Taleah Dixon recently scored her 1000th career point for the Loyola Greyhounds women’s basketball team. Dixon became the 23rd member to join the prestigious 1000-point club in women’s program history on Feb. 11, 2023.
When asked about what this accomplishment meant to her, she was quick to recognize the long journey.
Dixon said, “It means a lot to know that all the hard work paid off. After missing a full year because of my ACL injury and then only playing 13 games post-injury during the Covid year, it’s just rewarding to have the numbers show & reflect all my hard work.”
Dixon has been an integral part of the women’s basketball program since her freshman year when she was a member of the 2019 Patriot League All-Rookie Team, an award that recognizes the top five freshmen in the Patriot League.
This year, she is leading the team in assists and steals, is second on the team in scoring, and is leading the Patriot League in free throw percentage.
Head coach Danielle O’Banion acknowledged Dixon’s importance to the women’s basketball program.
She said, “Taleah is a cornerstone player for our program in all of the most impactful ways. In addition to being our most versatile and high basketball IQ player, she is a maternal figure and leader for our team.”
Dixon has valued her experience at Loyola. Although there have been many bumps in the road including missing her sophomore season, and the pandemic shortening her junior season, she was appreciative of what these experiences have taught her.
“My experience has been a journey that I needed and am proud of,” Dixon said. “Even though there aren’t as many wins in the column as others, I know my experience has prepared me for life outside of basketball which is most important in my opinion.”
Teammate Ava Therien ‘23 cited Dixon’s leadership qualities and resilience as factors that have made her successful on and off the court.
She said, “She’s a great teammate and a good leader on and off the court. She’s faced so much adversity with injuries and has overcome them. She’s someone I have looked up to since I was a freshman and I’m so lucky to have been able to play with her all 4 years here.”
Along with her success on the court, Dixon has been striving off the court and in the classroom. She received her undergraduate degree in 2022 in Communication with a Journalism specialization and is continuing her education as a graduate student pursuing an MBA. Dixon has been ultra-successful in not waiting until her college basketball career is over to start diving into future opportunities.
She said, “Loyola has helped me see the many different jobs in sports in my career path. I’ve wanted to do sports reporting and broadcasting. But I’ve been working with Loyola Athletics as a Communications/Marketing assistant, so I’ve been kind of getting a glimpse at all the different areas there are to work in the sports media industry. I’ve obviously been able to learn many new skills, but the best part has been seeing all the different career paths I can go into.”
Dixon’s resilience and hard work have helped her shine on the court and will continue to help her shine in her post-basketball endeavors.
“I’m proud of her development as a leader and consistent producer over the past two years,” O’Banion said. “She continues to set a great example daily in the practice gym.”
Featured Image Courtesy of Larry French.
