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Bentley takes leading role on court while expanding her education overseas

Hunter Bentley

From Athletics Spotlight - Spring 2019

After two years of knowing her team and studying other teams, Hunter Bentley will spend 20 days this summer studying the political makeup of Japan with other political science students from Washburn University.

The sophomore guard has dreams to work internationally, and this trip will show her a new perspective as she starts thinking about her career.

“It will give me some new ideas and let me see something completely different,” she said. “I think it would be cool to work in an embassy in a different country and be able to do something with international politics.”

On the court, Bentley is picking up where she left off in high school – a four-time state champion and 1,000-point scorer at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas. She finished the season this year second on the team with 11.0 points a game and first with 5.9 rebounds. She had her biggest game with 29 points in a double overtime win at Emporia State University on Jan. 5.

“All of my points were off what Coach (Ron McHenry) calls rhythm shots,” Bentley said. “Everybody knows you should be shooting them, and everybody knows they should be going in. My teammates did a really good job of getting me the ball.”

Bentley comes from a family of five Hs who understand the work needed to be successful. Her sister, Hope, is a pre-law student in Texas. Her brother, Hudson, is a high school senior who will play football at Washburn next year. Her mom is Holly, and her dad, Hal, played football and basketball at Kansas State University. Did they purposely name their children that way?

“I don’t think it was at first,” Hunter said. “I think they decided after my older sister to keep it going.”

Bentley was sold on Washburn during her visit and after getting to know the coaching staff.

“Washburn was my favorite of all the schools I visited,” she said. “I’m studying political science, so being in the capital is probably the best idea for me.”

Donors who support her scholarships and fans who fill Lee Arena make it worth it.

“I get to do something I love,” she said. “It was a big deal for me to go to a good school and get to play basketball and make lifelong friends. And it’s a really big advantage knowing there’s always going to be those people who support and scream our names when we come out on the floor.”

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You can give student-athletes like Hunter Bentley similar opportunities by supporting the Ichabod Athletic Fund with a gift online. You can also contact Bruce Steinbrock by email or at 785.670.1334 to learn about creating an endowed scholarship or estate gift that will change student-athletes' lives for generations to come.

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