“Having a single mom and seeing how strong she was, and she’s always been my role model. I want to be as powerful as she is,” says CSU redshirt junior Tori Williams.
Her mom Kari was an All-American basketball player, passing along a drive to succeed and a little extra competitiveness.
“On the court she’s very competitive but also we can’t really play board games with our family because she’s known for flipping a board or two,” says Williams.
She’s putting those qualities to good use, getting her masters in sports management and following in the footsteps of a Colorado State legend.
“I just want to be that woman that breaks down barriers and having little girls look up to. A big role model for me is Becky Hammon,” says Williams. “[She’s] doing incredible things in the NBA. It’s really encouraging and uplifting.”
The thing Williams loves most about Hammon, she’s a fighter.
“I feel like she really doesn’t take crap from anybody, that’s kind of how I am,” says Williams. I’m going to go for what I want no matter what and know that I can break down any barrier and I feel like she’s exactly like that, so I look up to her in that kind of way.”
Her mom and Hammon, two strong women who have paved the way for Williams to someday be that role model for a little girl with a big dream.
“Being a woman of color in today’s society it’s just kind of hard,” says Williams. “I feel like if younger girls can see me doing something - if it’s just one little girl who is like I want to be like her and follows her dreams then maybe she can do that for the next person and hopefully it continues.”
