Vaida Sipaviciute leads the Orange in scoring at 17.2 points per game.
Different Paths Bring Sipaviciute and Lisnere to SU
2/15/2006 2:39:15 PM | Women's Basketball
by Brandan Orsatti
Anyone who has attended college can tell you that making the transition from high school is a process that requires discipline, patience and hard work, especially when coming to an unfamiliar country.
Finding a friend in the same situation often eases the pressure, but finding that person is the hardest part. For two student-athletes on the Syracuse University women’s basketball team, it took a trip overseas to discover a friendship that started closer than realized.
“We played against each other this summer when we were playing for our national teams,” said Vaida Sipaviciute of Kaunas, Lithuania about her friend and teammate, Lina Lisnere of Riga, Latvia.
“I knew there was a girl playing on the other team that might come to Syracuse, but I didn’t know who she was, I just knew her first name,” Sipaviciute said. “So after the game I looked at the stats to see who she was, but they didn’t have first names, they just had last names. I was like ‘who is this girl?’”
Once in Syracuse, however, Sipaviciute and Lisnere immediately recognized each other and it didn’t take long for them to form a friendship.
“I am really happy to have Vaida here,” Lisnere said. “She is very supportive and always tries to help me. She is just a good friend. We have so much in common that when we get together we end up talking for hours.”
Now a sophomore, Sipaviciute, 20, moved to the United States in 2003 to complete her senior year at The Patterson School in Lenoir, N.C. While there, she was guided by then coach Quentin Hillsman. Through his connection with Orange coach Keith Cieplicki and associate head coach Matt Luneau, Hillsman convinced Sipaviciute to visit Syracuse University, where she would eventually attend.
Despite reconnecting with Sipaviciute as an assistant coach for the Orange, Hillsman will not take full credit for helping her become the determined player she is today. However, he admits that it is still exciting and motivating to be involved in her development as a player and person.
“It was different in North Carolina because I was her only coach,” Hillsman said. “Now there are other coaches to help her improve. But, it is still exciting to watch her overall development.”
Not unlike Sipaviciute, Lisnere’s decision to attend Syracuse University stemmed from her relationship with Luneau. Luneau, whose wife is a native of Latvia, traveled across the globe to watch Lisnere and assess her basketball skills. After witnessing her abilities, he told her about Syracuse and the competitiveness of the BIG EAST Conference and Lisnere was immediately sold.
As a freshman, Lisnere, 20, a major in retail management and consumer studies, appreciates the opportunity she has and the friendships she has established at Syracuse.
“Basketball is the reason I am here. If I wasn’t at Syracuse I would probably be going to college somewhere back home,” Lisnere said. “I also think that having good relationships and friendships helps on and off the court because you would do anything for your teammate and friend.”
Lisnere and Sipaviciute believe that basketball is more difficult in the United States, but feel that playing in front of the fans in the Carrier Dome is a unique opportunity only available at Syracuse University.
The two have also brought a liveliness and diversity to the team that can only stem from their distinctive backgrounds.
“It’s been great to have two players from overseas just in terms of bringing a different culture and a whole different outlook on everything we do,” Cieplicki said. “Lina is an exceptional student and unfortunately it’s been tough for her playing wise (due to injury), but she is going to be very good.
“Vaida has made a huge transition coming from a country where she has had to learn the language and adjust to a lot of changes in her life in a short time. Overall, they are both wonderful people and have added a lot to the team.”
Sipaviciute, who is enrolled in the College of Human Services and Health Professions, led the BIG EAST in 2004-05 in blocked shots and is currently leading the Orange in points per game (17.2), rebounds per game (7.8) and field goal percentage (.525).
Due to injury, Lisnere has participated in only six games for the Orange this season. However, during those six games she averaged 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Sipaviciute and Lisnere have promising careers both academically and athletically at Syracuse University. Their friendship with one another and with their teammates helps motivate everyone on the court and in the classroom and is helping create a strong foundation for the Orange basketball team.
“I would like to see them get the degree of their choice and have the opportunity to go on and have good opportunities in their profession and in basketball if they choose to do so,” Cieplicki said. “On the court they were brought here to bring Syracuse to the NCAA Tournament consistently, so I hope that in the next three years we see the tradition of this program start to establish itself and see Vaida and Lina as the founding players of that future.”
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