CYRPESS, CA – Following a tremendous sophomore season, women's basketball standout Vivian Lara accepted a scholarship offer from NAIA Fisher College on Thursday afternoon.
The Santa Fe High School alumna's path was an unconventional one, which made the moment even more special for her family, teammates, and coaching staff, who were all present as she signed her letter of intent.
Lara suited up for her freshman season with the Lady Chargers in 2014, where she averaged 8 points per game off the bench to help lead Cypress to a 23-8 season. Despite her talent and commitment to the women's basketball program, she was forced to sit out the following two seasons. "I had to take two years off to get my grades up so I could play. I started taking summer school and Coach Mohr would help me study. She wanted me to keep pursuing basketball and not just give up because of a little obstacle," Lara explained. "I just feel like I grew a lot here. I understand now that academics are really important and it's not just all about sports. I'm willing to stay committed and be a student athlete not just an athlete," she added.
Her hard work paid off as she returned to the hardwood for the Chargers' 2017-18 season. The First Team All-OEC selection tied for the team lead in points per game (16.3) with Humbolt State University commit Gabby Carbajal. She also led the Chargers in assists per game (3.7) and steals per game (2.4) to help lead Cypress to a SoCal Regional Final's appearance.
"Coming into my second year I put in a lot of work during the summer because I wanted to show people that I could really play and it just worked out in my favor. Coach B helped me out a lot. It was just gym and school. The gym and the library is where I spent my time," said Lara.
Lara plans to continue her education after earning a bachelor's degree from Fisher College in Boston, MA where she will start taking classes this fall. "If I just continue to work hard, hopefully the team will buy in and respect me. I just want to help them get better little by little and improve myself too."
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