University of South Alabama women's basketball senior Chyna Ellis has earned many accolades during her career, including three preseason all-Sun Belt Conference honors, defensive player of the year, two postseason all-league awards, and most recently became the conference's all-time leader in blocks on Jan. 18 against Coastal Carolina when she recorded a career-high and Mitchell Center record 10 blocks and currently sits at 289 for her career. However, there is a greater title she holds off the court.
 
Prior to Ellis' senior season at Arlington High School in Cordova, Tenn., she became pregnant. She was forced to miss the entire season, but she had her little blessing Londyn in the process.
 
"I didn't get to play during my senior year because I had gotten pregnant, but I had already committed to South," Ellis said. "I called Coach (Terry) Fowler and told him I was expecting the baby."
 
Women's basketball head coach Terry Fowler was set on sticking with Ellis.
 
"Chyna committed to us and then informed us she was going to have a baby. She wasn't sure how it would affect her recruitment and wanted to check in with us," Fowler said. "I told her we are committed to you if you are committed to us and she said she was."
 
Ellis knows that while she is competing on the court or hitting the books, she is not just doing it for herself, but also for Londyn. Ellis cited her daughter as her driving force when she is away from home missing some of Londyn's milestones as her mother, Shontia Bradley, cares for her in Tennessee.
 
"The toughest thing is being away from my child," Ellis said. "She has been my biggest motivation. Just not being able to see her, missing out on her first day of school and those kind of things. That has been what has motivated me since I have been here."
 
As a parent, Fowler has an understanding of what Ellis is going through when she is away from Londyn.
 
"Being a father of four and having three daughters, I know how difficult it is for her to be away from Londyn. Luckily she has a great support system at home that's helped her to be able to be focused on what she wants to accomplish not only on the basketball floor, but in the classroom and earning her degree, so she can provide a better life for her and Londyn."
 
Assistant coach Yolisha Jackson, who has been at USA during Ellis' entire career, has seen her growth and development. Jackson has witnessed the sacrifices Ellis has made for her daughter and sees Bradley as a tremendous support system to help Ellis thrive in all aspects of her life.
 
"Hats off to her, because I don't think a lot of people could do it," Jackson said. "Sometimes it gets very sad for her to be away from Londyn, but she has handled it like a champ. Her mother has done a great job making sure Londyn can attend games as much as possible. She has handled it like a professional. She understands that she has to sacrifice now so that she can do things for Londyn and herself in the future. I am just really proud of how she has handled having a child at home."
 
Ellis has grown a great deal as a person and a basketball player since enrolling at South Alabama. She cites Fowler with helping her get through life's problems that are separate from basketball, such as not being with Londyn,
 
"They (the coaching staff) helped me grow as a person," Ellis said. "Coach Fowler's philosophy is to help all of his players grow not only on the court, but off the court too. He wants players to come here and grow personally. He believes in helping each player succeed in life not just in basketball. He believes that if he helps you succeed as a person, he did his job."
 
Fowler has seen this maturity and growth in Ellis since she first stepped foot on campus and is proud to her develop into a special person.
 
"I have seen her mature each and every year from a standpoint of making better decisions," Fowler said. "She listens more than she did when she first got here. It has been a steady progress of her continuing to grow into a young lady."
 
Throughout her time at South Alabama, Ellis has thrived on the court despite being so far away from her home and daughter. Ellis has developed into one of the best players in program history, but Jackson remembers seeing Chyna when she first stepped on campus.
 
"When Chyna first got here, I often compared her to a baby giraffe. She had a lot of potential, but her strength and balance weren't there," Jackson said. "Since that time, Chyna has worked extremely hard. She has put in a lot of hours of practice by herself. She has become more efficient and stronger. Her play went into action instead of just systematic movements. She has put in the work to be who she is. Whether it was individual workouts or her in the gym by herself."
 
Ellis was the 19th women's basketball player in program history to reach 1,000 points and recorded the program's first triple-double since 1989 on the same night she set the SBC all-time block record. However, she has never been worried about the stats and is always focused on team goals.
 
"To be honest I do not pay much attention to individual stats," Ellis said. "I just let them come to me. I focus more on the team's success. I believe my role as a leader is to not focus on myself as an individual, but make sure the team is doing well."
 
Ellis enjoys the role of being a leader on the team knowing that she can help make the team better through mentoring the younger players, not just on the court, but in the classroom as well.
 
"My teammates and I try lead by example," Ellis said. "We try to help them with anything they need. Whether it's classes or just giving them wisdom with pieces of advice. "Helping them on the court if they are confused with what is going on or if they are feeling bombarded, and slowing things down to show them what is going on and what is expected from them."
 
Ellis also understands that when things go wrong with the team, it comes down on her. Whether she was directly involved or not, she knows that as part of the leadership group on the team, it is her job to step up for her teammates.
 
"They (coaches) are always on me," Ellis said. They push me. I believe as a leader I have to take more heat than anybody. Even though they might not be directing the heat towards me, I have to take it. They are just always staying on me to keep me focused and motivated. When I am slacking, they let me know."
 
Jackson has enjoyed coaching Ellis and seeing her grow, but knows that Ellis still has things to accomplish.
 
"It's been exciting. It's been such a pleasure to try and help her in that process," Jackson said. "She did all of the work on her own, but I am very excited for her growth. She knows that there are still things she has to correct and work on to reach her potential. Although she has accomplished a lot, as a team we want to accomplish more and she understands that and she has taken some of that responsibility to help the team get there. In doing that, she understands that her individual stats will come with it."
 
Ellis echoed the team goal saying, "I want to win the Sun Belt and reach a postseason tournament. That is my only goal heading into my senior season."
 
Although her basketball career at USA is dwindling down, Fowler knows that she is a determined person, and that has helped her during her time in Mobile.
 
"She is a focused young lady and she knows what she wants to accomplish on and off the floor," Fowler said. She has been able to stay focused. But if you talk to her, the one thing she'll always say is everything is for her daughter. Even though it's been a challenging situation, there's an end game. She knows what that is and she has been able to stay on track, keep pace and do all of the things necessary for her to have the success that she has had."
 
Knowing how important an education is, Ellis has kept her daughter at the forefront of her priorities. Ellis knew she had to put all of her energy and effort towards school and basketball to make a better life for Londyn.
 
"She helps keep me focused," Ellis said. "I know I have someone watching me and I know I have to provide for someone. This is my way out. This is my way of providing for her. I know for me to do that, I have had to give it my all in school and on the court."