“When I tried basketball, it was like I was a different person, so ever since I was little, I’ve been playing basketball,” said Carley.
Division 2 commit, Carley Berk, played her fair share of sports when she was younger, trying to find the best fit. At five years old, the young basketball player stepped onto the court and never looked back.
Carley got her first taste of basketball with a rec league, but that was just the start. The basketball player would take lessons with numerous coaches, wanting to learn everything she could. She took this knowledge into her seasons at the junior high.
From here, the point guard found her stride and joined an AAU team, the Western PA Bruins. Her coach, Cornelius Nesbit, has had a big part in Carley’s development as a player. “He has helped me a lot. I’ve learned a lot from him since I’ve had him for the past three years for travel and he’s just taught me a lot,” Carley said.
The basketball player began her recruiting process by sending schools her film. Some schools that found Carley’s highlights in their inbox were: Arcadia University, Washington and Jefferson College, Baldwin Wallace University, and Millersville University.
When Carley began looking into schools, Coach Nesbit aided in her search, but the senior believes that Coach Livingston, her high school coach, played an equal role in her commitment process. “[Coach Livingston is] the one who originally got me connected with the head coach for Millersville. She’s the one who reached out and got her to respond,” said Carley.
The point guard was also able to lean on upperclassmen to guide her while she was looking at colleges. Carley was able to play with varying levels of talent throughout her high school career, with some girls playing Division 1, like Emma Blair at the University of South Carolina Upstate, or Division 2, like Elle Snyder at Evansville. These girls helped Carley determine her criteria for colleges.
On September 29, 2024, Carley committed to play basketball at Millersville University. The senior decided on Millersville for a number of reasons, but the coaching staff made the top of her list. The basketball player likes the staff’s coaching style and their style of play, which aligns with how she plays. “I like to play at a fast pace, pushing the floor and shooting. I like it when there’s a post in there, too, so I can pass the ball to the posts,” Carley said.
A few of the other reasons, that Carley chose Millersville were the players and the campus. When the senior, visited the campus she immediately felt a connection to her future teammates, noting how kind and welcoming they were. The campus also caught the basketball player’s eye. The combination of these factors allowed Carley to feel confident in her decision to spend the next four years at Millersville.
An opportunity as great as playing at the next level doesn’t come without sacrifice. Carley had to earn this rite with “lots of hard work in and outside of practice”. The point guard also had to prove herself in games by “playing hard”.
A key part of her work outside of practice was seen in the endurance she gained on the cross country trails. In the fall, Carley ran for the cross country team, keeping the basketball player in shape during the offseason. The time the point guard put into her second sport didn’t go unnoticed. “When I came into basketball season, I was always the best in shape out of everyone,” said Carley.
Another layer that contributed to Carley’s success is found below the surface, in the senior’s personality. A large array of traits make Carley the player she is, but two that stand out the most are her competitiveness and her leadership. These traits caught coaches’ attention because “I always want to win and coaches like that”, she said.
These traits will highly benefit Carley as she heads to college. The incoming freshman has ambitious goals for her first collegiate season. The point guard is determined to see the court. “I just want to get playing time. That’s my goal. I don’t know whether that’s starting or not. I just want to play,” Carley said.
Carley has no concerns about her transition to the college atmosphere, only excitement. The point guard is ready to face more difficult competition that shares her love of the game. “I mean, playing against girls who all know what they’re doing and they all 100% love the game, so it’s going to be fun,” said Carley.
