WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Feb. 11) – Senior women's basketball player Kalista Friday (Woodsfield, Ohio / Monroe Central) never arrived at Waynesburg University chasing milestones. She came for growth, for relationships and for the privilege of playing the game she loved. Somewhere along that journey, the points accumulated; until Wednesday, Jan. 28, when she wrote her name into Waynesburg women's basketball history as a member of the 1,000-point club.
 
Joining that elite group was "a surreal feeling" Friday stated.
 
"It's a big accomplishment for me, and I'm thankful my name is in the mix with some of the other great Waynesburg women's basketball players," Friday said. "I had no expectation to score 1,000 points. It never ever crossed my mind until this year when I started getting closer."
 
Instead, Friday centered herself on daily improvement; getting faster, getting stronger and showing up the right way regardless of circumstances. That approach is exactly what head coach Sam Jones noticed from the beginning.
 
"It has been a real joy and a privilege to coach a competitor like Kalista," Jones said. "She works very hard and brings many things to our program."
 
From the moment she came to campus as a transfer in 2023, Jones believed his standout guard had the tools to do something special.
 
"I knew when she arrived that she had the skill to achieve it," he said, referring to her 1,000-point potential. "Like others who've reached that milestone, she's a very hard worker and looks to improve daily. She also brings many other things to the team on top of scoring. She's been a great addition to our program and helped us take some big steps"
 
For Friday, Waynesburg quickly became more than just a place to play basketball.
 
"My time at Waynesburg has been so special to me," she said. "I get to live and play basketball every day with my best friends. It's been such a great experience. When I graduate and my time at Waynesburg is over, I'll always think back on it with a smile on my face."
 
That impact is felt most clearly through her leadership; especially by the program's younger players. Freshman Elayna Thomas (Three Springs, Pa. / Southern Huntingdon) remembers arriving on campus filled with nerves.
 
"Going into this season, I was extremely anxious because I had no idea what to expect," Thomas said. "From day one, Kalista stood out as a huge leader on the team. She always has a positive attitude and is constantly uplifting all of us."
 
Jones sees that same leadership daily.
 
"She leads in how hard she plays and her willingness to do lots of things on the floor," he said. "She's also added a lot of fun and energy."
 
For Thomas, that leadership created immediate trust.
 
"Kalista has never made me feel like an outsider or less important because I'm younger," she said. "I'm very grateful to have a teammate like her. She's made a huge difference in how I feel about being part of the team."
 
Friday never hesitates to credit those around her.
 
 "My teammates played such a huge role in helping me achieve this milestone," she said. "Each of them has impacted me in different ways; teaching me how to be a better teammate, how to keep working when things get hard and, most importantly, to be thankful for the game."
 
That humility showed even as she approached 1,000 points.
 
"I didn't even realize she was close until shortly before the game," Thomas said. "That really highlights how humble she is, and I admire that about her more than anything."
 
When the moment finally arrived, pride rippled through the program. Her teammates erupted, and later her roommates surprised her by decorating their house.
 
"They made me feel so special," Friday said. "I'm just so thankful for all of them."
 
Beyond basketball, Waynesburg has shaped her in lasting ways.
 
"My faith has grown so much in the last three years," she shared. "Without Waynesburg and my friends, I don't think I would've grown that much faithfully. It's taught me how to better myself personally and professionally."
 
As graduation approaches, Friday plans to begin her career as a financial professional with New York Life in Pittsburgh, while remaining deeply connected to the game.
 
"I 100% will be staying involved with basketball," she said.
 
Back home in Woodsfield, Ohio, that connection runs deep; especially with her father serving as an assistant coach for the varsity girls team.
 
Her dad's influence has been foundational.
 
"He coached me from second grade until I graduated high school," Friday said. "He embedded the love of the game in my heart and always emphasized playing hard; leaving it all on the court."
 
That lesson came full circle when WTOV 9, her hometown news station, broadcasted the game at Franciscan University where she reached the milestone. Friends, family and an entire community watched.
 
"Knowing everyone at home and my family got to watch brought tears to my eyes," she said.
 
After 15 years of giving everything to the game, the moment meant everything.
 
"I've always wanted to make my mark on everything I do," Friday reflected. "To actually accomplish that and leave my name etched in the Waynesburg women's basketball program; it's been so special."
 
For those who follow her, that mark is already shaping the future.
 
"After seeing her achieve this milestone, it gives me great confidence in what's in store for this team," Thomas said. "She's shown me what it means to be hardworking, dedicated, a great teammate and just an overall good person."
 
While her playing days at Waynesburg are nearing their end, her influence won't fade.
 
"I will miss everything about Kalista when she graduates," Thomas added. "There's truly nobody like her. She's one of the funniest people I know and always has a good time. Even though I only get one short year with her, she'll always be one of my biggest role models, and I'm proud to be her teammate."
 
The points tell one story. The leadership, faith and people tell the real one: for Kalista Friday, her legacy at Waynesburg will live on long after the final buzzer.