By Alexa Low

Hannah Weedman was named the Assistant Coach for the Quincy University’s Women’s Basketball team just after a year of returning to be the graduate assistant.

She went from playing the game she loves to coaching the game she loves in a few short years.

“It was a blessing to climb the ladder so quickly,” said Weedman.

Weedman started off her collegiate basketball career at the University of Evansville and transferred to Quincy University for the start of her junior year.

She quickly became a leader for the Quincy Hawks and pushed her teammates to the best they could be.

“Practice against her was a challenge but we both worked hard. She was always exceited to play and took charge during tight games. She loved the game,” Tori Kuhn, teammate, said.

Weedman finished off her career at Quincy averaging twelve points and four rebounds a game. She was named to the GLVC All-Conference First Team her junior year and was shooting over fifty percent from the field.

The summer after college, Weedman played a season for the St. Louis Surge where they won a National Championship in the WBCBA League. She also spent her time being an assistant coach to a local high school basketball team.

In 2015 she decided she wasn’t ready to stop playing basektball quite yet and went overseas to Melbourne, Austrailia where she played a season with the Latrobe City Basketball Association.

Upon her return to the United States, Hannah accepted the Graduate Assistant position at Quincy Univeristy to assist her former coach, Jeni Garber.

“I knew I wanted to coach one day, but I didn’t know when that day would come. It came quickly,” Weedman said.

Growing up, her dad was a big part of her life. He was her high school basketball coach and she decided that coaching might be a good fit for her as well.

As a coach, Weedman is still that same player she has always been. SHe gets excited during games, but manages to stay composed for the sake of the players. She set examples from her experience and knowledge she gained from playing basketball.

“She has confidence in me and my shot and because of her reputation as the player she was, it helps them to have better confidence in myself,” Jessie Rabas, team player, said.

Weedman can connect with her players on a level that head coach, Jeni Garber cannot. She was coached by Garber and understands the hard work that comes along with being a student athlete. She has gone through exactly what her player are going through now and that is priceless in the coaching industry.

Weedman is very happy with her position and doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.

She is currently working on her master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Her future plans include to eventually be back at the Division I level as a possible associate head coach. She doesn’t see herself as ever wanting to take a head coach position.