It’s a long way from Zigzag to Holland, Michigan. But it’s a road traveled by
the Mountain’s dynamic Bryana Gardner.

At 21, a junior at George Fox University, she’s on top of the world – the world
of Division III women’s basketball.

All she accomplished was playing starting point guard for the Bruins, going
25-0 on the 2008-09 season, and winning the national championship on the
Michigan hardwood – a hard-fought 60-53 decision over Washington-St. Louis.
This accomplishment came packaged in a most unlikely five-foot, three-inch
frame.

"When we got to the title game, I didn’t want to have to say ‘what if?’"
Gardner said. "We were all so stoked and decided we might as well do this,
now. It was our story and it was worth fighting for."

But the story began on The Mountain.

Gardner lost her first name, Bryana, when she was very young. "My two older
brothers (Zac and Jesse) started calling me Baby Bryana," she said. "It
quickly slimmed down to BB. Now, I don’t even respond when I hear Bryana."
She wanted to be a cheerleader but her brothers wouldn’t let her. They
insisted she play sports.

"Since I wanted to be just like them I started playing basketball, soccer and
running track," Gardner said.

She went to Welches Elementary and Middle schools from first grade. There
was no official school basketball team at the time but her father, Bryan
Gardner, coached a recreation league team in Sandy. BB joined the Mountain
Storm and her path was cleared for the great Michigan adventure.

Possessing a gift for the game, BB went on to Sandy High where she played
varsity hoops all four years, made the playoffs three of those years, and
captured first-team all-conference accolades her senior year.

She considered several small colleges but decided on George Fox, in Newberg,
as an extension of her Quaker religion.

"It was a faith-based school, and that factored in," she said. "But what
cinched it was when I visited the campus. I just had a good feeling. Everyone
was so friendly. I knew, somehow, I was supposed to be there."

The fact that Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships was no
deterrent for BB. She toted a 3.98 GPA from Sandy High’s classrooms as well
as a passion for on-ball defense on the court.

An academic scholarship helped a lot toward the financial burden of college
opportunity.

Gardner started her freshman year at George Fox due to a vacancy created
when two other guards left school. One of them returned her sophomore year,
so Gardner played off the bench for a season. That guard graduated and the
opening was there for the title season.

"Everyone had graduated from a pretty good team (made it to the Sweet
16)," she said. "This year’s team consisted of one senior, 10 freshmen, and
three juniors including me. We were picked to be No. 5 in our conference."
So much for preseason predictions.

The Bruins battled through the bracket to the title game, the gym was
packed, and Gardner’s parents – Bryan and Tuffy – were in the stands.

"We were so excited, the whole team," she said. "Before the game, we all
knew that George Fox had never done this. The lights were bright, a huge
crowd, photographers and TV cameras, but somehow, when the ball went up,
it was just another game."

Not quite, but it was quite a game.

"Afterward, we went crazy," she said. "Our goal had been to be a .500 team,
then as we kept winning, it grew. We couldn’t quite believe we had done it. If
there’s a word for it, it was ecstacy."

Her words of wisdom for Welches athletes: Take care of stuff in the
classroom. Work at academics and athletics. In basketball, for instance, "You
learn to get along, work hard, do your job. Those skills and work ethic matter
in the classroom as well."

In the aftermath of her accomplishments she is still riding the high from
Michigan.

"Every experience changes you," she said. "This was another awesome
blessing in my life. I have this story now."

And so do we.