White works hard for green and gold

Lyndon State College athlete Naomi White knows how to lead a team: she's the captain for both the basketball and soccer teams.

    Women's basketball head coach Vinnie Maloney saw that White was a leader from the moment that she stepped onto the LSC campus.

    "Naomi has been a leader since her freshman year. She was a silent leader her freshman year, but her leadership has evolved the longer that has she played on the team," Maloney said.  The quiet leadership she displayed early on in college has blossomed into active leadership, not only on the court and field, but also off of it.

    White was a student ambassador during her sophomore year and is currently a peer leader, working with new LSC students.  Stephanie Barclay, a fellow captain of the Lady Hornet's basketball team, thinks that White's attitude has a positive effect on the team.

    "Naomi is always working and it motivates others to work as well," Barclay said. "We all look up to her in some way, and that is why she is a captain."  White is known as a fierce competitor in any sport she plays, and that comes from her family.

    "I began playing sports in school around the third grade, but I was definitely playing them before that time. I think the reason for this is that my family was and is really involved in athletics. We have a competitive edge to us," White said.

    White's family came into play once again when she was deciding on where to attend college. Originally, White thought that she was going to attend the University of Vermont, but decided to attend LSC because of the scholarship she was offered and because she could play basketball with her older sister for one more year. Lyndon State College also reminds White of her life growing up.

    "I graduated with a class size of about 25, and Lyndon definitely provided the community comfort that I had in high school," White said.

    White's connection to sports lasts not only while she plays them, but inside the classroom as well. White's major is Exercise Science, in which she studies how a person can stay active and healthy.  White takes an interest in Exercise Science because of her deep connection with sports.

    "My love for sports is really what helped me decide on my major. I have been so involved with athletics all of my life, so I couldn't really imagine doing anything different. Exercise Science helps tie me back to my passion," White said. When it comes to life off the court, Coach Maloney sees White the same way he sees her on the court.

    "The best word to describe Naomi's personality is ‘genuine.' She is as dedicated to sports as she is to her academics," Maloney said.  White was awarded the prestigious Lyndon Champions of Character award at the 2009-2010 LSC athletic banquet. In addition to that acknowledgment, White was named the MVP of the women's basketball team, received the Dudley Bell Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year award, and was an LSC scholar-athlete award winner with at least a 3.3 GPA.

    In her free time, White enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Outside of spending times with ones that are close to her, White also likes to relax by watching movies, painting, or drawing. Barclay, a personal friend of White's, thinks that White is a great friend to have.

"Off the court, Naomi is the best friend that anyone could ask for. Although she seems so rough on the court, she is one of the biggest goofballs I know. She is truly a well-rounded person," Barclay said.