CARMEL, Ind. (WTHR) — The University High School girls basketball team is currently sitting at 20-0 on the season and senior team captain Lindsey Syrek has a lot to do with the Trailblazers’ success.
"She’s beyond her years. To be a captain as a sophomore all the way until now,” said Head Coach Justin Blanding. “With her I don't have to say anything anymore. She knows what I'm thinking, I know what she's thinking so things run so smooth."
Over the years, Syrek has established herself as one of the best to ever play basketball at University—maybe even the best. She’s averaged a double-double throughout nearly her entire career.
“She’s team first. She doesn’t like it to be about her. She’s an amazing kid and I'm glad she got the opportunity to play at the next level,” Blanding said.
Syrek has chosen to continue her career at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. But for her, it’s bigger than basketball. She has dreams of becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner like her mom.
“That’s what my mom does. Actually she's finishing school for it right now. So getting to watch her go through this journey, starting out as a NICU nurse and getting to watch her, I always was like 'that's what I wanna do. I wanna work with babies, I wanna be in the medical field,'” Syrek said.
Balancing school and sports is nothing new to Syrek. She boasts a 4.3 GPA while taking a handful of AP classes. She excels on and off the court, but to make her high school experience complete before she heads to college, she wants a state championship.
“Winning a title would be one of the coolest things of my high school career," Syrek said.
Papa John’s is proud to begin a new partnership with WTHR honoring student athletes in Central Indiana via the Student Athlete of the Month program. The Student Athlete of the Month program honors well rounded central Indiana high school students who have demonstrated excellence in athletics, academics, or clubs/ co-curricular school related hobbies. Monthly winners receive a $500 scholarship funded by Papa John’s and WTHR donated to the winner’s high school in the winner’s name.