‘I’ve always thought of myself as a fighter.’ Hampton U’s star is back from 3 major injuries as CAA Tournament begins.

Three years ago, Laren VanArsdale was in full sprint to becoming one of the greatest players in Hampton University women’s basketball history.

VanArsdale was Big South Freshman of the Year in 2018-19, when she averaged 15.7 points, scoring 29 in an upset of Colonial Athletic Association regular-season champion James Madison.

Her sophomore year, she averaged 15.2 points and earned All-Big South first-team honors as she played a conference-high 38.3 minutes per game. Then disaster struck.

VanArsdale’s sophomore season ended in the final regular-season game at Radford, where she tore the ACL in her right knee. That limited her to five games for the 2020-21 season, but she was working diligently for a comeback the following summer when she tore the ACL in her left knee.

That sidelined her for the entire 2021-22 season, though she entered this season with high hopes until she tore the meniscus in her right knee playing against No. 1-ranked and defending national champion South Carolina.

Through it all, VanArsdale, a 5-foot-3 senior from Powder Springs, Georgia, never gave up on herself. After missing more than six weeks with her latest injury, she capped a comeback that began in early February with 27 points Saturday in a 77-72 win over Delaware at the HU Convocation Center.

“I’ve always told myself I just needed that one game,” she said. “I never told myself that I wouldn’t be the same again, I just needed to see it one more time because scorers score and I can’t lose that.

“I had seen it some against Towson [with 19 points on Feb. 10], but I really saw it on Senior Night.”

Hampton coach David Six inspired her at halftime of Senior Night, with the Pirates trailing Delaware 37-25.

“I let her know that in my 14 years here, we’d never lost on Senior Night,” Six said. “She quietly said, `We’re not going to lose tonight.’”

Part of VanArsdale’s motivation was that the Delaware game might have been her final one at the Convocation Center. Because of the NCAA COVID-year exemption, she could play another season, but she’s undecided whether she’ll use it or begin courses at another school to become an anesthesiology assistant.

“I thought about how we [seniors] were never going to play on this floor again, so we’ve got to play with pride and go out with a bang,” VanArsdale said.

The Pirates trailed 65-60 with 5:32 to play in the fourth quarter, when Van Arsdale swished a 3-pointer to pull them within two points. She followed with a defensive rebound that led to Madison Buford’s 3 to give the Pirates a 66-65 lead.

They never trailed again as VanArsdale went 4 of 4 at the free-throw line in the final minute to seal the victory. Six said that VanArsdale is still adjusting to diminished lateral movement because of all of her injuries, but says she not far from the VanArsdale of old.

“She’s still quick, especially in a straight line,” he said. “Defensively, her quickness really helps us on the perimeter because she keeps her opponent in front of her and denies the ball.

“On film, you’ll see her try to put the ball on the floor a lot and try to go to the basket. I’ve told her she needs to start working more on catching and shooting because sometimes that’s the easiest thing.”

Following her performance Saturday, Delaware (16-13) will no doubt be breaking down lots of VanArsdale film as it prepares for a rematch with the Pirates (11-17) in the first round of the CAA tournament at noon today at Towson.

After the frustration of injuries and endless rehabilitation sessions, VanArsdale will enter the game with more confidence than she’s had in years.

“To be able to score like that, and do what I used to do, after all I’ve been through, is the greatest feeling ever,” she said. “Then, to get a win out of it is even better.

“I’ve always thought of myself as a fighter, but no one really knows how hard this has been. I’ve definitely learned from these injuries that if I put my mind to something and tell myself I’m coming back, then I’ll fight my way back.”

Marty O’Brien, 757-247-4963, mjobrien@dailypress.com. Twitter @MartyOBrienDP

CAA Tournament

At Towson University (Maryland)

Thursday’s second round

#8 Delaware vs. #9 Hampton, noon

#5 N.C. A&T vs. Hofstra/UNCW, 2:30 p.m.

#7 Monmouth vs. #10 Charleston, 5 p.m.

#6 Stony Brook vs. #11 Elon, 7:30 p.m.