Who Is Sedona Prince? Everything You Need to Know About Hailey Van Lith’s 24YO TCU Teammate

The TCU Horned Frogs are officially on everyone’s radar. With a 9-0 record, they’ve been putting themselves on the map as serious contenders in the 2024-25 season. A big chunk of the credit goes to Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince. But while Van Lith has her own incredible story, Prince’s journey has been filled with setbacks, controversies, and standout moments.

At 24 years old and in her seventh year, the center is finally hitting her stride. Her talent has never been in question, but injuries, NCAA red tape, and her opinion on the disparity between men’s and women’s basketball have made the path anything but smooth.

How has Sedona Prince’s hoop journey been?

Born in Hemet, California, and raised in Liberty Hill, Texas, Sedona Prince started playing basketball in fourth grade. Standing at 6’7”, she was destined for the court. Bullying over her height led her to transfer schools before finding her footing back at Liberty Hill High, where she became a three-year varsity player. 

While she was still in the eighth garden, Texas extended her a scholarship. That’s how Prince’s college career began. However, before she could even start hitting the court, disaster struck. While competing for the USA Basketball U-18 team, Prince broke her right leg.

To make matters worse, her recovery was allegedly mismanaged by Texas’ medical staff, leading to a near-fatal infection. Frustrated and disheartened, she transferred to Oregon. There, she applied for a hardship waiver. However, due to the NCAA transfer rule, she was benched throughout the season. 

She finally made her college debut in the 2020-21 season and averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in limited minutes but struggled to stay consistent. Her second season saw her numbers dip slightly, but the talent was always there. In 2023, she transferred again, this time to TCU Horned Frogs, where everything seems to have clicked.

If we could describe Sedona’s time at TCU in one word, it would be ‘transformative.’ In the 2023-24 season, she played 21 games, averaging 19.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. This season, she’s upped it up with 19.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks per game through the first nine matchups. 

Not to forget, she also created history against Notre Dame, where she recorded 20 points, 20 rebounds, and 8 blocks. Interestingly, it was the first 20-point, 20-rebound game by a TCU player since 2004. 

We’ll have to see if she manages to take these numbers to the pro. As of now, she is projected as the No. 6 pick in the WNBA draft, according to ESPN’s latest mock draft. Scouts have praised her “enormous talent” and her ability to dominate when healthy. However, fans have doubts about her and believe her being ‘older’ is unfair to other athletes.

But beyond all the numbers, accolades, and criticism, the baller’s success on the court is even more impressive when you consider what she’s endured off it. From the broken leg that almost ended her career before it began to torn ligaments and even a broken finger that sidelined her last year, it’s been a battle for her to stay healthy. And how can we forget the viral video that brought her national attention in 2021?

A viral controversial TikTok that made her the ‘Influencer’ she is today

If not basketball, you might know Sedona Prince from that viral TikTok that exposed the NCAA’s blatant gender disparities. But do you know? There’s so much more to the story, starting with her mom, Tambra Prince, who saw the video and immediately thought, “This is going to be huge.” And she was right.

Tambra, a former collegiate athlete herself, has always been Sedona’s go-to person. She’s the one who taught Sedona to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s tough. So when her daughter posted that now-infamous video showing the tiny weight room provided to the women’s NCAA teams compared to the men’s gym, it wasn’t just a moment of outrage. It was years of her mom’s mantra, “You’re strong and powerful,” finally taking root.

Meanwhile, her dad, James Prince, a former Marine, has been equally supportive. And their girl has always been fighting for what she thinks is right. Back in her freshman year, when she had to sit out her first season at Oregon, that pushed her to file a lawsuit against the NCAA.

It was for athletes’ rights to profit off their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). However, the TCU star’s battler with se*ism in sports didn’t start with the NCAA weight room. It began way back when she was a kid after she heard someone saying, “Back up, men’s team coming through,” as the boys were ushered in with better gear and gifts.

And she finally took a stand in her college days through social media. Her “weight room controversy” went viral. Athletes like Stephen Curry amplified it, and suddenly, she had a platform bigger than she ever imagined. Her following skyrocketed, and with it came opportunities to turn her voice into action.

With time, the hooper teamed up with brands like TIAA, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Meta, earning more than $300,000 from deals she genuinely believes in. She’s using her platform to raise awareness about financial literacy, gender disparities in sports, and even the importance of self-care. 

The best part is that she often shares her earnings with her teammates, proving she’s as much about the collective as she is about individual success. Now, she has become a relatable TikTok influencer who shares everything from her hoop moments and goofy moments with her partner to her opinions. 

Well, speaking of partners, it has not always been pretty. Her ex-girlfriend, Olivia Stabile, accused her of verbal and physical ab*se publicly. Stabile aired out their messy breakup in August through a 10-part TikTok series called “Who the F*** Did I Take to Mexico?” alleging incidents like being pushed off a moving ATV and left in the jungle at night.

However, the 24-year-old center has called it “false narratives and inaccurate information that do not give honesty and transparency.” But this isn’t the first controversy about her dating life. Before dating Stabile, she was in a relationship with TikToker Rylee LeGlue, who later alleged that Prince cheated on her.

So, yes, being so open to all on social media and putting her entire life out there for everyone to see does sometimes drag in ugly personal stories, whether they’re real or exaggerated. Still, on other days, fans often approach the potential 2025 draftee, saying she’s inspired them to come out or speak up. As Sedona puts it, “If I help even one person, I’ve done my job.” So, remember, change starts with speaking up, even if all you have at first is a 38-second video.