MEEKER I Meeker High School graduate Kaysyn Chintala went to Colby Community College in Colby, Kan., on a volleyball scholarship, but she has since switched schools and sports while making plans to continue her education at a four-year school.
Chintala was an all-conference volleyball and basketball player in high school, chosen by coaches to play in both all-state games as a senior. She realized during her college freshman volleyball season how much she missed her real passion, which was basketball, and she began practicing with the Colby basketball team, finishing as a red-shirt freshman in basketball.
“It just showed me how much I really love basketball,” Chintala said. “It’s a whole different game once you get to college.”
After being seen playing in a scrimmage, Chintala was offered a basketball scholarship to play for Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland, Kan., in May of 2014, when she came off the bench as a point guard and the team finished the season with a 7-22 record.
Chintala was the starting point guard in the 2015-2016 season and helped her team to 21-9 record while setting several school records at NWKTC.
Chintala holds single season records in three-point field goals made (70) and assists (125), which is also a career record. Chintala was second in the Region 6 in assists and third in three-point field goal shooting percentage.
“Kaysyn is a living example of what hard work can do,” NWKTC coach Landon Steele said about Chintala at the school’s awards banquet, where her efforts were recognized. “She went from playing limited minutes to making one of the best point guards in Maverick history.”
Chintala has decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in sports management and has been recruited by many four-year schools as a point guard, but she has yet to decide where she will attend next fall.