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Clemson retires Laurens great Floyd’s No. 32 jersey

Basketball is getting a little smaller in Chrissy Floyd’s rearview mirror these days, but she made a familiar trek back to Clemson’s Littlejohn Colliseum Sunday for the latest of a string of post-career honors and accolades for a career well-played.

Floyd’s No. 32 jersey was retired during a ceremony at Clemson’s 80-74 loss to Boston College Sunday afternoon as the Laurens native and Laurens District High star took the court along with her parents, Mike and Brenda Floyd.

“Back then, oh, I was just playing basketball, but when you get older you start realizing how important those (honors) are and what it really means not only to us, but to our family, our community and things.”

Floyd starred at Clemson from 1999-2003, earning All-ACC honors all four years of her career, including first-team honors as a junior and again as a senior. She finished second in Clemson history behind Barbara Kennedy-Dixon with 1,937 career points and led the Tigers in scoring in each of her four seasons at Clemson.

Over the past decade, the honors have rolled in for Floyd. She was made to the ACC 50-year Anniversary team, joining former Clemson golfer D.J. Trahan as the only two Clemson athletes on the team. In 2016, she was named to the 12th Annual Class of ACC Women’s Basketball Legends. A year later, Floyd was inducted with the inaugural class into the Laurens County Sports Hall of Fame.

“I was proud and my family and friends back in my hometown of Laurens were as well,” Floyd said. “They’ve definitely showed a lot of support and let me know how proud they are of me and this accomplishment. It means a lot to be able to represent Laurens County when I competed and be able to show the great things we can do.”

Even before Floyd became a Clemson all-time great, she had established herself as a Laurens legend. Behind her play at LDHS, the Raiders captured back-to-back Class 4A state championships in 1998 and 1999. Over her final two seasons, LDHS had a combined 58-0 record.

After leading the Raiders to two state titles, she led the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Floyd was drafted by the WNBA’s Seattle Storm and played one season professionally in Greece before returning to the Upstate. She said the game, which began for her like so many others with a backyard basket, transformed her life.

Chrissy Floyd at Sunday’s ceremony held at Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum.

“Basketball afforded me the opportunity to do a lot of things and to experience a lot of cultures and things I wouldn’t have had exposure to,” said Floyd, who now lives and works in Greenville. “To me, this is kind of going full circle — starting int he backyard playing ball to going overseas playing ball and now to continue to be recognized for those things. I’m definitely blessed and proud to be able to bring it back to Laurens County and allow it to be something everybody there can be proud of as well.”

Floyd is among eight former Clemson women’s basketball players Kennedy-Dixon, Shandy Bryan, Mary Ann Cubelic, Janet Knight, Karen Ann Jenkins, Itori Umoh and Amy Geren to have their jerseys hung from the rafters at Littlejohn Colliseum.

After her playing career, Floyd coached with friends in AAU basketball, but said she has since been focused on her career with some of the same drive she used on the basketball court.

“All the hard work and everything paid off and is still paying off today, so I hope I can just be someone that continues to encourage kids today, to let them know that they can do the same thing,” she said. “It goes back to intention — just doing everything you do with intention. Otherwise, why do it?”

 

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