It was always Roland Lady Rangers senior basketball player Lilly Medicine Bird’s dream to play college basketball, and she made her dream become a reality Friday morning.
Medicine Bird, who was named to the 2024 Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State East Team and was named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association’s Class 3A All-Star by Class list making her eligible to become an OCA All-Stater, signed a letter of intent with the University of Central Oklahoma in a signing ceremony Friday morning at the Roland High School commons.
Medicine Bird, who on Monday and Tuesday played for the Roland Lady Rangers golf team, said UCO truly was an easy choice.
“It’s relatively close to home,” said Medicine Bird, who helped the Lady Rangers to a 20-7 record and a spot in the Class 3A State Tournament, where they lost 45-37 to Norman Community Christian School in the state quarterfinals. “I got a few offers from some JUCOs, but they’re five to six hours away. It’s a higher division (NCAA Division II). It was a bigger offer.”
“She was a very big cog of the wheel,” said Roland girls coach Scott Nelke, who only got to be Medicine Bird’s coach her senior season. “She did a lot of things you see in the stat sheet, but she did a lot of things you don’t see in the stat sheet. She was part of that senior leadership. She took those young girls in who were freshmen and helped them along to understand what it’s like to be a Lady Ranger. That’s why she’s going to be successful at the next level because she knows what it takes.”
When Medicine Bird went to the UCO campus in Edmond, she said everything just felt right.
“I went there, but I was kind of unsure,” she said. “It just felt like home. Everybody was so nice and kind. The campus is gorgeous. The coaches were pushing me to really succeed. It was a great experience.”
There were more college offers than the one from UCO, but the offer from the Edmond NCAA Division II school was the best.
“I got two minor JUCO offers during the season, but I got three or four more offers after my season ended,” Medicine Bird said. “This one (from UCO) is the best one for me.”
“I hate to see her go,” Nelke said. “She’s going to be hard to replace. I wish I had her for more years, but she will be successful (at UCO).”
The Roland senior believes she can begin making contributions immediately once arriving in Edmond.
“When I get up there, I need to really start pushing myself to be the best I can be,” Medicine Bird said. “I want to thrive up there.”
“She’s got the ability to do whatever she sets her mind to,” Nelke said. “Just being around her for a year, she’s a super kid, and she does everything she can to be successful at whatever she does. I’m just really excited for her.”
To say Medicine Bird is pumped about the upcoming opportunity to play college basketball is an understatement.
“It feels great,” she said. “It feels like all my hard work over these last four years have paid off. This (playing college basketball) was something I wanted to do. I’m looking very forward to this.”
“I’m super excited,” Nelke said. “She’s a great kid academically and athletically. She does everything you asked her to do. I’m just super proud for her and her family.”
