Courtney Paris - #3

College: University of Oklahoma Year: Senior Height: 6-4 Position: Center Hometown: Piedmont, Calif. Trivia: Paris is the only men's or women's player in NCAA history to 700 points, 500 rebounds and 100 blocks in a single season, and she did it twice.

(To read Sharing the Victory's full feature on Paris, including a video interview, click here.)

On how she views her sport…
"I feel like basketball is my small purpose on Earth. It’s something that I can do to share my faith."

On FCA…
“When I was first trying out churches here in Norman, it was really uncomfortable because I stood out. The cool thing about FCA is that you go there with the people you are in study hall with, or the other athletes you watch play, or that live in the dorms with you. And it is so important to get around people who work the way you do and have the same priorities and understand the life of being a Christian and a student-athlete.”

On the lessons she learned from her father, an evangelist and motivational speaker…
“He didn’t teach me anything about basketball because he was awful at it. (laughing) He always talked to us about being born with a purpose. He said that God knew that [purpose] before we were even thought of. And I just have to live that up.”

On being a teammate…
“It isn’t an individual sport; it is a team sport. So, when I am working extra hard and my teammates are working extra hard, it is going to help all of us.”

On balancing a busy college schedule…
“At the beginning of my freshman year and every year since, Coach (Sherri Coale) has told us that your faith comes first, then your family, then academics and then basketball. That is so important to know, and it’s not like that everywhere you go.”