Named PSAC Rookie of the Year for 2021-2022 season

By Zoey Reifinger

Abbey Hearn, a junior forward on the KU Women’s Basketball Team from Lewes, Delaware, ended her regular season averaging 10.8 points per game. Hearn’s love for the game began when she started competitively playing basketball in grade school. 

She said, “Due to my height (6′ 2”) and having to pick a sport in middle school, it felt right to pick basketball.” Hearn went to Cape Henlopen High School, in Lewes, DE, where she was all-conference, all-state, MVP and player of the year.  

Playing basketball in college had always been a dream for her. The biggest obstacle she had to overcome was transferring schools when she was in high school. She went from competing with girls she had played with since middle school to a whole new team and set of coaches. However, she was able to get more exposure at Cape Henlopen. 

When it came to choosing KU, Hearn liked the small-town feel and the beautiful campus. She wanted to play at KU because they were competitive in the PSAC, and she knew this was a team going in a positive direction. 

Pat Woods, who has been her skill and development trainer since middle school and her basketball coach through her junior and senior years of high school, is who she must thank for getting recruited. She said, “He is the reason why I am here.” 

She is very driven, focused and genuine on and off the court. She is able to balance her academic, athletic and social life. Hearn is studying sport management, as she loves the world of sports and coaching, which she hopes to do in the future.

Hearn’s parents are her biggest supporters. “Both my parents are my support system, traveling from Delaware to see my games,” she said. After every home game, one of her favorite things to do is go to the K’Town Pub with her parents for a post-game meal. Her strengths on the court come from her strong basketball IQ and understanding of the game. 

Something she wants to work on to improve her game is her athleticism with regards to spacing. When Hearn is not on the court, she enjoys baking, cooking, reading, and hanging out with her friends. 

In the 2022 preseason, Hearn was a starter and scored six points against the University of Connecticut. Hearn was a part of the team in the spring of 2022, when the Golden Bears made their first NCAA tournament appearance in over 20 years. During that season, she was named PSAC Rookie of the Year.