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As TCU women's basketball prepares for its first-ever Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, senior guard Hailey Van Lith revealed Sunday that she has played her entire career with a half-inch difference between her legs — her left leg being shorter than her right.
Van Lith, who stands 5-foot-9, said the condition affects her movement on the court.
“I definitely always prefer to plant off my right leg,” she said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, by Sports Illustrated's Nick Girimonte. “I think fading to my left is a lot more comfortable because the leg is shorter so it probably doesn't touch the ground as much.”
Hailey Van Lith’s left leg is a half inch shorter than her right.
I asked the TCU guard about how this affects her game. This was her response: pic.twitter.com/2QsWnMUUeW
— Nick Girimonte (@GirimonteNicky) March 30, 2025
She added that the right side of her body — including her hand, foot, and quad — is noticeably stronger and larger due to the imbalance.
Despite the physical challenge, Van Lith has excelled. She was named Big 12 Player of the Year and set TCU’s single-season scoring record with 663 points. Her 26-point performance against Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 helped TCU reach the regional final for the first time in program history.
“I deal with it every day,” Van Lith said. “But at this point in my career I’m older, and I know how to manage my body in that way.”
TCU faces top-seeded Texas on Monday night. The game marks a stark contrast to last season, when TCU was forced to forfeit games due to roster shortages.
Hailey Van Lith leading turnaround for TCU women's basketball
TCU women's basketball coach Mark Campbell credited last season's adversity with laying the foundation for this year’s 34-3 campaign.
“I think last year laid a foundation of toughness and resilience and fight for our program,” Campbell said, per Alanis Thames of the Associated Press. “that’s carried over now that we added the talent level that we have to the foundation from last year. That combination is why we’re 34-3, we’re in the Elite Eight.”
Van Lith’s leadership has been part of a major turnaround alongside teammates Sedona Prince and Madison Conner. Prince averages nearly a double-double, and Conner is shooting 45.5% from three-point range.
Now in her fifth Elite Eight — previously reaching it three times with Louisville and once with LSU — Van Lith is focused on helping the Horned Frogs take the next step.
“I’m going to give everything I have,” she said. “If I have to dive on every ball, I will do it if it will give us an extra possession.”
Tipoff is set for Monday night in Portland.
