Tally ready to make her mark with Midland University basketball

Louisburg’s Delanie Tally will join the Midland University basketball program this upcoming season after earning all-league honors with the Lady Cats.

Basketball has been a big part of Delanie Tally’s life ever since she was in elementary school.

Starting next school year, its going to be an even bigger part as Tally has seen her dream become a reality — her dream to play college basketball.

Tally signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Midland University, an NAIA program in Fremont, Neb.

“I have been playing club basketball since the fifth grade, so it is really cool that I get to continue playing at the college level,” Tally said. “Club ball during sophomore year is when I first started getting looked at by different schools, and that is when I decided to make it a goal of mine to play in college.”

She achieved that goal and Midland helped make that happen. Tally took visits to several other program, and as it turned out, she saved her best for last.

Once she took the visit, Tally was drawn, not only by the athletic side, but the academic programs as well.

“Midland was actually the last school I visited, after many other potential schools,” Tally said. “I was waiting for something to stand out from the rest of the schools, and while athletics is what brought me to Midland, I soon learned that this was a very academic focused school, which is very important to me. 

“What stood out the most to me was the staff. They were not only very friendly, but they really strive to make a connection with each of their students and make sure they make it far in life following college. One of the first people I ran into on the visit was the President of Midland. She took the time to stop and introduce and welcome me to campus.”

As far as the basketball side goes, Tally enjoyed getting to know the coaching staff and she is excited to see where they will be able to improver her game.

“I immediately felt a good connection to this school once meeting the coaching staff,” Tally said. “They were very easy to talk to and mentioned that they liked how much of a ‘pest’ I was on defense. Then went into further detail about how they were looking for someone who isn’t afraid to be competitive, play scrappy on defense, and do what’s best for the team. 

“Once being told this, I knew that I could fulfill this role. I was expecting to talk to them for maybe 30 minutes, but we chatted for much longer, so I knew almost immediately it was a good fit.”

Tally has been one of the Lady Cats’ top 3-point shooters and her ability to score from the outside earned her All-Frontier League honors.

She was an honorable mention selection last season. Tally was second on the team in scoring for Louisburg as she averaged nearly 10 points a contest and led the Lady Cats with 47 3-pointers on the season. She also led Louisburg with 47 steals.

Tally is grateful for all she learned with the Louisburg program as she prepares to take the next step in her basketball journey.

“During my time spent at Louisburg High School, I have learned just how important academics are; not only for college but for shaping one’s life,” Tally said. “I feel like because of the teachers and the classes I took here, they have set me up for success moving forward into college. 

“As far as athletics, I’ve learned so many things about myself that I didn’t realize prior to high school. The Lady Cat basketball players always pushed me to do my very best and became teammates and friends that I will truly never forget.”

Related Posts

• Battle named Louisburg Sports Zone Male Athlete of the Year
• Five Wildcats recognized with all-state soccer honors
• Battle ready to make his own mark with Washburn football