School: Glenbard West, 1999.
Position: Guard.
College: Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
As a senior at Glenbard West, Wilhite teamed up with Kristi Faulkner (now at Iowa) to bring the Hilltoppers a third-place trophy and 29-7 record in 1999. She was a three-time all-conference selection in the West Suburban Silver. In March 2001, her 36 points set a Midwestern Collegiate Conference championship game record at the UIC Pavilion, leading Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the NCAA tournament. Wilhite was first-team All-MCC in 2001 and second-team All-Horizon League in 2002. She is averaging 12.4 points and 3.1 assists per contest for the 5-9 Panthers.
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What feelings did you have returning to Chicago two years ago and winning the MCC title while setting a record yourself?
“That was a great feeling. We had such a great team that year. To win it in Chicago was special, especially since I had my whole family and friends here.”
Did you feel a sense of fulfillment, finishing third in state in 1999, or a sense of non-fulfillment by not winning the state title?
“I look at it as a sense of fulfillment. At the time, [not winning state] was disappointing. We lost by four to [state champion] Marshall in the semifinals. That was the first time Glenbard West had made it Downstate–girls or boys.”
Why did you choose UWM?
“Because of the environment and the closeness between the players and coaches. Even in the rough times we’re having as a team, we’re staying close together and we’re fighting hard together.”
You also played softball and volleyball in high school. What made you decide that basketball was your game over the other two?
“I think it was spending hours out in the driveway shooting, just for fun.”
How many shots do you take over the course of a summer day?
“I still work out with Kristi [Faulkner], and we’ll get anywhere between 200 and 400 shots [per day] three or four days a week.”