Prospect Spotlight: Whitney Caldwell (2021)
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Pineville had something of a rebuilding year last season with a very young team, but the future looks bright thanks to rising stars like junior Whitney Caldwell. Caldwell partnered with fellow junior Raigan King to form an impressive two-headed monster…
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Continue ReadingPineville had something of a rebuilding year last season with a very young team, but the future looks bright thanks to rising stars like junior Whitney Caldwell. Caldwell partnered with fellow junior Raigan King to form an impressive two-headed monster last season. Although the team was eliminated in district play last season, going 16-14 overall, Caldwell views the experience as a positive one. “We were a very young team last year so I had to step into a leadership position as a sophomore,” Caldwell explained, “It was hard, but a good experience because I learned a lot about what it means to lead, follow, and take responsibility when things fall apart.” These learning experiences and maturity should serve Caldwell well going forward.
Caldwell averaged an impressive 17.2 points per game last season. On her offensive ability, Caldwell said, “My game is based around being versatile. Having different options in my skill set is very important to me. Being able to create inside and shoot mid to long range shots is the key to my offensive game.” Despite this, Caldwell takes the most pride in her playmaking ability. “My main strengths are my basketball IQ, playmaking abilities, my toughness/motor, and my unselfishness,” said Caldwell. This offensive versatility and unselfishness help make Caldwell a dangerous threat.
Despite only being a junior, Caldwell is already looking for ways to improve her game for the college level. “My biggest weakness physically is lateral foot speed… something that has to improve for the next level,” Caldwell acknowledged. “I’m definitely going to work on my foot work, defensive abilities, as well as improving my current abilities.” She had a chance to work on her game over the summer with the Lady Copperheads, Team Johnson. On her experience, Caldwell said, “It was a great season. It was my first season with exposure basketball. I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do.”
Caldwell recently reopened her college recruitment, de-committing from LMU. She holds offers from Belmont Abbey and the University of the Cumberlands and says she has received interest from a few other schools as well. It will be interesting to see how her recruitment plays out going forward, especially if she continues to improve her game. Even with the ongoing recruitment, Caldwell’s focus going forward is on helping Pineville. “I want to focus on improving not only myself but my teammates as well,” she said. “This year’s goal is just working as hard as possible and pushing my teammates.” Led by Caldwell’s versatility, leadership, and work ethic, expect Pineville to take a major step forward and make some noise this season.