NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team is adding seven freshman to its program for the 2019-20 season.
The diverse recruiting class was ranked ninth nationally by Blue Star Report.
This series will introduce and connect you with the newcomers before they even step onto the court for the Commodores.
Our second installment of the series is with Kiara Pearl, a 5-8 guard from Louisville, Kentucky.
Why Vanderbilt?
My recruiting process was full of ups and downs. There were times that I thought about calling it quits due to injuries. I felt like everything was literally going downhill for me. I couldn’t seem to find good news for myself. Coming back my senior year I felt like I had something to prove. I needed someone to see how hard I’ve worked and how much harder I’m willing to work. Coach White saw that and saw how much more I have in me. This played a huge part in why I chose Vanderbilt, but it wasn’t the only reason. To tie it all together, Vanderbilt gives you the opportunity to receive top-notch education, a great community of people and a beautiful campus to live on.
What makes you most excited about living in Nashville?
I doh’t know much about Nashville but have heard it’s the place to be. An exciting thing to me is that “Nashville, Tennessee” is our city!
Coach White saw that and saw how much more I have in me. This played a huge part in why I chose Vanderbilt, but it wasn't the only reason. To tie it all together, Vanderbilt gives you the opportunity to receive top-notch education, a great community of people and a beautiful campus to live on.Kiara Pearl
What do you love so much about the sport?
It’s not just basketball. There’s so much more to it than that. You meet so many people and create lifelong friendships. You get to travel and see new places while playing a sport that you not only enjoy playing but love. I get the chance to compete against all different types of players with different skill sets and figure out how to better my game.
What does the opportunity to play basketball and get an education mean to you?
It means a lot to me because this has been a surreal experience to be awarded not only the education of an elite school, but also to play against some of the best competition in the SEC. I believe this opportunity will make me a better ball player but will allow me to grow in all other areas to open more doors for my future.
