College Basketball Star Hailey Van Lith Details Overcoming Suicidal Thoughts: ‘I Didn’t Even Want to Live’

College basketball star Hailey Van Lith spoke candidly about her struggles with mental health.

During an interview in TCU’s locker room shared on X on March 23, Van Lith, 23, said she was “exposed to the media and social media at such a young age,” which led her to “struggle with mental health things.”

“When I was younger and in college, I was suicidal, I was heavily medicated and I felt trapped,” Van Lith shared. “And you would never know because I was having a ton of success on the court, but internally, and in life in general, I was ready to be done.”

Van Lith continued, “And so that’s what I mean when I speak on suffering and pain. It’s like I didn’t even want to live.”

Now that she’s worked on overcoming some of those struggles, Van Lith — who posted 16 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in TCU’s win over her former school, Louisville, on March 23 — can see how far she’s come. “To come from that to this is incredible,” she said in the interview after the win.

The basketball star said she looked to her faith to overcome those harder days in the spotlight. “I’ve been praying all year, like God, I know you’ve given me this testimony to share it with the world and shed your light and I think this is the year and this is the moment,” she said.

“He wants people to know my story,” she added. “He’s just taken me literally from the depths of wanting to die to this moment of loving life. And even if basketball went away today, I truly would want to be here and love these people.”

Van Lith rose to college basketball fame at Louisville, taking the Cardinals to a Final Four appearance and two Elite Eights before playing one season with the LSU Tigers under coach Kim Mulkey.

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Now in her fifth and final year of eligibility, Van Lith is hoping to take TCU all the way in the March Madness tournament.

Van Lith and the rest of the TCU Horned Frogs will play Notre Dame in the next round on Saturday, March 29.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.