Bethlehem, PA - February 10, 2025: As the team bus rolled into the Lehigh Valley, traveling the same road she would take to high school each day, Molly Driscoll reminisced about familiar places and past experiences. It was the first time since graduating high school that the standout student-athlete from Allentown Central Catholic returned home to play as a college athlete. Keystone Sports Extra met with Molly prior to her game to talk about her transition to college life.
Molly was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley so it was a bit strange sleeping in a hotel room while being so close to her family home. It’s her first few months of traveling with her new team, going on midweek or weekend trips while trying to balance academics with athletics. For Molly, she is comfortable and happy with being at American University located in Washington DC and she is grateful for all of the opportunities that she is given as a college athlete.
Molly said time management plays a key role in completing all the academic and athletic requirements her day entails. She continued by saying that in college, compared to high school, one has to build their entire class and study schedule around practices and games. The summa cum laude student at ACC knows that she is a student first and loves the fact American University instills that priority.
I was also recruited by Cornell University and Bryant University but American was one of the first schools that contacted me so they were always the frontrunner, Molly said. It really didn’t matter to Molly if she went to college far away from home or stayed close, the coaches at American, as well as DC being a great location, really made the difference in the decision making process. The DC Metro area is big, unlike our smaller community where you pretty much can get to know everyone, that is something at times I miss about my hometown, Molly said.
Molly has an older brother who plays club lacrosse at the University of Delaware, a younger brother who plays lacrosse at Allentown Central Catholic, and a mom and dad who have always loved and supported her no matter what path she chooses. There was a choice to be made her sophomore year and that was whether to focus on basketball or soccer. She utilized all the above resources, along with her high school and AAU basketball coaches who guided Molly in that decision. Molly said it only took her three days to decide on the sport to continue to play but she always felt it was beneficial early on to play multiple sports as it can create an all-around athlete. In her case, she feels it has certainly helped her today.
Molly’s family has always been a very competitive bunch. Whether it was playing basketball in the driveway at her cousins house or ping pong tournaments during Easter gatherings, everyone was out to win. Competing all the time with my brothers, and four male cousins who live across the street, we all had to compete at a high level in order to survive, Molly said. As far as ping pong, recently, Molly became distraught after losing her first ever ping pong game to a teammate’s father. It wasn’t the cakewalk she thought it would be. Even though it wasn’t her primary sport, it did humble her a bit, which is good for any athlete, she said.
In her spare time away from school and sport, Molly enjoys being with her teammates and friends. There are just so many things to do in the DC area, Molly said, between walking around farmer’s markets to so many great restaurants. Interestingly, Molly’s place of solace is the team’s locker room. She arrives at least thirty minutes early for practice, listens to some music, and gets herself in the right state of mind.
From her short time so far in college, compared to high school, Molly said the biggest difference is that the little things matter in college and discipline takes precedence. It’s not about how much you can dribble or how many points you can score but it’s more about honing your technique. Molly also commented that in college, you can’t get away with things like you can in high school. Players are more on the same level skill-wise so you have to focus on what you can do to separate yourself from the norm.
Stretching and post workout recovery are two things Molly has a better appreciation for in college so she now places more emphasize on those aspects of preparation. In high school, stretching was more of a social activity but now she has found it helps her get ready for practice or a game. And, she said players in college are always in ice baths or receiving cupping or scraping (a form of therapy to increase circulation) pre or post practice/game to help aid in recovery and subsequently enhance optimal athletic performance. Molly said she has found enough time for sleep and there are so many options on campus to promote nutritious eating habits.
The high school three-point line is about three feet shorter from the basket compared to college. Molly, being a successful three-point shooter in high school, was asked about this change. She said that she began practicing at the new distance with her trainer the summer before she left for college. He had her only shooting from the college three-point line so she would become accustomed to it and there would be an easier transition in college. Currently, Molly is comfortable with the new distance but there are always things to improve on with your game.
When asked about her strengths and weakness, Molly said she definitely feels she brings the energy to her team, helping them be a cohesive unit. She feels that right now she is trying to focus on what she herself needs to improve on, prioritize it, and then execute it in the game. For example, Molly knows she has to work on her middle drives. She mentioned the team’s strength program which is helping her get stronger for those middle drives against bigger players.
All catholic schools do a great job each day for students to easily practice their faith and Allentown Central Catholic was exceptional in this regard. In high school, Molly said, everyone was aspiring to reach that level of faith each and every day and everything was right there in one place. In college, it’s a little different, she said. American presents many opportunities to practice one’s faith but you must be motivated to seek out services and other faith-based opportunities. Luckily, Molly has many friends who share the same beliefs. And, she said, her grandparents lovingly and frequently remind her via text about her faith.
At Central, Molly averaged 19.4 points as a senior, was the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Game and All-Area MVP her junior year, and was on the All-State Team her junior and senior years. She did battle a couple injuries her senior year in high school, she said, but she worked hard and is back healthy now.
In her first year at American, Molly has played in all games thus far for the Eagles. She was Patriot League Rookie of the Week in early December 2024 for her effort in a game against Winthrop University in which she scored twenty-four points, had five rebounds, and three steals. But, Molly isn’t concerned about nor follows individual stats. When she was asked about how she felt about the Winthrop game and the ROTW honor, she said that she feels it’s more about winning games so players don’t necessarily focus on the individual stats.
Keystone Sports Extra found that Molly has played in all 22 games so far this season, scoring 106 points. Her top performances were a 24-point effort against Winthrop University in November, a 14-point effort against Towson University in December, and a 10-point effort against Army West Point in January. In the game recently against Army, Molly was 4 for 4 from the field, including 2 for 2 from the 3-point line. Molly has pulled down 36 rebounds, has 17 assists, and 12 steals thus far this season.
At American, Molly is studying business administration but she is not exactly sure what her focus will be as of yet, and for a freshman, that is normal. Molly does know however, that the DC area presents so many opportunities, whether it is for internships or jobs, and she is looking forward to the exciting career options. And, with her fierce competitiveness, work ethic, and most importantly, having a GPA of 3.95 in her first semester at American, Molly is surely setting herself up to be an excellent hire in her field.
Our conversation with Molly ended with a fun fast break type question and answer session in which Molly, without hesitation, chose WaWa over Sheets, Michael Jordan as the person she would spend the day with, the locker room as her favorite spot on campus, buffalo chicken dip with tortilla chips as her favorite food, soccer as her sport, if she wasn’t playing basketball, watching college basketball compared to the NBA or WNBA, Drake as her choice for music, inner motivation compared to external motivation, and finally the funniest moment so far in college…when she tripped over a line on the court as she was going to high-five teammates and coaches just before game-time and she face planted in front of the bench.
Keystone Sports Extra would like to thank American University and Molly Driscoll for the opportunity to sit down and talk. We look forward to following up with Molly Driscoll as she advances in her college career and we wish her and American University basketball all the best.
