ASU Women’s Basketball: Motivated by a knee injury, Sydnei Caldwell focusing on 2020-2021

(Photo: Travis Whittaker/WCSN)

In most respects, Sydnei Caldwell’s freshman season at Arizona State was far from her expectation for it.

The rising sophomore guard from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, was mired down by a cartilage injury in her right knee that required surgery prior to the campaign, something that — in combination with the Sun Devils’ depth at her position — allowed her to see action in just 18 games.

However, Caldwell’s knee injury was an afterthought in early March when she learned the Sun Devils 2019-2020 season was abruptly ended prior to what was expected to be the program’s seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. She remembers feeling a sense of complete disbelief when the tournament was canceled for the first time in 81 years.

“It didn’t quite register with me at first,” Caldwell said. “It took me a few days to process everything. It was very upsetting because we were coming off a loss in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. So we were working hard to send our seniors out with a bang in the NCAA Tournament. Not being able to experience my first March Madness as a freshman also hurts. It’s something I’ve looked forward to since I was a kid.”

When her season was ended prematurely, Caldwell felt like she had just started to find some rhythm in her role off the ASU bench.

An injury to the team’s veteran guard, senior Kiara Russell, forced head coach Charli Turner-Thorne to mix in her team’s younger talent at the position towards the end of the season, a move that allowed Caldwell to fully embrace her role and contribute to the team.

Caldwell’s minutes off the bench were formative in her acclimation to the game at the Division I level. She said her experience on the court, although born out of an injury to a teammate, was very valuable. However, Caldwell believes the lessons she learned from her first college campaign were about far more than in-game action.

“I feel like I evolved as a person overall, not just my basketball skills,” Caldwell said. “Our culture, what the coaches taught me, and the standards the seniors set helped me become more mature as a person and as a teammate. As far as basketball goes, I’ve gotten stronger and with the injury this year I learned what exactly my body can and can’t do. Obviously it sucks being injured and hurt your freshman year but everyone was there for me.”

While Caldwell has used the slightly lengthened offseason to continue her recovery from surgery and sharpen her physical skills on the court, she said this offseason is also about readying herself mentally in preparation for her sophomore season.

“I’ve been really working on the mental aspect of the game,” she said. “Coming off of an injury I’ve been limited a lot physically. So this offseason I’ve been focusing on learning the playbook in and out, watching film and just making the game easier for myself so I don’t have to think as much in-game.”

Caldwell’s putting together of a heightened skillset has much to do with the physical and mental aspects of her game. She said those things are obviously imperative. However, it is her religion and faith that she feels will truly push her to the next level.

“I’ve always been the one to just trust God with everything I do,” Caldwell said. “I am a very religious person. Knowing that he has me and will protect me allows me to play without being timid.”

A former three-star recruit, Caldwell anticipates her role in Turner-Thorne’s system will expand in the upcoming year. The Sun Devils had five critical departures from their roster after the season was unexpectedly ended and Caldwell knows that as a returner, it may be on her to provide life to what will be a young ASU team.

In the meantime, the sophomore guard plans to take things one day at a time and has learned to take nothing for granted.

“Get better at something every day,” Caldwell said. “There is always room for improvement. Basketball is a game of ups and downs; don’t let your downs get you down. Everyone has a bad game. Just work harder.”