the varsity team.

"I feel like it is kind of a step into college basketball life," Mauldin said. "If I want to move up to the varsity level I always can but if I decide that is not for me, I will just stick with JV and be happy with that."

Mauldin plans to attend a few camps over the summer with the team and then will start in the fall.

"I'm super excited to have Tegan join our team and join our program. I think she is going to be a great addition overall," Edwards said. "We love basketball and we want to compete at a high level but the best thing that I've seen, over the last year, is a lot of these girls have started to grow into who they are as people and making a difference outside of basketball too. We are super excited to continue to give opportunity to girls and continue to compete."