Success and growth define CU hoop career for Karah Walton
by Jim Sawin, sports information intern
CEDARVILLE, Ohio (2-1-2007) - Karah Walton is considered by many to be the best all-around athlete to ever wear a women's basketball uniform at Cedarville University. Add the fact that 5-foot-11 point guards are unheard of at the NAIA level makes it easier to understand why the presence of the All-American has been key to the Lady Jackets' accomplishments. She was prepped at Worthington (Ohio) Christian High School near Columbus and it took a friend to introduce her to CU during her sophomore year.
"One of my best friends in high school was going to come to Cedarville and she really encouraged me to come here," said Walton. "So I looked at it and started talking to Coach Martin."
With NCAA Division I schools Bowling Green and Indiana pursuing Walton, Karah wasn't interested in Cedarville until she went on a mission's trip her senior year of high school to the Dominican Republic with the Lady Jacket basketball team.
"I had never been a part of a team that actually loved each other," said Walton. "Just watching them care about each other and trying to get to know me was really cool. After the trip, I knew I wouldn't be able to find this [type of team] at a secular school so I decided to come to Cedarville."
Walton is a fantastic all-around athlete, lettering in four different high school sports. She also graduated from Worthington Christian as the all-time goals scored leader in soccer with 60 in only three years. Karah contemplated playing soccer in college, but with the seasons overlapping, she decided to go with the sport she is most passionate about - basketball.
"She was the most heavily recruited athlete we have ever had," said CU head coach Kirk Martin. "We have a 5-11 point guard that triggers both our offense and defense. She is by far the most athletic player I have ever coached."
Walton has learned a lot over the years, but her growing relationship with God has meant the most to CU's 15th 1,000-point scorer. Even though she attended a Christian high school, Karah didn't feel very close to God until she came to Cedarville University and witnessed what it meant to commune with God and glorify Him through basketball.
"I had a lot of head knowledge about God because I went to a Christian high school, but I never really developed my faith or made a relationship with Christ during those years," said Walton. "When I was a freshman in college, we lost in the NAIA championship game and I remember Julie Stauffer saying it's just a game and it's more important to share Christ. After seeing Julie's attitude and praying with the other team after the game, I've tried to make [sharing Christ] my priority over basketball as well."
Stauffer, a senior guard during the 2003-04 season, sparked Karah's passion for keeping her priorities in check, simply by watching Julie's on-and-off-the-court actions. Karah has never forgotten the time Stauffer rallied around the team after that tough loss to give glory to God, and she uses that memorable moment as motivation for honoring Christ in the game of basketball.
"I've realized more and more how to give God the glory through basketball and not just play for myself or my stats or to win. It started at Nationals and has progressed since then," explained Karah. "I really need to play for God and I've been getting more comfortable being bold when sharing my faith with other teams."
After a successful junior campaign in which Walton averaged 13.4 points per game and nearly five assists per contest, the NAIA Division II Third Team All-American has dealt with some adversity this season. Just three days before this year's opening game, Karah broke her right index finger in practice, forcing her to miss the first seven games of the season and play the rest of the year with the injury.
"I was expecting to play in all of my games my senior year at full strength but it just didn't happen," said Walton. "But God continues to teach me, even through this."
The senior has persevered all season through the difficult circumstances and still hopes to make one last trip to the NAIA championship game in Sioux City, Iowa. The Lady Jackets are currently ranked No. 5 in the nation without even playing their best basketball.
"We haven't peaked yet," commented Martin. "With all our injuries this season, the main question is 'can we peak?'"
If this team is able to peak, they may be able to make a run at the national title behind their floor general, Karah Walton. However, no matter what the outcome, one thing is certain - Karah will make honoring God a priority.
