A former Drury basketball star is returning to Springfield a few years after leaving the Lady Panthers.
This time, she’ll be just down the road and taking on a new role with a different team.
Hailey Diestelkamp’s Hall of Fame Drury career didn’t end as planned.
“My senior year I never knew that I was not going to know that that was my last game,” she said.
As the pandemic ended the Lady Panthers’ NCAA tournament run in 2020.
Now, Drury’s all-time leading scorer is using that experience to help other players.
“Every day don’t take it for granted because you just never know when it’s going to be a season-ending injury or a worldwide pandemic that can just shut down your whole life,” Diestelkamp said.
Her playing career may have been cut short, but it opened a door to a new passion.
“I definitely want to become a coach one day, by my sophomore year of college I was like ‘this is what I want to do I don’t think I’m ready to give up basketball,’” she added.
Now, two years removed from her playing days she returns to Springfield to pursue her dream, as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Missouri State Lady Bears.
“Once I heard that I could have the opportunity to come and be a staff member at MSU it was unreal to me because I didn’t think I’d ever be able to come back to Springfield. It was definitely a homecoming when I posted that I was going to be at MSU, my phone just blew up,” Diestelkamp said.
A homecoming, and a chance to learn.
“I’m a learner, I love to learn from other people. I’m an observer. When coach (Cunningham) called me, I was like ‘oh my gosh she wants to give me that opportunity.’ I want to learn from the best and Coach Cunningham is one of the best and so I’m very fortunate to be here and very grateful for sure,” said Diestelkamp.
