Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Clovis High grad Nichelle Hyman works against a defender during a recent Texas-Rio Grand Valley game at Edinburg, Texas. Hyman has dealt with injuries at times this season, but has helped the Vaqueros post a 14-8 record heading into a home game tongiht against Seattle University.
Editor's note: This story is part of a series about area players in college programs.
EDINBURG, Texas — As she gets into the flow of Division I college basketball, 2015 Clovis High grad Nichelle Hyman is finding the game can occasionally take a physical toll.
Playing her second year at Texas-Rio Grande Valley (formerly Texas-Pan American), the 5-foot-10 sophomore guard has fought through a series of injuries this season in helping the Vaqueros to a 14-8 record, including 4-2 in the far-flung Western Athletic Conference.
So far, she's been slowed by a shoulder injury, a concussion and a sprained ankle. Still, Hyman has managed to play in 18 games, including seven starts, and is averaging nearly five points per outing.
"Overall, it's been good," Hyman said on Friday, a day after the Vaqueros defeated WAC foe Utah Valley State 64-55 at Edinburg to improve to 10-1 at home this season. "I've had a couple of injuries this year, but everything's been going well.
"I've had injuries in the past, but not as frequently as this year."
Veteran coach Larry Tidwell, who took over the program four years ago while it was still Pan American, said Hyman has become a valuable member of the squad.
"Nichelle has progressed into a very good Division I player," said Tidwell, who has coached for 41 years at the high school and college level. "This year she's been slowed by injuries, but she's one of my best on-ball defenders.
"She came from a great high school program. Her parents are very supportive, and they've brought her up the right way. She's a very responsible person."
The highlight for Hyman this season was a career-best 16-point outing in an 82-74 win over Prairie View A&M in November, good enough to lead the team in scoring that night.
Probably the toughest thing the team — and everyone in the conference, for that matter — has to deal with is the travel. The Vaqueros host Seattle University tonight, while others in the league include Cal State-Bakersfield, New Mexico State, Grand Canyon in Phoenix, Chicago State and Missouri-Kansas City.
In addition, their non-conference schedule has included games at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Houston and Nebraska.
Tidwell, who has had stops at places like Baylor and TCU as an assistant coach, acknowledges the travel is challenging. The team busses about 30 miles south to McAllen to fly out on trips.
"I've never seen anything like the travel in our league," he said. "You have games from Mexico to Canada, from Los Angeles to Chicago."
Trying to maintain grades is tough as well, but Tidwell said the team has a cumulative grade point average of 3.1.
Hyman, a biology major at UTRGV, averaged three points in 33 games (four starts) on last year's 19-14 squad that reached the WAC tournament final before losing to NMSU. She said she's happy to perform whatever role is required on the team.
"It's not about who's starting, it's about winning games," she said. "I would love to start (full-time), but I want to do what it takes to win games."
