The transfer portal is often seen as a chaotic free-for-all in collegiate sports, but Hailey Van Lith’s story might just change that perception. For her, it brought balance and clarity to her career. After spending a single season at LSU, which she described as “making something work that isn’t necessarily perfect for you,” Van Lith re-entered the transfer portal in search of a better fit.

She found it at TCU. Under second-year head coach Mark Campbell, the No. 9 Horned Frogs surged to an impressive 9-0 start this season, including some notable wins against ranked opponents. At the heart of their success has been the 5-foot-7 Van Lith. But despite her best efforts today, South Carolina proved a little too much, breaking the team’s unbeaten record.

Hailey Van Lith leads again

Averaging 19.4 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game, Van Lith has returned to the dominant form she displayed earlier in her career. Even South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley couldn’t help but commend her. “We know Hailey, for one. We played against her at Louisville, played against her at LSU… and now she’s back in that Louisville mode, called on to do so much for her team.”

In the game, Van Lith delivered a standout performance, scoring 21 points, dishing out six assists, and grabbing two rebounds in 36 minutes. She also shot a perfect 100% from the line – 6 of 6 – while going 7 of 17 (most attempts for the night) from the field. Three-point shooting, however, wasn’t her best, managing just 1 of her five attempts. This was her 5th 20-point performance and 7th time leading the team in scoring this season.

But Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks, having suffered a loss, after going unbeaten last season, were determined to not add another defeat to their name. The team soared to an 85-52 victory, with no one other than Van Lith from Horned Frogs recording a score even in double digits. No wonder Staley was all praise for the star guard.

“So you gotta go back and look at the Louisville scout and see the types of things that we did to have an impact on her, in her ability to get clean looks,” she added.

From LSU to TCU was a much-needed move for Hailey Van Lith

Through nine games, Van Lith is averaging 6.6 assists per game with just 1.7 turnovers—a massive improvement from her LSU career highs of 3.6 assists and 2.6 turnovers per game. “She’s a 2,000-point scorer who’s still learning the game and becoming an unbelievable playmaker in our spread pick-and-roll,” praised HC Mark Campbell, highlighting her growth.

The emotional turning point came in a team meeting when Campbell pointed out her first career double-double with assists, which included a staggering 19 assists over two games. Overwhelmed, Van Lith wiped away tears with her jersey as Campbell reassured her, “You’re just getting started, kiddo.” Grateful, she credited her teammates for helping her reach this milestone.

Campbell’s words proved prophetic. If anyone still doubted Hailey Van Lith 3.0, Sunday’s showdown was another testament. They next face Louisiana Tech on the 15th of December.