Hailey Van Lith
A fiercely competitive scoring guard whose clutch performances at Louisville made her a college star and first-round WNBA prospect.
Born 2001 (age 25)·American basketball player·Birthday: September 9·Generation Z
Biography
Hailey Van Lith plays basketball with a trademark scowl and a scorer's heart. From Cashmere, Washington, she exploded onto the national scene as a high school phenomenon, her talent undeniable. At the University of Louisville, she found a perfect stage, transforming into a fearless leader and bucket-getter for coach Jeff Walz. Van Lith's game was built on tenacity; she hunted big moments, hitting crucial shots in deep NCAA Tournament runs that cemented her reputation as a player who refused to shrink. Her journey took unexpected turns with high-profile transfers to LSU and later TCU for her final college season, searches for new challenges and fits. Through it all, her identity remained clear: a tough, shot-making guard who could take over a game. Drafted into the WNBA, she brought that same unwavering confidence to the professional ranks, ready to prove her relentless style translates against the world's best.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Hailey was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hailey Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Hailey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Louisville Cardinals to the NCAA Women's Final Four in 2022, earning All-Tournament Team honors.
- Was named a First-Team All-ACC selection in 2023 after a standout junior season at Louisville.
- Selected in the first round of the WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.
- Was a McDonald's All-American and national high school player of the year finalist.
Did You Know?
She gained a large social media following during her college career, known for her intense on-court demeanor.
She played for Team USA, winning a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Women's World Cup.
In high school, she once scored 57 points in a single game.
“I don't smile on the court because I'm not there to make friends.”
