Halle, Haidyn Crockett loving time at the University of Jamestown

Dec. 25—JAMESTOWN — The University of Jamestown always stood out to Halle Crockett.

"UJ was always a top option for me," Halle said. " ... It was a perfect distance from home, and I knew I wanted to go to a smaller college because I grew up in a small school community."

The fact that the now-Jimmie had the chance to play basketball was a bonus.

Halle, a junior at UJ, has been with UJ's women's basketball team since she started college in 2023. Her younger sister, Haidyn, is also on the Jimmies' roster.

"Basketball has always been a huge part of our family, starting with our older brother," Halle said. "We would spend hours in the gym watching him play. We would go to the gym as a family and our dad would take us siblings through drills."

Halle played for the Northern Cass varsity basketball team from 2019-2023.

"Playing college basketball has always been a dream of mine," Halle said. "Growing up spending hours in the gym with my family, travel teams and playing competitive ball pushed me to try to get to the next level. As I had success in high school basketball, I also grew my love for the game of volleyball. ... we had a lot of success as a volleyball team, making an appearance at state three years in a row and ending my career with a state championship, (but) I didn't feel like I was done with basketball."

The unfinished feeling led to her signing with the Jimmies.

"I made it official to sign at UJ during my senior year season," Halle said. "I remember Thad (Sankey, UJ women's basketball head coach) coming to one of our games and I decided to tell him there I was choosing Jamestown. He gave me one of his famous high fives and we continued forward with signing. It has all been a journey from there."

Halle primarily played for the Jimmies' junior varsity team during her freshman and sophomore seasons.

"During my first year, the full year commitment for college basketball was different than I was expecting," Halle said. "For everyone, high school is a short few months of basketball, and you can do what you want outside of the season on your own. College basketball is an all-year-long commitment with preseason, season and postseason. ... for me, what surprised me was the competitiveness from everyone around me and the difference in how everyone showed up to be a part of our team."

Her teammates' commitment to the sport made it hard to secure a starting spot for the former Northern Cass standout.

"The biggest (challenge) for me has been going from never leaving the court and being a creator on the court, to being surrounded by so many talented and hard-working athletes and having to develop a different role on the team," Halle said. "I learned really quickly that whatever you think is going to happen in college sports, it doesn't go that way. There are always new challenges, dynamics and players that come into the program that bring different pieces to our team."

Halle is now exclusively a part of the Jimmies' varsity roster. She has played in every game so far this season and has accounted for 30 total points, 15 boards and nine assists.

"I have improved as an athlete since competing in college by just growing my overall competitiveness on the floor, my decision making and my overall mental and physical resilience," Halle said. "College basketball isn't about all of the awards and accomplishments. Being a part of a team that is bigger than myself and being able to contribute to my role has been my greatest accomplishment as a college athlete. I am so happy with my decision to compete at UJ. I have found my people, been a part of a great program that has challenged me, and I will forever be proud to call myself a Jimmie."

Halle's successful transition to life — and basketball — at UJ caught Haidyn's attention when she was still playing hoops at the high school level.

"I have wanted to play college basketball for as long as I can remember," Haidyn said. "Even though I played many different sports in high school, nothing compared to basketball. (I chose UJ because) it was a combination of basketball, academics and overall feel of the school. The coaching staff made me very confident in their plan for me, and UJ felt like a place where I could grow on and off the court."

Haidyn played varsity for Northern Cass from seventh grade to senior year. In high school, the 2025 Miss Basketball finalist averaged 29 points per game, seven rebounds and three steals per game. She was listed at 46% shooting and 32% from long range. At the free-throw line, Haidyn shot 80%.

Haidyn signed with UJ during her senior year and so far, it seems like she made the right choice — regardless of the work it has required of her.

"People don't always realize how much work goes into being a college athlete," Haidyn said. "(There are) early mornings, film sessions, recovery time and preparation. It is a time commitment."

Her commitment to the sport landed her a starting spot with the Jimmies. The freshman has started every game and has scored 92 total points for an average of 8.4 points per game. She has been responsible for nabbing 14 assists and 26 rebounds.

"I credit (playing time) to trusting the process and working hard every day," Haidyn said. "I was not expecting anything to be handed to me. Focusing on my role was important for me so that I could bring success to the team. My biggest accomplishments so far has been earning the trust of my coaches and teammates. Being able to contribute on the court as a freshman showed me that the work I have put in is paying off and it has motivated me each and every day.

"I have improved physically, mentally and skill-wise. I feel a lot more confident. Each and every game has led me to understand the game at a higher level now," she said. "I am very happy with my decision (to sign at UJ). I feel supported by my teammates, coaches, the UJ community and my family. I am grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point — I am excited to keep improving and see where this journey goes."