Christina Callaway

Steve Virgen

The turning point of Christina Callaway’s season, rather her

basketball playing life, came Nov. 31 when the UC Irvine women’s

basketball team defeated William & Mary, 70-67. That’s when the light

switch turned on for Callaway. That’s when Callaway realized she

belonged on the NCAA Division I level and she was meant to succeed.

Callaway, the Anteaters’ leading scorer and rebounder this season,

scored a career-high 24 points to go with 11 rebounds to lead UCI to

the win in the Holiday Inn Mountain View Invitational, hosted by the

University of New Mexico.

She shot 9 for 11 from the field and was named to the

all-tournament team.

More importantly, Callaway received confidence, the belief that

she was better than her sophomore season and better than she ever

thought she could be.

Last season, Callaway shot less than 40% from the field, but, this

year, the 6-foot junior forward, who uses quickness to beat her

defender to the basket, is shooting 48% from the field.

“I have a lot more confidence in myself than I did last year,”

Callaway said. “Against William & Mary, that’s when I saw myself

playing harder and playing better. I’ve done so much better than last

year. That turned me around and made me better.”

When asked if she was surprised by her improvement over the

offseason, she offered the truth.

“You should have seen me last year,” Callaway said, referring to

the low amount of confidence she played with. “I am a little bit

surprised about this year.”

Nevertheless, Callaway’s confidence has led her to a successful

season that more than likely will garner her first-team All-Big West

honors. In the process, she has been one of four returnees whom have

helped turn around UCI’s season.

The Anteaters finished 8-20, 5-11 in the Big West last year. This

season, UCI is in second place in the Big West at 9-5, with an

overall record of 16-9.

“This year, we’re more of a team,” Callaway said. “We’re more like

a family.

“We understand the plays. Last year, we liked each other, but we

weren’t a family. Once we started losing it was downhill from there.

“This year, we love playing basketball and we love going to

practice. We know we’re going to be good. We just have to play as a

team.”

In February, Callaway, the Daily Pilot College Athlete of the

Month, led the Anteaters to a 5-2 record. She scored 89 points (13

per game) and grabbed 43 rebounds (7.6 per game). She has started in

every game this season.

“It’s a little bit of a surprise that she has improved,” UCI Coach

Mark Adams said. “Last year she wasn’t playing with as much

confidence as she is now. She is a kid who has to play on instincts.

And, we’ve told her to do that. She is very productive. She has

certainly stepped up.”

Adams said hard work is the primary reason Callaway has improved.

He said she has always been a tireless worker and an aggressive

basketball player.

There have been times when it appeared Calloway would faint from

exhaustion, but she continued to play, Adams said. Now, she applies

that effort to her mentality.

“She has been a lot stronger mentally,” Adams said. “She has good

basketball instincts. She’s a fairly complete player. She has been

pretty consistent out there. She deserves all-conference recognition,

that’s for sure.”

Along with Callaway’s confidence has come a high level of

maturity. She has been able to become one of the leaders on the

squad, and not just with statistics.

“Her maturity is on a different level than last year,” Adams said.

“She has changed her mentality a lot. A lot of kids have done the

same thing. Lisa Faulkner, Kristen Green and Wendy Gabbe, it has all

rubbed off on all of them.”

With their improvement this season, the Anteaters are confident

more people will come to realize the pleasant brand of basketball the

team has been playing.

“I don’t think we’ve gotten that much exposure,” Callaway said. “A

lot of people don’t realize how good our team really is.”

Until this season, Callaway never realized how great she could be.