In five seasons with the Orange and Brown, 82 games played, 2,341 minutes, 341 rebounds, 218 assists, and now 1,014 points with BGSU women’s basketball.
Ladies and gentlemen, the newest member of the 1,000 Career Point Club, Lexi Fleming.
In Bowling Green’s 74-60 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday night, Fleming became the ninth-fastest Falcon to reach 1,000 career collegiate points.
An achievement of years of hard work on and off the floor, Fleming gives props to her teammates, future and past, for helping her get to where she is today.
“It’s really special, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of obstacles, but it’s been really special to get it in one place,” said Fleming postgame. “I keep telling everyone you obviously can’t do that without your teammate, and I had a couple of past teammates here tonight. It’s just really special to see how the BG community is. Everyone knew, which was special, so scoring that basket here and everyone kind of erupting, it was just a great feeling to have.”
In the last five years, Fleming has found immense value in the Bowling Green community’s unwavering support for the program during her tenure with the Falcons.
“They are coming to support the team; they are coming to support wins and losses, and it just means so much to us; it means so much to me that they continue to come out; they continue to support us,” said Fleming. “Like I said previously, they knew it was a thousand points, like random people have banners for me; it was just very sweet that people go so much out of their way for this team.”
Head coach Fred Chmiel wasn’t short of kind words for Fleming, who has overcome multiple season-ending knee injuries to achieve this accomplishment.
“She’s a warrior. She’s relentless. She never gives in. She never gives up,” said Chmiel. “You know she may hit a bump in the road, but she’s always focused on the road ahead. I think [it’s] more than that thousand points; it’s her coming back year after year through all the serious stuff that she’s faced.”
Fleming’s ability to not only face adversity but to overcome obstacles is a skill that will help her beyond the game of basketball.
“It’s more than basketball; it’s life,” said Chmiel. “She’s going to go on from here, and she’s going to do great things and whatever she chooses to do because she is a fighter, and she does overcome. No matter what the obstacle is, she overcomes it.”
