The town of Cashmere is buzzing with winter sports around the corner. The Cashmere Bulldogs boys’ and girls’ basketball programs open their season on December 9th at home against the highly touted Zillah Leopards. Despite the hype around the opening game, the town of Cashmere has another date in mind that may bring a huge crowd to Ron Doane gymnasium.
On December 19th, the Bulldogs host the Naches Valley Rangers. Tip-off for the girls’ game is at 5:45, and the boys’ start at 7:15. During halftime of the boys’ game, Cashmere High School will honor Hailey Van Lith by retiring her #11 high school jersey.
Van Lith graduated from Cashmere High School in 2020. She was a 4 time CTL player of the year and a two-time Gatorade player of the year in Washington state. She also holds the record for most points scored in a high school career in Washington state (2,994). Averaging 34 points per game in her senior season. She also led the Bulldogs to three state title game appearances in her freshman, sophomore, and senior seasons.
Brent Darnell, the former head coach of the Cashmere High School girls basketball team, recently reflected on his time coaching Van Lith. Darnell, who led the CHS girls team for 11 seasons, built a legacy of excellence during his tenure. Under his leadership, the Bulldogs secured seven top-three finishes in the 1A State Tournament, establishing the program as a perennial powerhouse.
Among the many talented athletes Darnell coached, none shone brighter than Van Lith. He coached her throughout all four years of her high school career, witnessing firsthand her growth, dedication, and transformation into one of the most celebrated players in the nation.
Speaking about Van Lith, Darnell shared. “Hailey’s legacy in Cashmere is more than points scored, records broken, or games won. It’s about what she represented, and in a small town, legacies matter.” Darnell continued, “Her legacy has enriched this entire town, from youth athletes to local businesses to every community member. Now more than ever, boys and girls take sports more seriously.”, Darnell went on to say, “We will never forget Hailey, and will forever be grateful for what she did for our youth athletes, our high school and our community.”
Following her graduation from Cashmere. Van Lith was named a McDonald’s All-American and Washington Ms. Basketball in 2020.
In 2021, she attended the University of Louisville and played three seasons as a Cardinal, leading them to a final four appearance in her freshman season. She also led them to back-to-back elite eight showings in her Sophomore and Junior seasons, and she was named to the first-team All-ACC honors in both of those seasons.
In 2024, Van Lith transferred to Louisiana State University. She helped lead the Tigers to her third consecutive elite eight.
After the 2024 season concluded, Van Lith competed in 3×3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In Paris, she led Team USA to a bronze medal by defeating Canada in the 3rd place game. She previously won gold medals with the Team USA 3×3 team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the 2019 U18 World Cup.
Following the 2024 Olympics, she entered the transfer portal once again. This time, she committed to Texas Christian University for her senior year, and that proved to be a really good decision.
Hailey not only led TCU to her fourth straight elite eight, but she also broke numerous records. Van Lith is now the TCU single-season record holder for points (680) and assists (204). She was one of three players in the country in the 2025 season to score 600 points and dish out 200 assists. She is also the NCAA record holder for all-time games started in a career (172) and minutes played in a career (5,692). Hailey wasn’t done there in the 2025 season. She was named the Big 12 player of the year, averaging 17.9 points per game and 5.4 assists per game, capping off her collegiate career in the right way.
Currently, Hailey is playing for the Chicago Sky. She was taken with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. In her rookie season with the Sky, Van Lith played a bigger and bigger role as the season went on. Despite battling injuries throughout the season, she was still able to play quality minutes for Chicago in the 2025 campaign.
When Hailey was asked if she was excited to come back to Cashmere for her jersey retirement on the 19th, and what she misses about her hometown. She shared, “To me, my jersey retirement at Cashmere symbolizes a full-circle moment of gratitude. To be recognized by a community that was such a foundational aspect of my life journey is the highest honor. Something I miss most about Cashmere is getting to see some of my best friends every day.”
For the town of Cashmere, this is not only a time to celebrate the most accomplished athlete in Cashmere history, but it’s also a time to remember all the fun memories Hailey brought to the small town of Cashmere. You can expect a loud crowd at Ron Doane Gymnasium on December 19th.
