Ex-Hampton standout Laryn Edwards takes 'crazy' path to Big East basketball

Former Hampton star Laryn Edwards was sitting in the Providence women’s basketball office in late November when coach Erin Batth entered in a bit of a pickle.

Her starting point guard had suffered an injury, leaving the Friars with only two healthy ball handlers, both freshmen.

Batth asked Edwards, a second-year graduate assistant who had been “kicking everyone’s butt in practice,” a wishful question.

“I said, ‘Girl, do you have any eligibility? Can you play? I wish you could play,’ ” said Batth, a first-year coach. “And she said, ‘Well … I think I still have a year.’ It was really funny and sort of a miracle.”

Edwards, who played four seasons at Loyola (Md.) from 2018-22, gave up her coaching duties and returned to the court as a player for the Friars.

“It’s crazy to think about, but it’s awesome,” the 24-year-old Edwards said.

“No one really gets this opportunity ever, to go from not playing to coaching to back to playing. You don’t really see this a lot.”

Edwards, who averaged 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists and made 41 starts at Loyola (Md.), had one year of eligibility remaining because the NCAA granted all athletes an extra year due to covid-19. The 5-foot-6 guard also took a redshirt year as a freshman at Loyola.

On Nov. 29 against Columbia, Edwards, who had been cleared by the Providence compliance staff, played for the first time in 20 months. She went 0 for 1 from the field with an offensive rebound in seven minutes of action in the loss.

“I got right back into it,” she said. “The first game, I was a little nervous but I’m getting better and I’m feeling comfortable and getting back to how I played before. It’s very exciting and a great feeling.”

As of Jan. 2, the 2018 Hampton graduate had played in eight games with six starts for Providence (7-7, 1-0 Big East), averaging 4.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

She had four points, five rebounds and two assists in the Friars’ 51-46 victory at Seton Hall on Dec. 30 in their Big East opener.

Also on the Big East schedule are games against nationally ranked UConn, Marquette and Creighton. It’s a far cry from the Patriot League and Loyola, where the Greyhounds went 20-83 in Edwards’ four seasons.

“She’s done great,” Batth said. “What more can you ask for? She hadn’t played in a long time and I just threw her in the fire and now I’m starting her. She’s good, and she has a great attitude. Overall, she’s been awesome.”

Edwards figured her playing days were over after she graduated from Loyola (Md.) in 2022, entered the transfer portal and didn’t land any suitable offers.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” said Edwards, a former all-state guard at Hampton who ranks among the program’s all-time scoring leaders.

She decided to get into coaching and in July 2022 she accepted a job at Providence as a grad assistant on former coach Jim Crowley’s staff.

Edwards, who is pursuing an MBA at Providence, enjoyed her new role — “I helped with a little bit of everything” — but she missed the action.

“It was weird not playing last year,” she said. “It was very hard sitting there and wishing you were out there, especially when I knew I had eligibility. It was a very hard decision for me to hang up my shoes. But now I have the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m playing again.”