Lean Wooldridge
Michigan - Basketball - 1988-1992

There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my experience as a collegiate athlete playing basketball at The University of Michigan. It was always my dream to play in the greatest conference there is, the Big Ten Conference. There were many trials and tribulations, beginning from the day I stepped foot on campus for my recruiting visit and there would be many more trials and tribulations to come throughout my four years. But it was because of athletics that I was able to handle the trials with grace and the tribulations with a determination to succeed. Athletically, I was told that I could never play in the Big Ten, I was too slow and too short, but thank goodness Bud Van DeWege took a chance on me and provided me with the opportunity of a lifetime and the chance to fulfill my life long dream of playing in the Big Ten, and to him I will be forever grateful!

Our 1989-90 team made school history by being the first team to ever make it to the NCAA tournament and then made history again by defeating Oklahoma State in the first round at Oklahoma State (the Cowboy mascot made all of our hearts skip a beat when he fired that darn gun). I unfortunately was also a member of that team that had the horrific bus trip back from Ohio University, where we all got food poisoning, our poor trainer! We made the USA Today for that one! I have so many fond memories of the coaching staff of Bud VanDeWege, Debbie Norman, Kathy LeBarge, and Nikita Lowry. They helped me to become the woman I am today. Playing basketball at a Big Ten university challenges you in so many ways - you accomplish things you never dreamed you could nor would ever want to again. Just thinking of those three dreaded words, "on the line" makes my body ache. I was able to get some revenge though when I became a coach myself.

I am so thankful to the University of Michigan and Bud VanDeWege for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. Even though it takes me a little longer to get my body going in the morning due to the pounding and beating that Carol Makuch inflicted on me every day in practice, I wouldn't change my experiences for anything in the world. Thank you to the Big Ten Conference; it was an honor and a privilege to play in the best conference in the country. Happy 25th Anniversary, may you continue to provide many more women with the opporutnity to fulfill their dreams as I did!