K-State’s Middlebrook Moves into Student Assistant Role
Jan 04, 2018 | Women's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kansas – Kansas State senior guard Karyla Middlebrook and head coach Jeff Mittie have announced the conclusion of Middlebrook's playing career and her transition into a student assistant coaching role with the women's basketball program.
"After a long offseason with five surgeries, that is a tough task for anybody to come back from," said Middlebrook about her attempt to return to action this season. "I had a great support staff. Our trainers, a couple of doctors in Manhattan, a doctor in Cleveland, the coaches, my parents and after seeing that I wasn't progressing the way we were hoping and my ankle and Achilles were getting a little worse after these last couple of games. We all sat down and made the decision. Obviously it is not the way you want to end your career, especially being a fifth year senior. I was really looking forward to this last season, but that is how the cards were dealt."
During her K-State career following a three-season stint at Alabama, Middlebrook saw action in 37 career games with including 31 starts. The product of Blue Springs, Missouri, registered 8.7 points, including 114 free throws made, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists while helping K-State to a second round appearance in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Middlebrook registered career-highs of 27 points at Oklahoma on Jan. 4, 2017, and handed out a career-high eight assists at TCU on Feb. 18, 2017.
Middlebrook is looking forward to her next stage of development within the game of basketball, as she transitions to the K-State coaching staff as a student assistant.
"I am excited. There is a lot of knowledge on this coaching staff between Coach Mittie, Coach Ostermann, Coach Carr and Coach Jayci (Stone), all of them. I have a lot to learn from them. I think it will be good for me and after playing with this team and knowing what they see as well, I will be able to help them a little more.
"It will also be special for me because we have such great fans and just to be able to still contribute to the team and help give them something to cheer for. They were awesome my first game back against UNI. That standing ovation was not something I was expecting at all. Just to be able to repay them for that is something I am excited for."
"It's always tough when injuries impact a student -athlete's career, unfortunately it is part of competitive athletics," said Mittie. "Karyla's off season was as tough as any player I have coached. She worked incredibly hard to get back. Her ankle and foot just didn't respond the way we all hoped. She has been a tremendous part of our program. I am looking forward to having her help our program as a student coach and being impactful in her new position."
Kansas State will host (8/8) Texas on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday's game marks K-State's annual participation in the Play 4 Kay initiative. The first 4,000 fans will receive a free pink K-State women's basketball shirt, while the team will be wearing pink uniforms.
"After a long offseason with five surgeries, that is a tough task for anybody to come back from," said Middlebrook about her attempt to return to action this season. "I had a great support staff. Our trainers, a couple of doctors in Manhattan, a doctor in Cleveland, the coaches, my parents and after seeing that I wasn't progressing the way we were hoping and my ankle and Achilles were getting a little worse after these last couple of games. We all sat down and made the decision. Obviously it is not the way you want to end your career, especially being a fifth year senior. I was really looking forward to this last season, but that is how the cards were dealt."
During her K-State career following a three-season stint at Alabama, Middlebrook saw action in 37 career games with including 31 starts. The product of Blue Springs, Missouri, registered 8.7 points, including 114 free throws made, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists while helping K-State to a second round appearance in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Middlebrook registered career-highs of 27 points at Oklahoma on Jan. 4, 2017, and handed out a career-high eight assists at TCU on Feb. 18, 2017.
Middlebrook is looking forward to her next stage of development within the game of basketball, as she transitions to the K-State coaching staff as a student assistant.
"I am excited. There is a lot of knowledge on this coaching staff between Coach Mittie, Coach Ostermann, Coach Carr and Coach Jayci (Stone), all of them. I have a lot to learn from them. I think it will be good for me and after playing with this team and knowing what they see as well, I will be able to help them a little more.
"It will also be special for me because we have such great fans and just to be able to still contribute to the team and help give them something to cheer for. They were awesome my first game back against UNI. That standing ovation was not something I was expecting at all. Just to be able to repay them for that is something I am excited for."
"It's always tough when injuries impact a student -athlete's career, unfortunately it is part of competitive athletics," said Mittie. "Karyla's off season was as tough as any player I have coached. She worked incredibly hard to get back. Her ankle and foot just didn't respond the way we all hoped. She has been a tremendous part of our program. I am looking forward to having her help our program as a student coach and being impactful in her new position."
Kansas State will host (8/8) Texas on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday's game marks K-State's annual participation in the Play 4 Kay initiative. The first 4,000 fans will receive a free pink K-State women's basketball shirt, while the team will be wearing pink uniforms.
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