Ashlee Maldonado Returns to the Court

It’s comeback season for the senior guard from Sunnyside, Washington

Growing up, Ashlee Maldonado always knew she wanted to play college basketball. Starting at age seven, she fell in love with the rapid and exacting sport as she grew in her adolescent years.

“Being from a small town, my dad coached me throughout my years and created a basketball team that I played with up until my high school years,” said Maldonado. “I also have a sister who is two years older than me, and one of my favorite childhood memories is being able to play up with my sister and being coached by my dad. Since we were little I enjoyed playing with my sister and it was a cool opportunity for me to play with her and be successful together.”

Now, as a senior and starting guard for Santa Clara, her passion for the sport has only grown–partially because of the challenges she has faced in her years as a Bronco. As the postseason and graduation inch closer, Maldonado is looking to the future.

“After graduation, I plan to play overseas and travel before having a set career,” she said. “The addition of 2 more years of eligibility to play at the collegiate level, due to my injury and the NCAA COVID year, allows me to get my Masters and continue to do what I love.”

Maldonado faced a season-ending injury after she tore her ACL early in 2021 and is still working to get her strength and statistics back up. Keeping past injuries at bay with physical therapy adds another thing to her exhausting schedule. Despite that challenge, she has bounced back this season, averaging six points, three rebounds and three assists a game.

“Currently, I’m a little over a year out from when I tore my ACL,” Maldonado said. “I’m feeling really good about my knee through constant rehab to help strengthen and improve it. I’m starting to feel like myself again and getting my confidence back, which obviously takes time, but I can feel a difference from the beginning of the season.”

With a record of 13-10 so far this season, the Broncos are in the make-or-break period–the time when injuries, sickness and sleep deprivation tend to catch up with athletes, making self care and time management all the more important. For Maldonado, getting to play basketball at an elite level is a dream come true–but between multiple daily practices and a full course load, finding time for hobbies and friends proves difficult.

“I think that time management has become a lot easier as I have been through this process for years now,” she said. “I think having a daily routine helps, but classes and basketball take up a lot of time. Finding time for yourself is difficult but very necessary.”

Changing rosters and coaching staff throw a wrench into the already-packed schedules of student athletes, who are expected to perform at the highest level despite the challenges that come with being in college.

Not only missing their friends and teammates, the athletes must revive their internal team structure each year. After losing seniors like Lindsey VanAllen and Merle Wiehl, the Broncos came into the ‘22-’23 season knowing it would be a year of rebuilding. This transition is hard for any team and acts as a test of the program’s strength.

“A lot of new girls in the program this year, but a very talented group,” said Maldonado. “We have a lot of youth and transfers so we are still trying to find chemistry and find our identity as a team. There was a lot of uncertainty of what our year would look like, but I think we are progressing to be the best we can be.”

For student athletes like Maldonado, the grind never stops. Basketball season is in full swing, and each passing day brings the Broncos closer to season championships.

“I think our end goal this year is to be WCC Champs,” she said. “This has been a goal of mine since I was a freshman, and recently beating ranked team Gonzaga has been another show of how capable we are of making it to the postseason and the NCAA tournament.”