Amber Sydnor, a six-year starter at point guard for the Russellville Lady Panthers, completed the paperwork this week to play basketball for Campbellsville University.
Not only a star athlete but also in the top 10 in her graduating class, Sydnor will attend the private, Baptist-affiliated school on a full academic-athletic scholarship.
Assistant Coach Kristi Ensminger was on hand at RHS for the signing ceremony April 23. Ensminger herself was a leader of two conference championship teams at Campbellsville as well as being an NAIA Academic All-American. She can help Sydnor continue her role as an outstanding scholar athlete.
Sydnor became the Lady Panthers’ starting point guard as a seventh grader and never relinquished that role. In addition to doing the ball handling and dishing out assists, she scored 1,937 career points, averaging 21 points per game as a senior. A consistent all-district performer, she was named Third Team All-Region season team this year and was a member of the Region 4 All-Tournament team as a junior. Despite not being blessed with great height, she was always among her team’s leaders in rebounding.
She has been WBKO’s Athlete of the Week and Total Fitness Connection’s Athlete of the Week.
Her leadership is evident. She was captain of the Lady Panthers five years, beginning as an eighth grader.
Dedra Adler, her coach throughout her career, says, “I have truly enjoyed coaching Amber over the years! She has a work ethic unlike any other, and because of that I know she will not only be successful at the next level but in life as well. I have put high expectations on Amber over the years because I knew what she was capable of. The child far exceeded any expectations set. She is a good Christian example of the student athlete, and I couldn’t be more proud of her! I wish her nothing but the best and feel honored to have had the opportunity to coach her!”
Sydnor is part of an extended family of excellent athletes. Her dad, the late Tyrone Sydnor, was a standout player at Olmstead High School and joined Rambler teammate Clarence Mason in playing for Vol State Community College. Many of her cousins have played high school sports. Her aunt, Dot Sydnor, has been deeply involved in the rearing of her brother’s children since his death.
Campbellsville has a history of excellence in women’s basketball. The Lady Tigers went 25-10 this year. Their head coach, Ginger High Colvin, is a former Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and she holds the NAIA national record for career assist average. She has the experience to continue Sydnor’s development as a point guard.
The Tigers’ current point guard, MacKenzie Lee, was an Honorable Mention All-American this season, but she is a senior.
Among the players for the Tigers are two former Western Kentucky University players, Courtney Clifton, a senior who was Third Team All-American this year, and junior Ellen Sholtes, who led Louisville Merci to a state high school championship three years ago.