On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Abington senior Sarah Listenbee was recognized at a special news conference for signing a letter of intent to play basketball at Holy Family University.
Sarah Listenbee – Holy Family University (Basketball)
Major: Psychology/Criminal Justice
Final list of colleges: Holy Family, Arcadia, Mary Washington, La Salle, Shippensburg, Wilmington
Reasons for choosing Holy Family: “It was closest to home, and I’m a very big family person, so I really like to be with my family and be close to home. It’s also a very good academic school as well as a good basketball program. The program got into the Final 16 this year, so it really excites me to do two things that I love – be close to home and also be able to play basketball.”
What was the progression that led you to play basketball at the collegiate level? “In AAU, I began as a Fencor girl and moved into several AAU programs, and just playing with the high level of competition and moving on, I developed my passion for the game, and the passion was burning in me. I just really wanted to play basketball, and all my family members had played basketball, so it was something I really wanted to do.
“It was really a blessing to get this opportunity. I’m just really happy.”
Coach Dan Marsh says: “Sarah is the ultimate student-athlete, and that’s why a lot of schools wanted her. She’s a fantastic student on top of being a fantastic basketball player. She really came into her own the last couple of years as a leader and as a player. She averaged a double-double for us and did a lot of the dirty work and took a lot of the attention in the paint and still was able to put up good numbers.
“Sarah was always a good rebounder and a good defender, but she really improved her ball handling and facing the basket. She would get double and triple teamed on the post, and it wasn’t always easy going against teams that were packed in a zone, but Sarah found other ways to score by developing a 12 to 15-foot jumper. She was always a great free throw shooter and a good offensive rebounder, but what really transformed Sarah as a player was her ability to play away from the basket. It was more the perimeter part of the game she developed that made her an all-around player.
“Really, the best thing about Sarah is the quality person she is. She will bring her work ethic and her great character to a great program. I’m real excited for her to go there. We’ve never had a player play for Holy Family, and we know how prestigious a Division II program that is. They compete every year to win championships, and Sarah’s very happy about that. We’re happy, and we’re proud that she’s close and we can go see her play. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
About Sarah:
Favorite food: My father’s pancakes
Favorite movie: Slumdog Millionaire
Favorite music: Hip hop
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