Jan. 22, 2013

Wann excels on court, soccer pitch
By Graham Hayes | ESPNW

It didn't take long to convince University of Richmond women's basketball coach Michael Shafer that Becca Wann's heart was in hoops every bit as much as soccer, the sport in which she earned a scholarship to the school and eventually All-American honors and a spot on a U.S. national team.

But back when she was just a freshman basketball walk-on, he wished her head was a little less committed.

"I say this kiddingly, but it's somewhat true, I think it took her a little bit of time to actually figure out you could use your hands," Shafer said. "She'd go up, and it looked like she was trying to head the ball in. I'd be like, 'You know, you can grab it here.' Next thing you know, she's ripping rebounds."

In a culture of youth athletics ever more bent on year-round training and specialization for its best and brightest, Wann remains an old-fashioned special case. Growing up in Virginia, she loved playing soccer. She also loved playing basketball. She didn't play much AAU basketball lest it intrude on her soccer exploits. She didn't play club soccer lest it interfere with her basketball endeavors. As a result, she nearly slipped through the cracks in both sports.

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