By Sadler Wilson

It is easy to praise the accomplishments of an athlete for their performance in games or practices, yet the harder success to discover is within the accomplishments and progress of a recovering athlete. Although an injury is devastating for an athlete, it also highlights the character of that athlete and how they choose to carry themselves and their attitude during recovery. Lady War Eagle Kameron Herring ‘25 exemplifies the best standard of a recovering athlete as she pushes through physical therapy, commits to her dream college and stays present and supportive for the rest of her teammates. 

Kameron has been a beloved Lady War Eagle since her freshman year in 2021, and she exemplifies all of the necessary qualities of a leader for her teammates. Kameron’s passion for basketball started at the age of five and stemmed from her father, Keith Herring, who played in college at Florida A&M University and Clayton State University. 

“My dad really was the one who got me into basketball… and he instilled that in me and trained me pretty much throughout my entire high school career,” Kameron said. 

As Kameron furthered her basketball journey, she joined her Amateur Athletic Union team, Bounce Nation, in ninth grade and played with this team until her most recent senior season. Bounce Nation allowed Kameron to form lasting friendships with her teammates, and form a connection with her coach. In addition to Bounce Nation, Kameron is entering her final season with the Lady War Eagles after the three seasons that shaped her into the player she is today. 

“My freshman year when we went to state, we won state, and then we went to the national tournament in Tampa and it was a great trip, a lot of fun, and made great memories,” Kameron said. “That senior class was just a really great group to have and look up to – they were good mentors for me.”

It is clear that these seniors made a lasting impact on Kameron as she looks forward to her senior year and making the same impact on her younger teammates. Kameron is a friend to all on the team and prioritizes making connections with her teammates, outside of just their sport. 

“As far as my high school team goes, we are all just really close, so in school we are always around each other, hanging out, and even outside of basketball we try to find times to hang out with each other and not make our only relationship solely based on basketball,” Kameron said. 

Finding the balance between academics and a sport is a challenge for all athletes, yet Kameron highlights that with the right discipline, it can all be done within a school day. Working to get in as much work during her school day, Kameron is able to minimize the academic stress after a long practice. After displaying hard work as both a student and an athlete, the offers from colleges began rolling in – 29 to be exact. 

“It was really stressful for me – the whole recruiting process,” Kameron said. “Staying in contact with the coaches, trying to build a relationship with different programs – it was hard at first and overwhelming, but I was very blessed throughout the entire process and I just tried to enjoy the moment too because you only really get to go through this process once, so being able to take visits and talk to coaches was a good time for me.”

After many visits, emails, and phone calls with different programs, Kameron made her final choice to commit to Marquette University. Recognizing that this would be her next four years, she took this decision very seriously and put much consideration into her options. Being the last official visit that she took, Kameron felt that Marquette checked all of her boxes – the urban location, the academics, the facilities, the coaching staff, and overall atmosphere of the university is what she knew was right for her. 

“For the commitment, my parents helped me out a lot, my AAU coach was a big help, and I think I made the right decision and I am really happy with my decision,” Kameron said. “I feel like for picking a school, you really just have to be able to envision yourself being at that school for four years, and Marquette was definitely the school that I see that for sure.”

Kameron poses in her new gear during her official visit to Marquette University on August 3, 2024. Photo credit: Jeffery Rondo

As Kameron finished off her summer season with Bounce Nation, she was struck with an unexpected shock that would shape her next year of basketball. During a tournament with her team, Kameron tore her ACL while making a break to score. This tragedy was difficult for Kameron, and the thought of losing her senior season weighed heavily on her. Although her initial thoughts were negative, she has taken the time to find the blessing behind her injury – something that the best athletes do. 

“I believe everything happens for a reason, so maybe right now this is a time where I need to relax and take a break from basketball – maybe that’s why it happened,” Kameron said. “It was a roller coaster of emotions… but the more I come to terms with it, I can set myself up to be even better in college.”

Considering her injury, some college coaches took a step away from Kameron and her possible future at their school, yet Marquette stuck beside her, which affirmed her choice even more in their school. As Kameron enters her senior season from the sidelines, she still reflects on the positive opportunities that she will be able to deliver as a senior on the team. 

“Even though I can’t play, I can still be that leader, be vocal, be encouraging for my teammates,” Kameron said. “I think we can still go really far – go to State – so just having that faith in my teammates, and uplifting them even when they think they can’t do it.”