Hailey Van Lith is about to make playing in the WNBA a reality. Her career to this point has captured the imaginations of college basketball fans. From her scoring outbursts at Louisville through her ferocity at LSU and TCU, Van Lith has been a tough competitor. In her final season of college basketball at TCU, she earned Big 12 Player of the Year and helped TCU reach its first Elite Eight in program history.

As she prepares to embark on the next phase of her basketball journey, many are left wondering: who are the parents of the emerging basketball sensation?

Who are Hailey Van Lith’s parents? What’s their nationality?

Hailey Van Lith’s parents are Corey and Jessica Van Lith. They have a significant role in shaping her personal and athletic lifestyle. Hailey Van Lith’s parents live in Cashmere, Washington, the USA, and they are both of American nationality.

Corey and Jessica have played different yet complementary roles in Hailey’s evolution. Corey handled Hailey’s training while Jessica provided the emotional balance. Together they created a setting which encouraged diligence, toughness and self-belief, three attributes that are visible in Hailey’s presence on a basketball court.

Who is Hailey Van Lith’s father Corey Van Lith?

Corey Van Lith is not only Hailey’s father but her coach, mentor, and biggest cheerleader. Corey was a dual-sport collegiate athlete at the University of Puget Sound, playing basketball and baseball. He first-hand knew what it took to be an athlete.

Recognizing Hailey’s potential early on, Corey initiated a strict training regimen with Hailey beginning in grade five. Corey would rent gyms at John Newberry Gym in Cashmere four or five nights a week for several years. The workouts were not a shoot-around. They were meant to build structure, mental toughness and an undying work ethic.

A remarkable part of Corey’s impact was his relationship with NBA great Kobe Bryant. Corey fostered a mentorship with Bryant and exchanged training tips which played a large part in elevating Hailey’s game to a new level. Kobe was so impressed by Hailey’s work ethic that he used her as a positive example of what to aspire towards for his daughter Gianna Bryant.

Corey’s coaching style is conventionally described to be demanding and nurturing and which has helped Hailey build up to the competitor she now is. Corey notably showed up in several big moments of Hailey’s career, including TCU down 14 against Notre Dame in 2024, when he was seen animated on the stands.

Who is Hailey Van Lith’s mother Jessica Van Lith?

While Corey focused on honing Hailey’s athletic skills, Jessica Van Lith provided the emotional wellbeing a young athlete needs. Jessica is an interior designer and operates the family company, home building firm Van Lith Homes alongside Corey. Her entrepreneurial flair speaks to the competitive nature she instilled in her daughter since childhood.

Jessica has always been a constant cheerleader for Hailey as she’s navigated the rise of her basketball career. Whether it’s comforting Hailey after a bad game or celebrating big achievements such as finishing her master’s degree in Aug. 2024, Jessica has always been by her side.

Jessica brings a lot of vision and vision-in-planning to their home—a nice counterweight to Corey’s more tactical coaching elements. Together, they have created a space in which both their kids were able to thrive freely.

Does Hailey Van Lith have any siblings? Who is Tanner Van Lith?

Hailey’s not the only one who’s the athlete of the family, brother Tanner Van Lith also played collegiate sports for a couple of seasons. Tanner pitched in two seasons for Big Bend Community College’s baseball team. Tanner redshirted his first season(2017-18) and made eight appearances the year after. Tanner went 0-2 with a 7.16 ERA in those eight games. Not a great showcase by any means, but it’s clear that athletics run in the Van Lith family.

Curiously, Tanner is the one who accidentally inspired Hailey’s love for hoops. When she was a kid, she was dead set on beating him. The determination caused her one shining moment—crossing him up while playing one-on-one in the fifth grade. Tanner jokes about the torch being passed on to his sister in that moment.

Although Tanner did not have breakaway success in baseball, his influence over Hailey embodies the athlete that is the glue of the Van Lith family.

Hailey Van Lith’s rise to the spotlight has not only been marked by her skill but also by the strong support she has enjoyed from her family. Corey and Jessica have been able to shape her discipline and foster her emotional maturity, while Tanner has stimulated his sister’s competitiveness. As Van Lith readies to make her eagerly awaited WNBA debut, her parent’s support will once again propel her.