After frustrating wait, YAIAA basketball star finally earns first Division I offer

A few weeks ago, Giana Hoddinott had started to accept her dream of becoming a Division I player might not come true. 

She was approaching her senior year and had just one offer from Division II PSAC powerhouse IUP. After communicating with coaches at major programs early in her career, she saw most of her interest dwindle throughout the course of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Things changed after she played against some of the best high school teams in the country. 

Hoddinott caught the eye of Mount St. Mary's when Delone Catholic competed in the prestigious Under Armour Best of Maryland Tournament last weekend. The NCAA Division I program extended the Squirettes star a full scholarship last Monday. 

"When they called, my heart just dropped," Hoddinott said. "Before I got in contact with the Mount, I was definitely thinking maybe I should just go high-level Division II. This is incredible because I've been working toward this since third grade and they're trusting me with a scholarship. 

"Things had been so frustrating but now I know my work has paid off." 

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Located in nearby Emmitsburg, Maryland, Mount St, Mary's competes in the Northeast Conference and has been a strong program in recent years. The Mountaineers made the NCAA Tournament this year for the first time since 1995. 

A 5-foot-9 combo guard capable of handling the ball or playing on the wing, Hoddinott said she's also been in communication with Division I Robert Morris, but plans to make her college decision before the start of the school year in late August. 

Legendary Delone Catholic head coach Gerry Eckenrode was typically candid when asked about Hoddinott only having two offers at the moment. 

"I'm shocked she doesn't have more," Eckenrode said. "I've made so many phone calls to coaches saying, 'If you can't use her, find me someone who can.' I'm disappointed because I've had a number of good players in my time here and our program has plenty of credibility, and she's as good as anybody." 

Eckenrode compared Hoddinott to 2015 Delone Catholic grad Maddie Comly — who interestingly enough was the last Squirettes player to earn a Division I scholarship (Fairleigh Dickinson).

He said the NCAA rule to extend an extra year of eligibility to current players due to the pandemic has likely hindered Hoddinott's recruitment, since many colleges have fewer available roster spots and scholarship money in the class of 2022. He added that the NCAA transfer portal has also cut down on opportunities for current high school players. 

Still, he acknowledged that Hoddinott's recruitment has gone "from one end of the spectrum to the other" with her latest offer. 

Hoddinott said Mount St. Mary's is currently her top choice and she's preparing to visit the school this week. 

"Seeing girls I know I can compete with get offers before me was mentally draining, but it didn't stop me from working," Hoddinott said. "It's definitely a relief." 

An unselfish star 

Hoddinott comes from a baseball family, but she gave up on the possibility of playing softball after a few years of tee ball. 

Her older brothers, Nick and C.J., were star baseball players for Delone in the late 2000s and both played in college. Hoddinott said the pair played pickup hoops with her in the driveway — and despite being much older than her — would make her work for every shot. 

They also provided the connection that got her into organized hoops. Their baseball coach at Delone Catholic, Alan Felix, is the husband of former Delone assistant girls' basketball coach Beth Felix. Beth encouraged Hoddinott to go to a tryout for a Maryland-based AAU program when she was in third grade. 

"My brothers would back me down in the lane and I think that's part of why I'm so strong," she said. "They wouldn't just let me have what I wanted. I contribute a lot of my success to that. 

"I had to work at it, but I'm naturally athletic and I picked up basketball pretty quick." 

Eckenrode can attest to that. The longtime coach remembers watching Hoddinott in grade school and expecting her to develop into a varsity player.

But her development into a high school star occurred rapidly. 

Hoddinott gained more playing time as her freshman season went on and was a key part of Delone's stunning postseason run that culminated in a PIAA Class 3A title. She scored seven points in the championship win over undefeated Dunmore. 

But she exploded as a sophomore, averaging 13.5 points and 3.3 steals and earning all-state honors for a 26-1 team that seemed on the verge of another state title when the pandemic canceled the postseason. As a junior, she averaged 16.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.3 steals for a 20-2 team that reached the state semifinals in a higher classification. 

Her numbers would likely be even higher if Delone didn't consistently blow out teams (a plus-26 point differential) in the regular season. Still, Eckenrode thinks her impact goes beyond statistics. 

"She puts in countless hours on weight training and agility, and she's underrated on defense," he said. "She's an excellent team player. She'll score 27 points one night and 14 the next but make sure everyone else gets involved by driving and kicking it out. 

"She's just a winner. Where she's gotten is no surprise to me." 

Hoping for another championship 

Hoddinott said the next step in her development is improving her jump shot and mid-range game. From a team standpoint, she's determined to win a third straight District 3 title and a second state crown with a Delone squad that will return every starter from last season. 

She's embraced that the Squirettes were bumped up from Class 3A to Class 4A last season due to the PIAA's "competitive balance" formula. Delone Catholic lost by 12 points to undefeated Villa Maria Academy (Erie) in the state semifinals, a loss that still sticks with Hoddinott. 

"We definitely did not play up to our capabilities, and if we played that game again, I think we would have won," she said. "It took some adjusting, but I think we needed to be bumped up. We needed to know it's possible we could lose. And it's not fun having to sit on the bench early (in blowouts). We know it's not guaranteed that we'll win a district title and that every playoff game will be a battle. That's good for us." 

Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone.