SAN ANTONIO – When junior UTSA guard Sidney Love soared to block a shot as time expired in a 54-52 win against North Texas last Tuesday at the Convo that gave the Roadrunners sole possession of first place in the American Athletic Conference, it was hard not to think about what a journey it has been for both she and her team.
“I’ve come a long way,” Love said. “I used to be a horrible defender. I can’t win the game by myself; it was just a big play at the right time. But it feels good to win for this program, these girls and these coaches. It was exciting.”
When Karen Aston was hired as UTSA’s head coach on March 29, 2021, the Roadrunners had won just two games the season prior. She immediately went to work recruiting top talent, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Aston didn’t have wins or accolades to sell, so she banked on her stellar reputation as a highly successful head coach at Charlotte, North Texas and Texas, and the potential that existed at UTSA under the direction of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos. Recruiting San Antonio would be critical for the future of the program.
One of the players she immediately set her sights on was Love from Steele High School in Cibolo. Love, a well-known player in the Greater San Antonio area who came from a family of accomplished athletes, finished her prep career as the 2022 Co-District MVP, was the District Defensive MVP as a junior and a TGCA All-Star. She helped her team to the district championship in 2020 and 2021. Love also was a four-time academic all-district honoree with a 4.0 high school GPA.
For a variety of reasons, Love’s commitment to UTSA will go down as one of the most pivotal moments in the history of the program.
“I think it was really big to be able to get one of a couple of local products to buy in really early,” Aston said. “She was very well-respected in the community and had been part of a winning program that went on a great run her senior year. I think everybody knew that she was committed to helping us be better. It just sort of dominoed as far as the class she came in with.”
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Putting together the pieces of a puzzle is the perfect analogy for Love’s growth during her time at UTSA.
As a Christmas gift to Love in her freshman season, associate head coach Jamie Carey – who directly coaches the team’s guards and was, in her own right, a standout player at both the collegiate and professional levels – understood the symbolism. She encouraged her pupil to blaze a new trail both for herself and the program.
“She gave me a puzzle,” Love said. “It was a customized puzzle of me. She gave me a book with it about creating your own legacy. It really meant a lot and showed that she cared. It was this book about writing my own legacy, staying true to myself and doing what I know best. Just being comfortable with who I am as a player and a leader, to keep progressing and trusting the process. It was a really meaningful present.”
Carey knew that for the program to reach the lofty goals that the players and coaches had for themselves, it would require Love to set a high standard. She understood, from the beginning, the significance of Love’s decision to attend UTSA.
“When we first came here, we needed somebody that wanted to build a legacy,” Carey said. “This was a way for me to let her know that’s what I thought of her. I see a lot in Sid. She’s somebody that is very loyal, hard-working and first in everything. She doesn’t miss a dotted I or a crossed T. She is a kid who is a legacy builder.”
It was a role that Love didn’t realize that she was assuming, but one that she welcomed.
“To be honest, I didn’t know that, but I hoped for that,” Love said. “That’s the type of person that I am. I’ll stick with the process and hopefully make something shake or turn something around that makes people notice us. I feel like the people I came here with are exactly those types of people too. We’ve stuck together for three years now and that’s another thing that makes us so strong.”
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Love’s transition to UTSA was anything but easy.
There’s always an adjustment from the high school to collegiate levels, but she didn’t have time to observe and learn from the bench. The Roadrunners’ need for a player like Love immediately thrust her into a starting role. She averaged 28.5 minutes per game as a freshman, making 23 starts.
Just like Love, the UTSA team was experiencing growing pains as the culture was still being built. The Roadrunners were victorious in 13 games that 2022-23 season, which nearly doubled the previous season’s win total.
“It was really, really tough,” Love said. “I had to find where I could help this team grow little by little. They were baby steps because I was still trying to grow myself. I’m still growing to this day, but we’re a little further along in the process now. I try to embrace challenges and take them head on. I don’t want to quit or let them get the best of me. I’ve been surrounded by people who want to make me a better person and a better player to help the team in general.”
While Love was forced to grow at a rapid pace, she had a tremendous role model in Kyra White, a Converse native who had transferred to UTSA from the University of Southern California and now plays professionally overseas. Like Love, White played the point guard and shooting guard positions.
“Kyra White really helped me be a leader,” Love said. “I was really just listening to her and trying to absorb information from her. Watching her and talking to her. Coach Jamie and Coach Aston told me as a point guard that it was going to be hard. A lot of stuff was going to be on me, but I had to learn to take it with a grain of salt. I had to learn how to be a positive and effective leader through the negatives. I feel like I’ve just grown so much here.”
There as mentor every step of the way, Carey has watched Love’s evolution with pride.
“We watched her struggle when she was young and playing every single minute as a freshman,” Carey said. “Not everybody gets that opportunity, but it’s also a heavy load to carry. She took her lumps from it. But to watch her grow and see how much confidence she has now, it’s just been amazing to watch. I’m glad she’s feeling the success that she is because she’s earned it.”
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The opportunity to make women’s college basketball relevant in San Antonio was exactly what Love was seeking when she made her collegiate decision. Instead of opting to play for a program with an established tradition, Love wanted to build something special in her hometown.
“I knew a lot of people around San Antonio knew me, so I just wanted them to know you can make basketball a dream, a legacy and a path for yourself in your own city,” she said. “I hope a lot of San Antonio kids want to come here, especially since they see this growth in such a short amount of time.”
Looking back at the influences on UTSA’s program that have created the foundation for its impressive ascent, Love is a central figure whose fingerprints can be found all over the building blocks.
“She’s had her hand in everything,” Carey said. “She’s been the foundation of what we’ve been building here since the day that she became one of our early commits.”
Entering Wednesday night’s game against East Carolina, the Roadrunners are 20-3 on the season with an 11-1 mark in American Athletic Conference play. UTSA is off to the best start in school history and has achieved the first 20-win campaign since 2008-09.
Love is committed to staying in the moment and helping the Roadrunners achieve their ultimate goals.
“We’re at 20 wins right now – that’s hard to do and I’m super proud of us,” she said. “But we’re just going to keep going. We’re hopefully going to go dancing. That’s the goal and everybody is invested in that goal.”