SPANISH FORT, Ala. – Spanish Fort's Allison Whitley signed scholarship papers last week to play basketball for Faulkner University in Montgomery.

The 6-foot-1 Lady Toros' senior post player signed to play with the NAIA Eagles in the Spanish Fort High library Dec. 15 after being impressed with the University's coaching staff, players and the curriculum.

“I talked to the coach (Reed Sutton) and some of the players from the team and I loved the atmosphere up there,” she said. “It's a really good school and the facilities are nice. I hope not to red shirt and play a lot my first year.”

Whitley said she has loved the game since she was very young, but started thinking seriously about playing beyond high school when she was a sophomore. It was a year she was forced to sit out the season as a transfer.

“The year I sat out was awful,” she said. “All I wanted to do was play. It was completely worth it, though.”

Spanish Fort girls athletic director and former coach George Brown said he knew Whitley's ability and drive to improve would make up for the year off the court.

“She was a little unsure of that because she loved the game so much,” he said. “It just says a lot about her character of being able to stick through it and get through that one year of not being able to play. She’s really come on strong now and it tells you what kind of athlete she is and what kind of player she is, to miss that one year and come back and have two solid seasons.”

Lady Toros head coach Justin Moore, who took over the Lady Toros basketball program this year, said the 6-foot-1 Whitley was a role model on and off the court.

“This is an exciting time,” he said. “When a player can, through working hard and dedication, provide for their own education and represent their school and community, too. Not only is this a great individual goal for Allison, but it’s also a great day for our program. This is really why we play and coach, for opportunities like this. We’re really proud of her.”

Whitley is averaging 9.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this season.

The daughter of Cindy Norton and step-daughter of Ray Norton of Spanish Fort, Whitley is considering a major in physical therapy but possibly law school one day as well. She said there were a lot of people to thank for helping her dream come true.

“I have to thank my parents," she said. “For so many times that I just thought, may be, it was too hard. But they made me realize it's worth it. And Coach Brown and coach Moore for all they have done, too. My goal was to get a scholarship and they all made it possible. I love basketball and have played since I was seven. I just wanted to keep going with it.”

Sutton attended the signing and said Whitley would be a good fit next year for the Eagles women who are off to a great start.

“This is a very big deal for us at Faulkner University,” he said. “We’re off to an exciting start (10-1 as of Dec. 15.) and we’re excited about Allison fitting into that mix and becoming a great player for us. Not only are we winning now, but hopefully we can continue to add great players like Allison to win in the future.”

Sutton noticed Whitley by chance at an AAU tournament in New Orleans last summer. “I was there to watch another player on another team,” he said. "But as soon as I saw Allison play, I went to talk to her coach rightaway. I was immediately impressed with her play. But the more I learnedabout her as a person and student, that's when I knew she would be the type of person we wanted.”