by Rusty Ellis
White County senior Karley Gentry took the next step in her academic and athletic career on Thursday, as she signed her national letter of intent to play basketball at Bryan College.
For Gentry, it was the fulfillment of a dream she’s had since she was young.
“It’s really exciting, I’ve been looking forward to this as long as I can remember,” Gentry said. “I’ve been wanting to go play at the next level so to get to do it, it’s very rewarding for me.”
Gentry has spent the past few years building a relationship with the university, and when the time came for her to make a decision, she knew where she wanted to go.
“I’ve been looking at Bryan for several years, and I’ve been going to their camps,” Gentry said. “I loved it the first time I was there, and I knew it was where I wanted to go…I love the campus and the girls and everything about it, so when the coach told me he wanted me to come down for an official visit and offer me, I was just really excited that that’s where I get to spend my next four years.”
It continues a trend for Bryan as far as recruiting in the Upper Cumberland, as former UC standouts such as Gracie Dishman, Torie Brooks, Kadee Ferrell and Emma Conradi all currently play for the Lady Lions. As far as White County head coach Michael Dodgen is concerned, this is a great fit for Gentry.
“Anytime you have a student-athlete go on to the next level, it’s rewarding for them, their family and for the program,” Dodgen said. “Karley’s put in a lot of work, and she does a lot of things here and during the summer. She’s done quite a bit to catch Bryan’s eye…it’s a program that’s nationally ranked and it’s a really great school. They’ve found a lot of kids in the Upper Cumberland that fit their style, and it’ll be a good fit for Karley.”
Regarding what she’s looking forward to the most at Bryan, Gentry says she’s looking forward to building bonds with her new teammates.
“I’m looking forward to playing with those girls and getting to know them,” Gentry said. “I’m ready to see what it’s like up there.”
