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Like all of her Benet teammates, Lenee Beaumont was required to turn in her jersey after last season ended.
But no Redwings player will wear Beaumont’s No. 5 for at least a year.
That’s because the jersey has been sent to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee. The museum requested the jersey for the Ring of Honor, where it will hang for the next 12 months.
“I got an email from them a week ago,” Benet coach Joe Kilbride said. “When I got it, I was like, ‘Is this even legit?’
“My assistant Krista (Peterson) has been there a couple times, and she said it’s really cool, very well done.”
Beaumont, who is already taking classes at Indiana, was chosen for her accomplishments during the 2022-23 season, when she led Benet to second place in Class 4A in March. The 6-foot guard won numerous awards, including Ms. Basketball of Illinois.
“The Ring of Honor is an exhibit where we honor the nation’s top players at every level,” said Kelly Mathis, director of development for the Hall of Fame. “To have your jersey on display at the Hall of Fame is a huge privilege, and we are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of these young women.”
The Ring of Honor has 100 jerseys hanging from the rafters of the back rotunda at the Hall of Fame. The display includes jerseys of the top high school and college players from the past season.
“Obviously, we’re thrilled for Lenee that she’s been recognized in this way by the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame,” Kilbride said. “It’s great to see when the accomplishments of a great kid are recognized the way hers have been.”
Beaumont first heard about the honor from Kilbride.
“He called and said, ‘I have something to tell you,’” Beaumont said. “I didn’t really know what he was going to say, but it’s pretty cool, for sure.”
Beaumont has never visited the Hall of Fame. She received a scholarship offer from Tennessee but canceled her official visit after deciding to attend Indiana.
“I’ve had a few AAU tournaments in Tennessee, so I know I’ve passed it,” she said. “I remember my parents mentioning it, but we never stopped by.”
Beaumont said she won’t have time to visit the Hall of Fame, although some of her friends might do so. Former teammates Ashley Berry and Lexi Moriarty are students at Tennessee, and another, fellow 2023 Benet graduate Sadie Sterbenz, will play soccer at Middle Tennessee State.
Beaumont has been busy training and taking two classes since arriving at Indiana on June 12.
“The training is definitely difficult, but I came prepared as I could be, in my best physical shape,” she said. “We do two to three workouts a day. It’s a lot, but that’s exactly the atmosphere and culture I wanted to be in. They use the slogan ‘Do the work,’ and I absolutely love doing that.”
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Beaumont’s days are highly structured and typically begin with lifting and conditioning at 7 a.m.
“The hardest part of it all is just managing your time because you go from workout to class to practice, then study and another workout,” she said. “It’s meant to be difficult. You’re meant to struggle.
“But it’s going well so far. I love seeing all the accomplishments and success come from putting the work in, so it’s definitely a perfect fit for me.”
Beaumont broke her wrist during her first practice but is expected to be cleared to play when the Hoosiers leave Aug. 1 for a 10-day trip to Greece. They will play two games — in Athens and Patras — and spend the rest of the time sightseeing. Beaumont will return home for a short break before beginning the fall semester.
She knows it will be tough to earn playing time with the Hoosiers, who went 28-4 and won the Big Ten’s regular-season championship last season. But she said she’s ready.
“My freshman year of high school, I just had no idea what I was doing,” Beaumont said. “I was just happy to be there. Now I know what I need to do, and I just want to be the best I can. It should be a fun year.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
