Not only is Za’hra Williams a veteran on the basketball court, but she’s the only military veteran on the team.
Williams, 21, a junior guard and forward on the team, formerly played as a basketball forward at Delta State University, 2011-12, and a guard and shooting guard at Mississippi Delta Community College, 2012-13.
But her career on the courts got sidelined when she joined the Mississippi National Guard in May, 2013. She took basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and advanced individual training at Fort Lee, Va.
She returned to Mississippi in October, 2013, and enrolled at JSU in January.
Once on campus, she said, “I ran into some of the girls I used to play against in high school and they said ‘I can’t believe you’re not here’,” playing basketball at JSU. “So, I tried out and made the team.”
Williams is now serving in the National Guard Reserves program, which helps out paying for her college education with monthly stipend. Plus, she said, reservists are eligible for federal assistance.
She fulfills her military service commitment one weekend a month and for two weekends a year, she said.
Williams said she doesn’t expect to be called away for military action anytime soon. “If I wasn’t in school, I might be a little worried,” she allowed.
Meanwhile, she’s prepared to bring her armaments to bear at the first women’s basketball contest, an exhibition game with Millsaps at JSU on Nov. 2.
The 2013 Southwest Athletic Conference champions have a veteran on their side this year.
For more on women’s basketball at JSU, see: https://www.jsutigers.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=29000&SPID=109817&SPSID=670003
See the Lady Tigers schedule: https://www.jsutigers.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=29000&SPID=109817&SPSID=670004
For information about the JSU Veterans and Military Center, see: https://www.jsums.edu/studentlife/veteran-student-services-program/