Arizona women’s basketball’s Alli Gloyd and Candice Warthen will be honored on Senior Day this weekend. The path to that milestone has given each player more than their fair share of hardship, on and off the court.
First, it was the injury bug, which plagued the careers of both players.
Warthen suffered a right knee tear that forced her to miss her entire sophomore season. Gloyd tore her ACL a year later and had to sit out as a junior.
Both Warthen and Gloyd went through grueling rehabs in order to return to full health.
“Rehab was intense, difficult and everything but fun,” Gloyd said. “However, I never quit. When life kicks you, make sure it kicks you forward.”
That kind of resiliency allowed Gloyd and Warthen to not only recover, but also improve their level of play, and this year, the seniors have been cornerstones of a team that otherwise lacks an upperclassmen presence.
While this season has allowed both players to finally be on the same court, the results have been anything but what they had hoped for. Arizona is 9-18 and sits in last place in the Pac-12 Conference heading into the final weekend of play.
However, a poor team record does not take away from the progress the seniors have made over the years.
“Candice came in as a kid not doing much talking, and now she’s always talking,” Arizona women’s basketball head coach Niya Butts said. “We may even need … her to be quiet a little bit.”
Gloyd has served as Arizona’s best defensive presence down low this season, and her 5.3 rebounds per game are tied with Warthen for second-most on the team.
“As for Alli, she has always been a really mature kid,” Butts said. “She’s taken advantage of all the resources that you get by being a Wildcat, and that’s something great to see.”
Warthen leads the Wildcats in scoring by averaging nearly 13 points per game. The point guard recently scored her 1,000th career point and currently sits at No. 16 on the UA’s all-time scoring list.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that I was able to accomplish a milestone as such,” Warthen said. “Every player can’t say they were able to do something like that, and I am just blessed and very fortunate for this.”
Gloyd and Warthen have also achieved success in the classroom. Both completed their undergraduate degrees and are now working to get their masters in Educational Leadership. Warthen received a 3.5 GPA last semester, while Gloyd twice earned UA Student Athlete of the Month honors with a 4.0 GPA.
Warthen’s goal after graduation is to play professional basketball. Gloyd wants to remain in hoops too, but not on the court.
“I would like to work with a basketball team either in operations or possibly coaching someday,” Gloyd said. “I like both of these positions because I can work with student-athletes on a daily basis, which is what I would ultimately love to do in life — impact the lives of others.”
For now, Warthen and Gloyd’s sole focus is to end the regular season with a pair of victories before the Wildcats head to the Pac-12 Tournament.
“They have been great kids,” Butts said. “I would love for those two ladies to go out with a win on their home court.”
Arizona women’s basketball takes on Colorado at 6 p.m. on Friday and Utah at 3 p.m. on Sunday for Senior Day.
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