Lauren Quinn
Kelly Bird, Linfield Sports Communications
Linfield women's basketball senior Laurel Quinn

D3 Week Wildcat Spotlight: Laurel Quinn

By Kalina Zagyva '29

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Laurel Quinn is finding success as a Linfield basketball player and accounting major.

Is determination really something that can accomplish anything?  Linfield women’s basketball player Laurel Quinn lives by the concept of hard work and clearly has a lot to show for it. 

As a fourth-year senior in the sport, Quinn has noticed that the women’s team dynamic has positively evolved. 

“We’re getting better every year,” she says, pointing out that the strong social aspect of the team is contributing towards their success on the court. “We’ve gotten a lot closer. And we’ve been able to work better together on the court.”

Laurel Quinn

Team chemistry, Quinn notes, is one of the Wildcats’ greatest strengths. 

“Hard work is a huge value of ours. I think we’re just really gritty.”

This season, Quinn proudly reports that the team has developed its own cohesive values. 

“We’re all very bought into the mission of the program. Our values are all really aligned, we’re focused on our attitude, our effort, toughness, and our focus on striving to be better every practice.” 

Based on last season’s success that included 17 wins, the team has set a high bar for themselves. 

“We were ranked first in the conference coaches’ poll, so we’re viewing that as a target ahead of us and not as something that we should be afraid of.” 

The team is set on improving during each practice. Quinn wants to at least equal and hopefully exceed, last year’s accomplishments. 

“That’s definitely our biggest goal. It would be great to be ranked this year…we’ll go into every game with that goal.”

The Quinns
Laurel Quinn
Lauren Quinn
Laurel Quinn
Laurel Quinn
Laurel Quinn
Laurel Quinn
Laurel Quinn

Linfield’s team furthers its commitment and hard work by acknowledging the mental aspect of the sport. 

“We do a lot of sports psychology mental training on top of basketball. We have Cat Chats that talk about things like words of the week, like our word last week was ‘gritty.’ We read chapters of a book that are focused on the mental side of the game. Everyone has a chapter that they read and they give a summary to the team,” Quinn says this give-and-take process creates a sense of community among the team, which ultimately fuels success on the court.

When she’s not playing basketball, Quinn keeps herself busy year-round. 

“I’m VP of finance for ASLU, our student government. I also have a work-study job on campus at the registrar’s office.” 

With so much on her plate, Laurel often finds herself juggling multiple aspects of her life. 

“I make a calendar for myself every week and to-do lists. Once I’m in the rhythm of practices, work and meetings, I just follow the schedule.”

Laurel Quinn

At King’s Way Christian High School in Vancouver, Washington, Laurel was involved with student government, National Honor Society and was chosen as class valedictorian. She juggled all of these roles while keeping up her passion for basketball. 

“I was probably getting a lot more playing time in high school and more of a leadership role as team captain. I think that experience really served me well coming into college; knowing how to be a good teammate to everyone, leading by example, and working hard to achieve team goals.”

The Quinns

Laurel’s mother, Rachelle, also played basketball for the Wildcats in the 1990s. Laurel views her mother as her greatest inspiration, saying “she’s the most selfless, hard-working and dedicated person I know. She serves the people around her really well and achieves her personal goals. I want to emulate that.” 

Rachelle admires her daughter’s abilities, saying “Laurel is extremely intelligent – and since this is paired with a strong work ethic and perseverance – it shows on and off the court in her 4.0 GPA and high basketball IQ.” 

Originally, Laurel says she felt significant pressure following in her mother’s footsteps, but she now views it as an opportunity to grow. 

Laurel Quinn, Linfield Women's Basketball Roster
“Now, I’m my own person. I definitely see her as an example for myself. But my goals and my focuses are a little bit different than hers. If it’s pressure, it’s like positive pressure.”

Rachelle is equally as excited as her daughter. 

“Being part of Laurel’s journey has been an absolute joy — there’s nothing like watching your child play a sport you both love!”

The similarities between the two don’t stop there. Not only has Laurel taken inspiration from her mother in sports, but also as a major. Laurel is working to complete a major in accounting and finance, same as Rachelle did in the ‘90s. 

“I just really enjoyed the classes I started taking,” says Laurel. “And it kind of fits my personality and how my mind works. So it’s a good fit.” 

After graduation in May, Laurel plans to take Certified Public Accountant tests in order to begin her career at an accounting firm. As Laurel plays her final season of basketball, she will continue to give her all to the world around her. 

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