Four years ago, former Cyclone basketball player Bridget Carleton (’19) achieved her Olympic dream — representing team Canada — during the eerily quiet, COVID-19 affected Olympics in Tokyo.
This year, Carleton returned to the Olympic stage, this time in Paris surrounded by roaring crowds and her family.
“My parents are just as passionate about watching me play as I am about playing, so having them there with me was the best part of it all,” Carleton says. “The Olympic games are the epitome of sport, representing your country amongst the best of the best; it’s always surreal and a dream come true.”
From the beginning of her time at Iowa State, it was well known that Carleton wanted to compete at the Olympic level; head coach Bill Fennelly and associate head coach Jodi Steyer were vital in making that dream a reality.
Along with her coaches, Carleton credits her teammates and the culture at Iowa State as the impetus for her consistent growth and improvement as a player.
“Coach Fenn, from day one of my recruitment, I know he believed in me; he could see my potential, even when I couldn’t see it for myself,” Carleton says. “Coach Steyer was huge in my recruitment to Iowa State. She was like my second mom, and she really helped develop me into the player I am today.”
Now, Carleton plays basketball nearly year-round, balancing her time with the Canadian national team, as a staple in the starting five for the Minnesota Lynx, and as an elite scorer in the EuroLeague. How does she stay grounded through the whirlwind of it all?
“Spending time with family and friends, reading a good book, and drinking coffee,” she says.
No matter where in the world Carleton is playing the game she loves, she always does her best to share a meal with family, even if virtually.
“It’s a grind, but it’s what I love to do, and it’s my job,” she says. “So, I’m not going to complain too much about getting to play basketball for a living.”