Roxana Button has taken a step towards fulfilling her potential on and off the court this season.
Button, Conference USA’s leading scorer (17.4 ppg) was recently accepted, and will attend the Paul F. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso.
When combined, basketball on the college level and a pre-med degree path can be a challenging mixture because of the pressures and work load necessary for each. Button has learned to walk the tight rope.
“It comes down to priorities,” Button said. “Obviously I like to have fun, but school and basketball come first.”
“Honestly, I give all the glory to God because I couldn’t have done it myself. It definitely made it harder with the school hours that I had to take as a pre-med major.”
According to NCAA.org, 99 percent of athletes who participate in women’s basketball will not compete professionally. However medical school and the lure of a white coat is not a consolation prize for Button. It is a profession with a purpose that she will pursue with every fiber of her being, evidenced by how hard she works on a daily basis on and off the court. Button is often the first and last person in the gym, taking extra shots or running extra laps.
“I just have a passion for helping people and serving others, and I love the human body and learning about it and how it all functions together,” Button said
“Ever since I was little, I’ve had that passion for helping people.”
Button is one of the rare college students who is graduating early. Button will walk across the stage after only in three and a half years at UH.
“Growing up, my parents instilled in me that whatever you’re doing give 100 percent. That’s how I was raised, and that’s my faith,” Button said.
“My toughest semester was spring of sophomore year. I was taking 17 hours and still playing basketball.”
Button has still not yet picked a specialty. She is choosing between being a pediatrician or a family doctor. Both would allow Button to help others in a manner and scope that she would enjoy.
Button’s senior season has been her best individually. She has more than tripled her points per game and is rebounding at a better clip. The team has also been ravaged by injuries, inserting Button into more of a leadership role. A role that Button has taken head on. She is one of the few veterans on a young team.
The camaraderie of playing sports is unlike anything else in the world for her.
“Every year has its memories. So many of them come from not even being on the basketball court, just being around my teammates — there are touching memories there,” Button said.
“On the court it was probably last year, just the season that we had.”
Button’s life is in transition. She is taking a step up in competition from college to medical school. But with her work ethic these defenders cannot stop her path to the hoop.
