When the ball swished through the net for her 1,000th career point, Rylie Harlow felt an immediate sense of relief. A milestone she had worked towards her whole career was finally secured, marking years of dedication to the sport she loves.

“It honestly felt like such a weight off my shoulders,” Harlow said. “I knew going into the season that I should be reaching 1,000 career points, but I still had nerves about letting my teammates and family down if I didn’t, especially because they also knew I was on track to hit that goal. Once I hit it, it was such a big relief to feel like everything I’ve put into bettering my game since I was little had really paid off in such a visible way.”

Harlow has been a key player for Fitchburg State University’s women’s basketball team, making an impact on and off the court. According to her coach, Laura Pierce, she stepped into a starting role immediately and grew into a vocal leader as a three-year captain. 

“Every year, Rylie seemed to come back with an even better fitness level than the year before and added new aspects to her game,” her coach said. “It was very cool to see her growth over these last four years not only as a basketball player but as a leader as well.”

Through victories and challenges, Harlow credits her teammates and family as her biggest motivators. 

“Honestly, my teammates and family have always been my reason for continuing to work hard for my goals,” she said. “Basketball has given me so much in terms of friendships and lessons, so even through losses and struggles, I was still able to learn more about myself as a player and improve my game for the team. Without their support, I never would have believed I could reach this milestone.”

Harlow’s dedication and consistency also stood out to her coach. 

“Rylie is just a really consistent player and person. She comes in every day to practice ready to work and just wants to get better, both individually and as a team. When she walks into the gym, you know you are always going to get her best.”

Going forward Harlow hopes to inspire younger players to keep pushing, even when the possible seems impossible. 

“I would tell younger players that it’s going to be hard, and there are going to be moments when you question why you’re playing and what your reason is, but in those moments, it’s so important to remember how far you’ve come,” she said. “I think about how much the younger version of myself wanted to give basketball everything she could and how excited I was every time I got to play. That helps me reflect on how much joy and how many memories I’ve gained through my experiences. So when I struggle to find a reason to keep working hard, I think about how ‘little me’ would have dreamed of playing college basketball and how she never could have imagined reaching 1,000 points. Just because you don’t think something is possible doesn’t mean you should ever stop trying for your goal. You don’t need anyone else to believe in you—you just need to believe in yourself.”

Harlow’s name will now be in Fitchburg State history books, ranking eighth  in career points, seventh in career field goals made, fifth in career three-pointers made, and eighth in career assists. As her collegiate career comes to a close, she continues to play with the same determination and love for the game that got her here.