She didn’t let rejection stop her rise!
When her high school coach cut her from the team senior year, Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel could have let that be the end of her basketball journey. But instead of giving up, she used that rejection as fuel. Now, the 22-year-old guard at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has made history as the first NCAA Division III women’s basketball player with one arm to score in a collegiate game, NBC News reports.
A native of Stafford, Virginia, Sinaman-Daniel played basketball at Mountain View High School for three years, inspired by her childhood idol, LeBron James. But in her senior year, she was cut from the team.
“I actually got cut, and the coach basically told me that I wasn’t needed on the team,” she recalled.
For two days, she sat with that pain. But then, in a moment of clarity, she made a decision that would change her life.
“I thought to myself, I could do this in college. What’s stopping me from doing this in college?” she said.
With that mindset, she emailed hundreds of college coaches, not caring about division levels—just searching for one person to believe in her.
Her persistence paid off. After two years at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, Sinaman-Daniel entered the transfer portal. That’s when Lesley University head coach Martin Rather took notice.
At Lesley, she became known for her unmatched work ethic, logging more individual practice sessions than any other player on the team. Her dedication helped push the Lynx to their best season in 14 years, leading them to the playoffs.
Despite the dedication it took and all of the obstacles she faced, her determination never wavered. Recently, Sinaman-Daniel’s defining moment came when she finally made the historic basket from near the three-point line and landed a shot that didn’t even touch the rim.
“I kind of just shot the ball with the anticipation that I would have to go and get it back on a rebound,” she said. “When the shot actually went in, I was more so surprised.”
Rather immediately called a timeout to acknowledge the moment.
“My first thought was, ‘That’s history, and we need to take a second to pause and celebrate it,’” he said. “Everybody just swarmed Baileigh, giving her high fives, celebrating her.”
Still she was determined to prove it wasn’t a one-off, but rather the result of years of hard work. Seven weeks later, on her birthday, she scored her second basket—another milestone in a season full of breakthroughs.
There are few one-armed athletes in collegiate basketball and Sinaman-Daniel hopes her own success will inspire others facing similar challenges.
“Taking passes or giving a good pass or figuring out the right shooting form—I’ve had to tweak and adjust,” she said.
Her ability to adapt has not only helped her on the court but has also positioned her as a role model for others with disabilities.
“When people look at me, I just hope they see me as Baileigh. I hope they see me as a basketball player and also see me as somebody who’s willing and able to do everything that everybody else is doing,” she said.
Rather believes her impact goes beyond basketball.
“We’re showing that we can both win and have really high-quality players that might not look like everybody else on our team,” he said.
Sinaman-Daniel, a psychology major, is proving that resilience, determination, and belief in oneself can shatter any barrier. She’s not just making history—she’s inspiring a new generation of athletes to dream without limits.
Cover photo: Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel Makes NCAA History as First One-Armed Women’s Basketball Player to Score in a Game/Photo credit: Brett Phelps/Boston Globe/Getty Images