4-star verbal commit Meg Newman hopes to additional fight local weather change throughout her time at ASU
When ASU girls’s basketball recruit Meg Newman is not on the courtroom, she is concentrated on the problems surrounding local weather change.
Ever since she watched a documentary concerning the setting freshman yr, Newman has dedicated to utilizing her platform as an athlete to deal with local weather motion.
“If I may have that voice (in opposition to local weather change), extra progress can be made,” Newman mentioned. “I’m a vegetarian, I attempt to stroll all my speak, so, I do all the things I can to reduce my carbon footprint.”
She mentioned she plans to main in enterprise sustainability and is contemplating minoring in public coverage in pursuit of a regulation college diploma.Newman mentioned she desires to assist Arizona turn into a extra environmentally sustainable neighborhood.
“I believe ASU has made a really concerted effort to turn into one of the crucial sustainable universities on the planet and that being one thing I stand for thus strongly, that’s the sort of place I positively wish to characterize,” she mentioned.
Newman hasn’t all the time had her coronary heart set on each local weather motion and basketball.
Newman initially thought she would go on to play soccer in faculty, as a result of the 4-star basketball recruit from Indianapolis did not consider that she can be recruited by 18 completely different colleges for her abilities on the courtroom.
“I centered on soccer a lot extra,” she mentioned. “As a child, (it) was nearly second nature to simply play soccer.”
Rising up, she was within the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Improvement Program, what she known as certainly one of her largest accomplishments in her profession as a goalie. As a soccer participant at North Central High School, she believed enjoying collegiate soccer was a risk, however the gives by no means got here.
So, a couple of yr in the past, Newman began her journey towards her new purpose of enjoying Division I basketball, with ASU first noticing her on the Adidas Gauntlet event in Dallas. Upon arrival on campus in Tempe for her official go to, Newman instantly clicked with the Solar Satan teaching employees.
“I knew I linked with (head coach Charli Turner Thorne) on a distinct stage than I linked with the coaches earlier than,” Newman mentioned. “So, I used to be like, don’t get too forward of your self right here, however she’s an superior particular person. (ASU) was actually the primary place I can envision myself sporting the uniform, enjoying for the workforce.”
Newman started receiving gives as early as her sophomore yr however waited till her junior yr to decide to the Solar Devils. Following an at-home go to from the Solar Devils employees along with her household, Newman knew ASU was the varsity for her. Newman finally verbally dedicated to play for the Solar Devils on April 4, 2020.
Her coach, Brandon Clay, mentioned Newman’s abilities are “far past her years.”
“She’s going to present Charli Turner Thorne with a flexible possibility, able to enjoying any of the frontcourt positions relying on the opposing matchup,” Clay mentioned. “She has the ability to take it coast to coast, with the scale to be a constant presence across the rim along with her rebounding and defensive prowess.”
Teammate Ava Couch echoed related sentiments about Newman’s abilities on the courtroom.
“Meg has solely tapped into the start of what she will turn into and her growing expertise will carry many issues to ASU,” Sofa mentioned. “She’s going to carry not solely ending on the rim however strikes in to quick pull-up jumpers, that are nearly unimaginable to protect.”
On the basketball courtroom, Newman fashions her recreation after 2019 graduate, Robbi Ryan. Having in contrast her leap shot and mobility to Ryan’s, she additionally hopes to comply with within the footsteps of two-time All-Pac-12 participant and former Solar Satan Kianna Ibis.
“I seemed as much as Kianna loads, she was a very stable participant,” she mentioned. “(With) Robbi Ryan, her leap shot appears loads like mine, so simply watching her play off the dribble … is absolutely inspiring.”
Newman hopes to play professionally in the future and needs to comply with within the footsteps of different notable Solar Satan alumni whereas additionally creating her personal title.
“I hope individuals do not say it is simply James Harden went to ASU,” Newman mentioned. “I hope they are saying James Harden and Meg Newman went to ASU.”
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