Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel, a 22-year-old guard at Lesley University, has shattered barriers by becoming the first one-armed basketball player to score in an NCAA Division III women’s game. Her historic three-pointer, described by Coach Martin Rather as a moment of pure triumph,underscores her journey of perseverance in a sport where physical limitations are often mislabeled as disqualifiers.
Born with an underdeveloped right arm, Sinaman-Daniel’s path nearly ended in high school when a coach cut her from the team.
They told me I wasn’t needed,she recalls. Yet rejection fueled her resolve. After emailing hundreds of colleges, she landed at Warren Wilson College before transferring to Lesley, where her relentless work ethic caught Rather’s attention.
Adaptive training techniques became the cornerstone of her success.
Balancing passes or refining my shot required constant tweaking,she explains. Sinaman-Daniel now completes more solo drills than any teammate, contributing to Lesley’s best season in 14 years.
While one-armed athletes like Hansel Emmanuel (Austin Peay) gain recognition in men’s basketball, women’s programs rarely see similar milestones. Sinaman-Daniel joins an elite group of collegiate players proving that grit outweighs physical constraints.
Limitations don’t define potential,asserts Rather, who paused the game to celebrate her breakthrough basket.
Now studying psychology near Boston, Sinaman-Daniel aims to inspire others facing adversity. Her message?
See me as a basketball player first—someone capable of achieving what others think is impossible.
As Division III playoffs approach, her story transcends sports. With two career baskets and a rising platform, Sinaman-Daniel embodies how passion and adaptation rewrite narratives—one shot at a time.
