SE: Big 12-Tested, NBA Champ-Approved, Goodson Ready for Next Chapter
Apr 27, 2020 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Somehow, Sydney Goodson's road to K-State took four years and less than four hours.
"My name was in the [transfer] portal on a Monday morning and Coach Mittie FaceTimed me Monday morning," she said. "We had a great conversation and I was pretty sure I was going to K-State. I talked to a couple different schools and then I was like, 'Yep, I want to go to K-State.' It was a super easy decision. There wasn't even like a close second place."
Goodson will join the Wildcats as a graduate transfer for the 2020-21 season, looking to write the final chapter of her college career as one of the Big 12's most consistent performers.
After spending her freshman season at Arizona State, Goodson made the move to Texas Tech where she started 47 games for the Lady Raiders over two seasons.
That FaceTime call with Coach Mittie helped seal the deal, but Goodson also wanted one last chance to navigate one of the most challenging conferences in women's college basketball.
"It's so physical and everybody in the Big 12 is really tough. It's one of those things where anybody can beat anybody on any given night," she said. "I think it's a really cool challenge and you're familiar with all of the players. You're friends off the court with a bunch of them, just because you've played against them for so many years."
That bond was clear when Goodson announced her decision to transfer to K-State on Twitter. Messages poured in from former teammates and coaches, snapshots of the different stops in Goodson's long and winding basketball life.
Growing up in Argyle, Texas – just outside of Dallas – Goodson turned in an impressive prep career at Liberty Christian, leading the Warriors to back-to-back state titles.
She had an early mentor in her AAU coach, former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry.
"He got my spark for basketball going a little bit because he had this team that I got to play on and I was like, 'This is what I want to do,'" she said. "We would show up to practice and he would work out before us, so you would come in and he was just drenched in sweat getting buckets. You see him shoot and he wouldn't miss two in a row."
Goodson played under Terry in middle school, holding down the backcourt for an AAU team stacked with future college stars.
Seriously, the fact that they were called the Lady Jets isn't even the coolest thing about this team.
Goodson teamed up with Natalie Chou, who led Baylor in three-point percentage before transferring to UCLA, and Ciera Johnson, who finished among the SEC leaders in rebounds and blocks with Texas A&M last season. All told, six players on the roster are now playing in college.
After committing to Arizona State, Goodson appeared in 27 games for a nationally-ranked Sun Devils team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2016.
"It's funny because now I love playing on both sides of the ball. I love offense and that scorer's mentality, but I also love getting steals, rebounds, and the gritty stuff that's not always on the stat sheet," Goodson said. "That's one big thing I learned at Arizona State."
Before her sophomore season, Goodson made the decision to transfer closer to home at Texas Tech.
"I remember when I was coming in to Tech, I was so terrified and nervous about the workouts and if I was going to be in shape, or if I was strong enough," she said.
Turns out, that wouldn't be a problem. Goodson's motor was one of her biggest strengths in Lubbock, as she averaged 33.5 minutes per game during two seasons with the Lady Raiders.
As a sophomore, Goodson helped a 14-17 Texas Tech team double their win total from the previous season, one she had to watch from the sidelines due to NCAA transfer rules. She finished third on the Lady Raiders in scoring (10.8 ppg) while logging the third-most minutes in the Big 12.
Then, Goodson and Texas Tech posted an 18-win season, the team's best finish since 2013, as she did a little bit of everything from the backcourt while making plays like this:
"The hardest part about leaving Tech was leaving my teammates," Goodson said. "At the end of the day, they want me to be happy and they're going to support me no matter what that looks like. I've been through it all with them, so they know a lot of my story."
The last chapter in that story will begin when Goodson takes the floor at Bramlage Coliseum wearing a K-State uniform for the first time. Off the court, she's excited to room with new teammate Savannah Simmons and get involved in the K-State chapter of Athletes in Action.
On the court, Goodson is ready to pour four years of experience into one season with the Wildcats. Like a behind-the-back pass in transition, ending her college career at K-State is somehow completely unexpected and exactly how Goodson drew it up.
"I know what kind of player I am and how to lead. I know the coaches will help me with adjusting and I'm not going to shy away from the challenge. Extra film, extra practice, whatever it takes," she said. "It's going to be a new adventure, but it's all part of the journey."
Somehow, Sydney Goodson's road to K-State took four years and less than four hours.
"My name was in the [transfer] portal on a Monday morning and Coach Mittie FaceTimed me Monday morning," she said. "We had a great conversation and I was pretty sure I was going to K-State. I talked to a couple different schools and then I was like, 'Yep, I want to go to K-State.' It was a super easy decision. There wasn't even like a close second place."
Goodson will join the Wildcats as a graduate transfer for the 2020-21 season, looking to write the final chapter of her college career as one of the Big 12's most consistent performers.
After spending her freshman season at Arizona State, Goodson made the move to Texas Tech where she started 47 games for the Lady Raiders over two seasons.
That FaceTime call with Coach Mittie helped seal the deal, but Goodson also wanted one last chance to navigate one of the most challenging conferences in women's college basketball.
"It's so physical and everybody in the Big 12 is really tough. It's one of those things where anybody can beat anybody on any given night," she said. "I think it's a really cool challenge and you're familiar with all of the players. You're friends off the court with a bunch of them, just because you've played against them for so many years."
That bond was clear when Goodson announced her decision to transfer to K-State on Twitter. Messages poured in from former teammates and coaches, snapshots of the different stops in Goodson's long and winding basketball life.
Growing up in Argyle, Texas – just outside of Dallas – Goodson turned in an impressive prep career at Liberty Christian, leading the Warriors to back-to-back state titles.
She had an early mentor in her AAU coach, former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry.
"He got my spark for basketball going a little bit because he had this team that I got to play on and I was like, 'This is what I want to do,'" she said. "We would show up to practice and he would work out before us, so you would come in and he was just drenched in sweat getting buckets. You see him shoot and he wouldn't miss two in a row."
Goodson played under Terry in middle school, holding down the backcourt for an AAU team stacked with future college stars.
Seriously, the fact that they were called the Lady Jets isn't even the coolest thing about this team.
Goodson teamed up with Natalie Chou, who led Baylor in three-point percentage before transferring to UCLA, and Ciera Johnson, who finished among the SEC leaders in rebounds and blocks with Texas A&M last season. All told, six players on the roster are now playing in college.
After committing to Arizona State, Goodson appeared in 27 games for a nationally-ranked Sun Devils team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2016.
"It's funny because now I love playing on both sides of the ball. I love offense and that scorer's mentality, but I also love getting steals, rebounds, and the gritty stuff that's not always on the stat sheet," Goodson said. "That's one big thing I learned at Arizona State."
Before her sophomore season, Goodson made the decision to transfer closer to home at Texas Tech.
"I remember when I was coming in to Tech, I was so terrified and nervous about the workouts and if I was going to be in shape, or if I was strong enough," she said.
Turns out, that wouldn't be a problem. Goodson's motor was one of her biggest strengths in Lubbock, as she averaged 33.5 minutes per game during two seasons with the Lady Raiders.
As a sophomore, Goodson helped a 14-17 Texas Tech team double their win total from the previous season, one she had to watch from the sidelines due to NCAA transfer rules. She finished third on the Lady Raiders in scoring (10.8 ppg) while logging the third-most minutes in the Big 12.
Then, Goodson and Texas Tech posted an 18-win season, the team's best finish since 2013, as she did a little bit of everything from the backcourt while making plays like this:
Sydney Goodson ➡ Zuri Sanders for 2⃣. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/cELEPGGLYv
— Lady Raider WBB (@LadyRaiderWBB) March 6, 2019
"The hardest part about leaving Tech was leaving my teammates," Goodson said. "At the end of the day, they want me to be happy and they're going to support me no matter what that looks like. I've been through it all with them, so they know a lot of my story."
The last chapter in that story will begin when Goodson takes the floor at Bramlage Coliseum wearing a K-State uniform for the first time. Off the court, she's excited to room with new teammate Savannah Simmons and get involved in the K-State chapter of Athletes in Action.
On the court, Goodson is ready to pour four years of experience into one season with the Wildcats. Like a behind-the-back pass in transition, ending her college career at K-State is somehow completely unexpected and exactly how Goodson drew it up.
"I know what kind of player I am and how to lead. I know the coaches will help me with adjusting and I'm not going to shy away from the challenge. Extra film, extra practice, whatever it takes," she said. "It's going to be a new adventure, but it's all part of the journey."
Players Mentioned
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