Although Amanda Paschal’s family moved out of New York before she started high school, the city’s imprint on her game remains evident. When people see the 5-foot-7 redshirt junior guard from the University of Kentucky play, they can see her basketball roots.
“My toughness and my skill set handling the ball,” said Paschal. “A lot people say they can tell I’m from New York because of how I dribble.”
The more Paschal played the game, the more she loved it. “As I got older, I got more passionate about the game,” she said. Playing under good coaches was a big part of it.
Paschal began her college playing days at Gulf Coast State College, a junior college in Panama City, Fla., where she won a NJCAA National Championship her freshman year. A torn ACL kept her on the sidelines her sophomore season, but she used that opportunity to learn about the game.
“I got to watch the game more and develop,” said Paschal, who called Gulf Coast head coach Mary “Roonie” Scovel a “great coach.” “I’m still developing now and have a love for the game.”
She came to Kentucky with three years of playing eligibility, and she is soaking up the opportunity—even if it took her a while to get used to the intensity of Wildcats fans. Two of the team’s assistant coaches, Kyra Elzy and Niya Butts, played for the late Pat Summitt at University of Tennessee and keep Summitt’s wisdom about the game alive.
“They speak about working hard and being passionate about the game,” said Paschal, a psychology major. “The fan base and the team made it comfortable for me here. It’s good to play in front of people who love and support you. There’s no better place.”
The 2017-18 season wasn’t as good as everyone hoped, but the players came out strong to start this season, amassing an impressive 10-1 record and a national ranking in the opening weeks of the season.
“Last year, we didn’t have such a good season. This year, everyone has experience,” Paschal said. “We’re kind of surprising everybody. It’s exciting to see where we’re going to finish at.”
The Wildcats have a game Friday afternoon against Murray State University before getting a few days off for Christmas break. The team is back in action Dec. 29 against Sacred Heart University.
