Bella Vaillant (BW Athletics)
BEREA, Ohio — Perrysburg graduate Bella Vaillant was among 32 Baldwin Wallace University basketball players who had the unique opportunity to participate in a faculty-led study abroad program in Ireland and Northern Ireland in August.
Last year Valiant, a 5-foot-11 junior, was a D3hoops.com All-Region 7 first team honoree, an All-Ohio Athletic Conference first-team selection and appeared and started in all 29 games.
Vaillant led the team in scoring with 10 points-per-contest, led the team and was tied for third in the Ohio Athletic Conference in rebounding with a career-best 7.89 rebounds-per-game, recorded a career-high 29 assists, and she also tallied 15 steals and a career-best 11 blocks.
Vaillant was a D3hoops.com Team of the Week selection on December 12 and an OAC Player of the Week on December 11.
The BW mens and womens teams each played two exhibitions and were immersed in the cultures of the two countries, including visits to Dublin, Belfast and Care Hill Park.
Vaillant, who is majoring in pre-allied health and pre-physical therapy, completed the 12-day experience led by women’s basketball coach Cheri Harrer and men’s basketball coach Tom Neil. For student-athletes, studying abroad can be challenging to fit into demanding schedules of practices and competitions.
“Team trips uniquely blend the academic benefits of studying abroad with their passion for sports, making them invaluable,” said BW Athletic Director Steve Thompson.
Prior to leaving, Harrer explained, “It’s really more about the experience and the educational piece than the basketball. Basketball’s just the avenue to get it done.”
Heil added, “To grow the relationships between players and coaches and girls’ players and guys’ players, it’s a unique opportunity that I think is an exceptional experience.”
The BW Center for Global Exploration engages students through global exploration and off-campus study that enhances personal growth, educational enrichment and career development as part of the university’s liberal arts effort to cultivate contributing and compassionate citizens.
Through faculty-led and independent study abroad opportunities, students can build strong communication skills, enhanced critical thinking and personal confidence from trekking the unknown.
Baldwin Wallace University, founded in 1845, was one of the first colleges to admit students without regard to race or gender. An independent, coeducational university of 3,500 students, BW offers coursework in the liberal arts tradition in more than 75 academic areas. Located in Berea, 12 miles from downtown Cleveland, BW offers students the cultural, educational and business advantages of a major metropolitan area.
