Hipps keeps up status as top Vandy 3-pointer

Caroline Williams Hipps’ dream of playing college basketball in the Southeastern Conference almost never came to be.

In 2002 Hipps, a prep standout from Rockmart, had committed to play basketball at the University of Georgia. But prior to Hipps’ senior season at Rockmart High, she tore her ACL in the final game of her AAU career.

Suddenly, Hipps realized her athletic future was less than certain.

“Basically, Georgia got cold feet,” Hipps said. “So I started looking around at other schools. By luck and the grace of God, I had a couple of people call the Vanderbilt coaching staff on my behalf. Then the stars just aligned.”

Then-Commodores head coach Melanie Balcomb decided to add Hipps to what was already the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation in 2003. What followed was one of the more successful careers in Vanderbilt basketball history.

This spring, Hipps is a member of the SEC’s 2018 Class of Women’s Legends, which will be recognized at the 2018 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament Feb. 28-March 4 in Nashville.

Given her path to West End, Hipps said she finds it difficult to grasp her honor as an SEC Legend.

“It was one of those meant-tobe, divine things that happened,” Hipps said of her Vanderbilt career. “It’s just an incredible honor to be recognized as an SEC Legend. I was very lucky to be a part of really good teams with great players and great coaches at Vanderbilt.”

During her four years on campus, Hipps helped lead Vanderbilt to two SEC tournament championships and four NCAA tournament appearances with a 99-33 (.750) overall record. She went on to become a 1,000-point career scorer and evolve into the Dores’ most lethal 3-point shooter in program history.

HIPPS