Feb. 3, 2005
By Ashley Washington Clemson Sports Information
“If anything is worth doing, it’s worth doing the best that you can”. This serves not only as advice that the Lady Tigers’ Amanda White gives to fellow teammates and peers, but also as the motto that guides her life.
As a two-sport athlete (basketball, volleyball) at Hillcrest High School, White became the second girls’ basketball player ever to have her jersey retired. White received the honor after scoring 1,408 career points, breaking the previous school record.
During her first season at Clemson, White performed well both on and off the court. “Freshman year was crazy because I was adjusting to school life and learning how to play for a new coach,” she said.
While aspiring after the dream to become a second-grade teacher, White puts every effort into her classes. White finished this past fall semester on the President’s list with a 4.0 GPA, just as she had as a freshman. Performing well on the court during her first season was good, but becoming a member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll made it even better.
In elementary school, it was White’s second-grade teacher, Joy Dillard, that inspired her to want to become a teacher. “She was more like a friend, and she gave us a lot of responsibility.” White hopes to have the same effect on her students some day just as Dillard had, allowing them to be as creative as possible each day.
As White made her first two seasons as a Lady Tiger special both on the court and academically, her boyfriend, Dan Frist, decided to make her third season special in his own way.
This past fall semester, one week before the Lady Tigers began team practices, Frist proposed to White. “It was a Friday night, Dan and I had gone to Glassy Mountain in Pickens. We were standing near the top of the mountain and he asked me to marry him and of course I said yes!”
White had requested that they be alone if Frist ever chose to propose. “I could see him doing it during halftime during one of our games. I did NOT want that to happen!”
Frist fulfilled that request, but he knew that the night had to be special. “We began walking back to our car and as we got closer to the top, I just happened to look up. When I looked up, about 15 of my closest high school friends and two of my closest teammates were standing on the top of the hill. When they saw me, they all ran down screaming ‘You’re getting married!'”
Riding away in a stretch Ford Excursion, the group of girls celebrated the engagement in Greenville over dinner and ice cream at the Marble Slab. “I’m really thrilled about it. My friends and teammates are so excited, and my family is really looking forward to it. It’s fun for everyone to be excited with me.”
While dealing with all of the excitement that is surrounding her life off the court, White still prepares to play her best on each game day. White currently leads the team in rebounds, averaging 6.4 per game. She recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in Clemson’s most recent game versus Miami.
“Whatever the Lord gives you to do, do it with all that you have,” says White.
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