After trying freshman year, Hampton grad Laryn Edwards stepping up for Loyola (Maryland)

Adversity often strikes at the worst times.

For former Hampton point guard Laryn Edwards, where WPIAL section titles and state playoff berths seemed to come easy, the road got rough after she committed to Loyola (Maryland).

The freshman point guard was hitting her stride last season when a bout of mononucleosis hit.

“She had just started to play really well at the Saint Joe’s tournament around Thanksgiving,” said coach Joe Logan. “I think anytime you get sick, as a coach, you don’t know how long they’re going to be out and the medical staff is going to err on the side of caution. It’s especially hard for a freshman.”

Forced to miss all of the team’s Patriot League play, Edwards spent plenty of time at home back in Pittsburgh. She had to be away from her team and eventually took a redshirt.

“It was a struggle for me,” said Edwards. “It wasn’t what I expected my freshman year to be like. But I think that helped me grow into the person I am now. I knew I wasn’t going to come back and be the same person. Over the summer, I worked hard to get better.”

Edwards did that with a little help from her family — and she always has. Older brother James was a star point guard at Plum who played at the Air Force Academy.

The memories of practicing with him at the gym are still fresh, and she credits James with helping her get back on her feet after what seemed to be a lost first year out of high school.

“He was one main reason why I got better as a player and as a person because he would make me work,” she said.

Though Edwards maintains that she isn’t back to the player she wants to be, the early returns this season are promising.

“I give her all the credit in the world,” Logan said. “She worked really hard in the offseason and summer to be where she is today. We have kids coming back who are really good guards, but she challenged them for the starting position and earned it.”

Edwards has started 15 of 17 games for the Greyhounds. As of Jan. 22, she was averaging 7.1 points, 2.5 assists and 2.6 rebounds. In a Nov. 13 contest against Farleigh Dickinson, she scored 17 points, and was 4 for 5 from beyond the arc. More recently, she dropped 16 points in a 55-53 loss to Lehigh, earning player of the game honors.

“I would say our game against FDU made me realize I can play,” she said. “I always thought I can be better. After that game, I felt like I had a role on the team.”

It’s a role that’s sure to expand over the next three seasons.

“She just brings a lot of energy,” Logan said. “I think people love getting her the ball in transition because she’s jet quick and can score. But also in the speed of the game, she has a calming factor. She has a high IQ and knows when to calm people down and take a deep breath.”