Warrior Magazine December 2018

“I would have run through a brick wall for him.” Although she had a great relation ship with Hodge, Chaney admits she did find herself on the receiving end of a stern correction at times and recalled one game in particular where Coach Hodge had to provide some “inspira

win, even if that meant playing hurt or sick. One game she played with a bro ken nose, but that might not have been the worst night. “I’m not sure if I had food poison ing or a virus, but 30 minutes before we were supposed to play Meridian, I was at the doctor getting a drip, two of them if I remember correctly. But I headed to the gym, suited up and started the game. I would have to come out at times, run to the back door of the gym and throw up and then would go back in to play. I finished that game and we beat MCC in overtime that night.” During her sophomore year, Chaney would score a three-point buzzer-beater for an overtime win to advance the Lady Warriors to the championship game of the Region 23 Tournament, but a return trip to the national tournament was not meant to be as they lost 58-55 to Northwest Mississippi Com munity College in the finals. Chaney said her best memories were not just of win ning, but the great relationship with her East Central teammates. She shared how they spent a lot of time together both on and off the court, sometimes just riding the backroads of Newton County. In addition to being selected a second team All-American, Chaney would finish her basket ball career with numerous other accolades, including first team All-Region 2004 and 2005, first team All-State 2004 and 2005, and All-Star in 2005. Chaney also racked up plenty of softball awards under the lead ership of then ECCC head coach Scott Hill, including first team All-American 2005, second team All-American 2004, first team All Region 2004 and 2005, first team All-State 2004 and 2005, and team most valuable player 2004 and 2005. “Coach Hill is such a great coach,” Chaney said. “He was the fun guy who just let you enjoy and play the game. He was a jokester, but the most humble guy I know anywhere in athletics.” Coach Hill and the Lady Warriors

Kristin Chaney (’05) When asked her initial reaction to being inducted into the ECCC Athletic Hall of Fame, Chaney said, “I was on a family vacation and playing golf when Dr. Stewart called. It was very emotional and shocking, but I am honored to join such a prestigious group of former athletes in the EC Hall of Fame.” Chaney is the college’s only two sport All-American, having earned honors as both a softball and basketball player for the Lady Warriors, and finished in second place in balloting for 2005 National Junior College Athletic As sociation Female Athlete of the Year. She was recruited by the University of Southern Mis sissippi softball program as a senior at Newton County High School, but it was her deep desire to continue play ing basketball that ultimately brought her to East Central, although she said she still loved softball and was so glad she had the opportunity to play both. “I guess I had more natural ability at softball, it came a little easier for me, but I always dreamed of playing Division I basketball. When I got the op portunity to play for Coach (Brad) Hodge, I don’t think he saw me as a ‘big time’ basketball player, so his expectations weren’t really high. I didn’t play much in our first jamboree, but by the second game of the season I was playing more and became a starter after that.” As a freshman, Chaney joined a Lady Warrior team that had sev eral talented and highly recruited athletes. The 2003-04 Lady Warriors would complete what re mains the most successful season in EC women’s basketball history, finishing with a 31-4 record and a No. 8 ranking in the final NJCAA poll after finishing runners-up in the consolation bracket of the NJCAA Championship. They had earned the national berth after winning both the MACJC and Region 23 Cham pionships. “I believed in everything he (Hodge) said and did everything he asked be cause I wanted to play,” Chaney said.

Aubry Cox

Kristin Chaney

tion” for her to up her game. “I was just having a horrible night. I was not playing my best ball game. He called a time out and walked out to half court and proceeded to ask me just what I thought I was doing out there, although it wasn’t in real polite words. He got on to me pretty hard. But in the end, I was glad he did because I improved my game and we won.” Chaney proved she would do any thing to play and whatever it took to

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