Abby Garnett overcomes obstacles on the court and in the classroom

When Abby Garnett came to Ohio University, she was excited about playing basketball but undecided about exactly what she wanted to study. 

She never imagined she’d be sidelined by a foot injury, and later, a torn ACL, spending her first year at OHIO recovering from an injury and subsequent surgery. But all the obstacles and challenges she encountered helped her learn and grow—and gave her time to find her academic niche.

It’s a long way from Golden, Colorado, to Athens, Ohio, but Garnett was excited for the opportunity to play college basketball out of state. After visiting OHIO, she knew it was the right place for her. Both of Garnett’s parents played basketball. She had played basketball her whole life, being selected as Conference Player of the Year her junior year of high school and twice selected as First-Team All-Colorado. 

Exploring and discovering

Garnett, now a senior, started her career at OHIO as an undecided student in University College, before declaring a major in communication studies within the Scripps College of Communication and a minor in sports management. 

Starting off undecided gave Garnett the opportunity to explore different academic areas and classes in business, marketing, public relations, and advertising. 

“I benefited so much from exploring elective courses,” she said. 

She encourages students who enter undecided to take the time to explore their options. 

“It’s better to take your time before rushing into a major," Garnett said.

Garnett said weekly check-ins with her academic advisor, along with connections with family, were especially helpful during her first year as she dealt with challenges and explored the academic pathways open to her. 

Greg Moeller, assistant dean of the Scripps College of Communication, taught Garnett’s UC 1000 Mastering the College Experience course during her first year at OHIO and served as a source of support and advice for her as she explored options for majors and minors, all while navigating campus on a knee scooter. 

“Abby is one of those individuals that embraces a challenge and won’t let obstacles stand in her way,” said Moeller. 

The injury Garnett sustained her first year challenged her by keeping her away from basketball. Dealing with recovery and rehabilitation while far from home and family forced Garnett to examine her own identity outside her sport. 

“I lost that part of me…that identity,” Garnett said. “I’ve changed a lot as a person.” 

For Garnett, the silver lining in her unplanned time away from basketball was the opportunity to focus more on academics. 

“I got to explore school more in-depth than I ever had in my life,” she said. “It was a journey just learning about what I'm good at.”

Garnett said she has also learned and grown through her involvement with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Bobcats Lead Change, which formed in 2020 to create a better environment for students of color.

“I found myself in different roles on and off the court,” she said. “I tend to take on a leadership role.”

Lessons learned

The transition from high school to college and balancing athletics and academics presented some challenges for Garnett, but she quickly learned how to manage her workload and time. Since her basketball schedule sometimes required her to miss classes, Garnett discovered the importance of communicating early and often with her professors.

“I had to learn about talking to professors way ahead of time and building relationships early with professors,” Garnett said. 

Throughout her career at OHIO, Garnett has gained valuable insights and learned from experiences in the classroom and on the court. She advises other students to get organized by using tools such as a planner, asking for help when needed, and leveraging their resources. Garnett said she benefitted from getting connected with math tutoring, which helped her perform better in her math classes. She also sought support for mental health from campus psychologists when she realized that she needed guidance and support in navigating some of the challenges and obstacles of her first year at OHIO. 

Garnett encourages other students to reach out for help dealing with the obstacles they may face while transitioning to college or later in their careers. 

“It’s nice to talk to somebody in a no-judgment zone…they can give you some ideas to help,” she said. Now Garnett puts the life lessons she’s learned to work supporting the other players on her team.

Looking forward

Garnett is not currently playing due to another injury, and her time away from basketball gave her the opportunity to reflect on her development as a person outside of her sport. With one more year of NCAA eligibility, she will get to have another basketball season at OHIO, which will allow her to pursue a master’s degree, likely the Master of Science in Management from the College of Business. According to Garnett, OHIO’s online graduate program would allow her to commit to basketball while earning her master’s degree. Though she’s uncertain about what her future career will look like, she hopes to earn certificates in human resources and business and entrepreneurship as part of her graduate work.

“I just know I'm more secure with who I am, and my purpose is way bigger than basketball,” Garnett said. “That's hard for some athletes to go through, but one day the ball is going to stop bouncing.”