Emma Balzano '26 Recruiting Profile

My goal is to earn a degree in the nursing/healthcare field and to continue my love of basketball by playing on a competitive, well rounded team.  Basketball has always played a major role in my life.  I have played on many school and club teams,  all in which I have gained friendships and learned a great deal about the sport and life through a variety of coaching techniques and perspectives. Playing basketball has molded me into who I am today. I am confident, a team player, coachable, and a motivator. I am coordinated, fast, a quick thinker and full of endurance. I quickly came to love basketball in the 3rd grade not just for the game, but for the challenge. I was often up against girls bigger than me, but I never let that hold me back. I knew I had speed and strong ball handling skills. I knew I could run circles around my opponents and tire them out.  Basketball is a sport that pushes me beyond my comfort zone. I have learned that I will never back down just because I don’t have the height that colleges look for. I will continue to work hard to prove to the many that told me I am too short to play college basketball, that I have enough skill to make up for my height. I want to continue to play basketball in college because I value and appreciate my many basketball experiences and hope to continue my passion throughout my college career.