After three years away from basketball, Freshman forward Xochitl Nava is returning to try to provide a spark for the Lady Hornets. Nava graduated high school in 2011 but has not played basketball since her Junior year and is in her first semester of college.

“After high school I had some personal issues to figure out,” Nava said. “I got them figured out and I am back at it.”

She went to high school at Brea Olinda and got to play three years of basketball at one of the more prestigous programs in the nation, before deciding to take her senior year off.

“I never played varsity at Brea,” Nava said. “But even at the JV level the coaches are super competitive and try to build up the mentality of win or bust.”

When she arrived at Fullerton College, her original intent was not to jump right back into basketball and try to play for the team.

“I am in Coach Foster’s basketball class on Mondays, and I just joined the class to play for fun,” Nava said. “She saw me playing and told me that I should try out for the team.

She made it on the team and is back playing the game she loves. After the time off, she knows that she is still a ways away from where she used to be.

Nava is having to get back into playing shape while learning a new system and preparing for a season all at the same time.

“It was really hard at first because I haven’t played much more than pickup games in the last few years,” said Nava. “I need to work on a lot of the fundamental stuff and definitely get stronger and rebound better.”

She was a guard in high school and is having to get used to being more of a post player.

Nava has not seen too much playing time in the first two games but knows that she just needs to set her mind on improving everyday.

“I am just trying to get better on a daily basis,” Nava said. “Once I fix the little things the playing time should come.”

Now that she is back in the game, Nava would like to keep going. She hopes to play at a university when her time is done with the Lady Hornets.