Amari Young, the superstar forward from North Augusta, South Carolina, has been a shining star for the ODU women’s basketball team. Young is a four year starter for the Monarchs as she has been on the team since her freshman year in 2019 where she played all 32 games. She was the Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year coming out of high school where she averaged 16.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 6 steals. Young has a resume that speaks for itself. She was named to Second Team All-Conference and All-Defensive Team in 2020, and was named Second Team All-State, and was named to the All-Conference USA Team and All-Defensive Team in 2021.
Young’s coaches praise her for being an outstanding player in every aspect of the game. In her third year, she was considered one of the best rebounders in the nation where she averaged over 11 a game. This year she is the “unsung MVP” as she leads the Monarchs in both scoring and rebounding.
With three games left in the season, Amari Young makes it clear that she is highly motivated to finish strong.
“When I step on the court, I’m trying to make my dad proud,” said Young.
Amari’s father, Al Young, passed away a few days before Christmas.
“It’s a day to day not struggle, but I know my dad he would always want what’s best for me and to keep going. I guess I have a sense of comfort because I know he is…though I know he’s not physically here…I know he’s looking down on me and he’s smiling,” said Young.
This is Amari’s last season as a Monarch and seeks to honor her father’s memory.
Young led the way in scoring tonight with a whopping 23 points and dominated the boards with 13 rebounds. Despite her extraordinary performance, JMU defeated ODU 73-68. Young and the Monarchs look ahead to Wednesday night where they will face Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.