Savannah White has never experienced a life without a love for basketball. The love for the sport was passed through her great grandfather, grandfather, father and older siblings to her.
Her “big basketball family” always helped each other improve, whether it was on the court or off the court.
“For me, it was kind of just part of who I was in a sense, so it was kind of hard to avoid it,” White said. “It definitely helped shape who I am as a basketball player, having a lot of good voices and experience around me.”
White started playing more competitively in fifth grade. Her family wasn't really surprised by the start of that journey.
"They knew that I was going to become that eventually, but they were just super supportive of me,” White said.
Before coming to Penn State, the St. Paul, Minn., native gathered extensive experience in college basketball across three different conferences.
In her rookie season, she played for the Wisconsin Badgers, gaining Big Ten basketball experience.
After that, she played two seasons at Indiana State. At the end of her first year with the Sycamores, she suffered a back injury.
“I've overcome a lot in my college career,” White said. “It is a blessing to be able to wake up every day, be able to compete and have a healthy body. I am grateful for every day, every opportunity, having a one-day contract mentality wherever I walk in, it's like I know what I have to do. I have to compete and I have to win the day.’”
Her final stop before Happy Valley was at Xavier for her senior campaign.
Despite having multiple years of experience at the collegiate level, White doesn’t think that’s what will help her the most this season.
“I think it’s more how I've grown as a person, mentally and emotionally. That’s going to help me perform well this year,” White said. “I think talent is something that I was gifted with, and the hard work and mental growth that I've made over the past few years is what's going help me this year.”
In her last eligibility year, the graduate student is excited to help coach Tanisha Wright rebuild the Lady Lions’ program.
“Initially, I decided (on Penn State) because of my relationship with the Coach T and the professional opportunities that I can get as a basketball player post-college, then also as a professional,” White said.
Off the court, White has a big interest in the fashion industry, a direct influence from her mother. This was one of the reasons why the basketball player decided to get a business degree.
“Having a business degree is going make me flexible going into the real world,” White said. “I'm okay with things being flexible moving forward, but hopefully I want to see where I can work in fashion and beauty marketing.”
While she is still getting used to Happy Valley, White said it is a really great community, and it’s been very welcoming and easy to adjust. The forward/guard is looking forward to this season, having a simple answer about expectations for the Lady Lions: “to win”, while also laying the foundation for the new chapter of Lady Lion basketball.