Medina’s Lindsey Linard shines on and off the court
MEDINA, Ohio (BVM) – Lindsey Linard was a four-year varsity player on the Medina High School girls basketball team. The 6-foot-4 center finished her career for the Bees over the winter and helped turn the program into a winner during her time there. The basketball star, who not only shines on the court but also in the classroom, will be taking her game to the next level at Duquesne University in the fall.
Linard grew up playing basketball in the third grade and would develop a true passion for it a couple years later. Although she also put in some time with volleyball and cheerleading, basketball was always where the passion lied for the 18-year-old, and that has continued to this day.
“Basketball is one of the most important aspects of my life,” Linard said. “Initially I liked basketball because it was a place where I fit in and felt valued. Now, I play basketball for three reasons: The game, the relationships, and the opportunity. I have met some of the best, most influential people in my life from basketball and there have been so many opportunities that I would have never had if it wasn’t for the sport.”
As a die-hard Cleveland sports fan, Linard looks up to former Cavaliers star LeBron James for what he does on the court and in the community. She also likes to take bits and pieces from the games of a lot of players, and specifically models her post game after “The Big Fundamental,” Tim Duncan.
Linard’s freshman year for the Bees was primarily spent in a reserve role, and the team struggled, finishing with an 11-15 record. By her sophomore year, Linard became a fulltime starter and helped turn the program around. The team would lose in the district semifinals, but with the majority of the roster returning, hopes were high for her junior season.
The center’s third year with the program ended up being one of the best in Medina girls basketball history. The team began 18-0 and appeared in a regional semifinal for the first time in 26 years. Although they may not have gone as far as they wanted, the Bees still finished 23-3, capping an impressive two-year turnaround.
This past season, Linard and the Bees continued their success despite graduating nine seniors from last year’s squad. The team finished 18-7 with another loss in the district semifinals, but were co-champions of the Greater Cleveland Conference (GCC) for the first time in seven years.
The team was led in large part by Linard, who had 17 double-digit scoring games, 10 double-doubles, and averaged an impressive 4.7 blocks per game in her final year. The strong season also helped her finish fourth on the Medina girls basketball all-time scoring list with 781 points. Additionally, she set the program record for most career free throws made.
The outstanding year led to some impressive postseason recognition for Linard. The 18-year-old was honored as the GCC Player of the Year, Medina County Player of the Year, and Women’s Tri-County Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year. Additionally, she made Northeast Ohio Inland first team All-District, All-Ohio Special Mention, and Academic All-Ohio.
It is an impressive list of honors which mean a lot to Linard, especially being named conference player of the year.
“It wasn’t really a goal of mine during the season, but it was a huge honor,” Linard said. “There are some really good players in the GCC that were all in contention for player of the year.”
However, the 18-year-old finds her team’s success as a higher priority than her individual accolades. Her teammates have helped her get to this level, and they have been one of her favorite parts about playing at Medina.
“My teammates are probably one of the best things that I have gained from playing in high school. I know some of these girls will be lifelong friends of mine. Many of us have gone through so much together, and they have not only helped me in basketball, but in life,” Linard said.
The Bees center has a lot of great memories to take away from her high school career. She will especially cherish that special junior year, where in addition to all the success, her team got to play at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, now named Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Linard and the team also got to take a Christmas trip down to Florida to play in a holiday tournament, visiting Disney World and Universal Studios in the process.
But some of Linard’s best memories and accomplishments in high school have also come off the court. The senior takes pride in putting in work in the classroom and has been an honor-roll student while maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout her four years at Medina. She finished with a 4.3 GPA this year, and earned summa cum laude honors.
“Academics are very important to me. I think it is important to represent my school in both sports and in the classroom. Being a student-athlete, the student part comes first…it is very important to be well-rounded and I take school very seriously,” Linard said.
Linard was also named Homecoming Queen at Medina during her senior year. Selected by a school committee to be a nominee, the 18-year-old had to give a one-minute speech in front of nearly 3,000 people who would vote on the winner, which ended up being the basketball star.
“It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it was so fun. I was not expecting to win, but it was such a fun experience and I am so glad I did it and got to represent my school in that way,” Linard said.
The 6-foot-4 center left quite a mark at Medina, and she will now be headed to Duquesne University to play basketball in the fall. Linard committed to the Dukes early on in the recruiting process, before her junior season in high school. She had several other offers already at that point from Miami University (Ohio), Kent State, and Youngstown State among others, but knew Duquesne would be the right fit.
“I chose Duquesne for a lot of reasons. The program is very unique and is known for its diverse roster. I really feel like I fit in with the players in their program. I also really think the coaches will push me and help me become the best player I can be,” Linard said.
The 18-year-old also noted the school’s remodeling of their arena, as well as the fact that it is just over a two-hour drive for her family to come watch her play in Pittsburgh as additional reasons she chose the university. Linard’s family is always at her games to support her, to the point where her parents will FaceTime the game if one can’t be present in the arena.
“My family is so important to me. They have supported me through everything and have always made sure I was able to have the best opportunities possible. I am so thankful to have the support that I do,” Linard said.
The Medina grad plans to redshirt her freshman year, but still has plenty of goals in mind for her time at Duquesne, and is excited to get started.
“Playing Division 1 basketball has been a goal for me since I was in sixth grade. I am excited to compete at a high level and become the best basketball player I can. One goal of mine is for Duquesne to make it to the NCAA Tournament in March. Individually, I am excited to get stronger and smarter on the basketball court and hopefully be one of the best players in the Atlantic-10 in the future,” she said.
Linard will look to maintain her academic success at the school as well, and plans to major in sports information and media. The basketball star will look towards a career in sports broadcasting or anything involving the NBA or WNBA in the future. However, she first has goals of playing pro ball.
“I know it will be a lot of work, but I think playing professionally for at least a little bit is a realistic goal for me. It was actually one of the reasons that I picked Duquesne as they have had many players go pro in the past,” she said.
Linard has a bright future ahead of her, but will not forget the memories and legacy she has left at Medina.
“I really hope I left a legacy of hard work and commitment and showed others what it means to be an athlete representing Medina. Medina girls basketball has been such an important part of my life and I hope that other girls are able to experience that,” Linard said.
The program at Medina has only gotten better while Linard was a part of it, and it’s hard to imagine her not having the same effect on the program at Duquesne.
