Firebird Spotlight - Tatyana Calhoun, Women's Basketball

Miss UDC, Tatyana Calhoun is an Architecture major who hails from Sussex, Virginia. She began her athletics career as a cheerleader. Tatyana’s parents attended Marshall University where her father played football and her mother played clarinet in the band. Her father, whose twin brothers also played football on the collegiate level,  convinced Tatyana, his only child to try other sports, and she responded by competing in volleyball, basketball and golf (her favorite)  in high school. Meanwhile, Tatyana credits her mother for her critical thinking skills.

About UDC:

Tatyana chose to come to UDC because she enjoyed her visit and meeting the women’s basketball coaching staff.  She particularly liked the size of the school and the campus atmosphere.  While she prefers rural areas, she has grown to like Washington, D.C. as well.

Interests:

A nature lover, Tatyana really enjoys to visit Rock Creek Park. She also loves animals…her pet Labrador is Sammy. The Calhoun family recently acquired chickens, and Tatyana is amazed at how independent and relatively low-maintenance they are.  Her favorite animal, though, is the elephant. She enjoys old school R&B music and loves watching movies in her spare time.  Her “go to” meal is a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup. 

On the Floor:

Self described as nervous before basketball games, Tatyana does not have a pre-game ritual.  “I go out and play and focus on what Coach tells me to do – rebound and run the floor.”  Her most memorable moment in athletics was winning the East Coast Conference Championship in 2014.

Miss UDC:

Running for Miss UDC took Tatyana out of her comfort zone.  “I have always been a tom boy and did not expect to win.” Ultimately, her platform: “Today’s seeds for tomorrow’s garden”  was widely supported by the student body. Currently, Tatyana is working on events to be held throughout the upcoming academic year, and she is busy communicating with many people. “Winning felt good… people looked at the flyers and believed in the vision. UDC is a really special place,” Tatyana proudly declared.

After UDC:

After graduation, Tatyana wants to work for an architecture firm to prepare for licensing exams and ultimately plans to open her own firm specializing in eco-friendly housing for low-income and homeless people through project Safe Haven.

* Also, Tatyana reminded the Director of Athletics of her promise to give her an NCAA lanyard after she graduates.

Advice for Student-Athletes:

“Stay focused and practice time management.  Think, plan, execute.  Think through everything and go for it.”

Quote from Assistant Coach DeWayne Burroughs:

“Tatyana is a tremendous student-athlete that works extremely hard in the classroom and on the basketball court.  She has always given 110-percent since I have had the opportunity to coach her.  She is a true team player and leader for the women’s basketball team and the UDC community. She represents herself in a professional manner as a student-athlete. It has been a pleasure to watch Tatyana mature from her freshman year to her senior year. I am looking forward to Tatyana having a great deal of success in her senior year at UDC.”