By Kerri Kosten
Sydney Holloway grew up around basketball.
Her grandfather is legendary Fairmont State basketball player Bill Moody and Holloway said he has been a huge influence for her.
“I have always been in love with basketball, ever since I was 5 years old. I looked up to my grandfather who is an alumnus at Fairmont State University and then played basketball overseas,” she said. “He has taught everything I needed to know to be a great player. Basketball is the main talk in my household and I would not have it any other way.”
A Morgantown native, Holloway is a 2016 graduate of Morgantown High School.
She is continuing her education at Bryant University, in Smithfield, R.I.
As a freshman last season, Holloway appeared in 32 games for the Bulldogs. She averaged 18.4 minutes, 8.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. She led both Bryant University and the Northeast Conference in free-throw shooting. She made a career-best 10 of 12 (82.8 percent) in one game and finished 59th in the country in free-throw percentage. She shot 50 percent from 3, and 44.4 percent from the field.
She was named NEC Rookie of the Week twice. She was also named to the NEC All-Rookie Team. She had two double-doubles, the first being a 12 point, 10 rebound performance at Pitt.
Her sophomore season has been even better. She is fourth in the NEC in scoring, averaging 16.7 points and third in rebounding (9.2 rpg).
She scored a career-high 28 points against Central Connecticut in January, and put up 24 against Holy Cross in November. She has eight double-doubles so far this season.
“I am so hyped for this season. We cannot wait to keep on dominating the NEC,” she said.
As a Mohigan, Holloway was a member of the three teams that won back-to-back state championships in 2014, 2015 and 2016. She was named MVP of the championship game in 2016 and to the all-tournament team in 2014 and 2015.
Holloway said being a part of those championship teams was something she will never forget.
“It was the best experience that I will cherish for a lifetime,” she said. “Not only the wins were a great feeling, but going out there and winning with your best friends had to be the highlight to those championships and not to mention that everyone doubted MHS, so it was awesome to prove to the state who was the best.”
Holloway said playing basketball in college is very different from high school.
“Playing basketball in college versus at MHS is very much different. Not only the speed and the tempo, but also [all players] are good basketball players,” she said.
“I love the challenges that have been thrown at me, it only makes me want to work harder and harder to be the best basketball player that I can be.”
Bryant University has other advantages besides basketball. Smithfield is located minutes from Providence, and an hour from Boston. Holloway says living near two major cities has given her the opportunity to experience new things.
“I would say Providence is like a miniature Pittsburgh,” she said. “My parents have an apartment in the heart of downtown Providence, so it is great to see all the different buildings, explore the beautiful grounds and even catch a few Bruins games while traveling back and forth from campus to Providence.”
Holloway is the daughter of Aleathea Wise and Tod Holloway. She has two sisters, Haley and Ashley. She is a psychology major, with a minor in management.
