CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team has completely turned their program around in just one year. The Bearcats already have more conference wins than last season and have matched its 2023-24 total win total.
A key part of the Bearcats success this season is stellar play off the bench from Ryle High School alum Abby Holtman.
The sophomore guard credits a large part of her basketball journey to her father.
“My dad is like my best friend. He really is. We are like the same person. We butt heads a lot because we are just the same person…he’s just been there for me since I picked up a basketball,” Abby Holtman said.
“Me and Abby are really close. Basketball brought us really close as a father-daughter,” Aaron Holtman, Abby’s father, said.
The relationship between father, daughter, and basketball was strengthened in the family’s driveway in Florence, Kentucky.
“He would get home late from working, so I would just wait on the porch for him every day. He would pull in. After working all day he would be on the driveway I learned how to shoot out there. He taught me how to shoot,” Abby said.
“There was days that I was tired. (But) she wanted to be on the driveway, I’ll be on that driveway with her. Just like tonight, she wants me to come back and get shots, I’ll be here,” Aaron said.
Follow Abby's journey through her eyes in the video below:
From rebounding for his daughter in the driveway to rebounding for his daughter at a top-notch Division 1 facility feels surreal for Aaron.
“He was even so excited because all the lights were on, (saying) ‘this is crazy’ and I was like ‘yeah I know, I get to practice here like every day,” Abby said.
“I said 'Abby don’t take this for granted, you’re in the one percentile,'” Aaron said.
The odds for Abby to make it this far in basketball were even smaller than 1%. As a toddler, Abby was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss.
“People would react to stuff around me and I wouldn’t hear anything, when I was in that toddler age I could comprehend that I couldn’t hear very well,” Abby said.
“I never saw it as a handicap so I don’t know that I was compassionate enough about it,” Aaron said about his daughter’s hearing condition.
With the help of hearing aids, Abby’s hearing issues in her day-to-day life are minimal. Basketball is a different story. Growing up, sweat caused Abby’s hearing aids to create static, so she couldn’t use them on the court.
“In high school we always got a good crowd, too (and) the cheering. I would have to look over at my coach every time for a play call,” Abby said.
“She would get a steal in High school, fast break. She would slow down. The girl would catch up and block it. And I’d say, ‘did you not hear her?’ (She said) ‘No.’ So I gave her the advice, ‘Don’t slow down,’” Aaron said.
Advice that transcends basketball: Abby learned how to adapt on the court.
“We kind of adapted to my teammates (who) would echo. I would always have that one teammate I could grab and be like ‘what are we running?’ or ‘what did she say?’’ Abby said.
Abby’s Bearcat teammate and best friend sophomore Forward Brianna Byars has taken on that echo role.
“I just feel like it’s my role," Byars said. "As your best friend, why would it not be me? I just felt like it was my place to do that…I could see the frustration come with in her our freshman year. I was like I don’t want to see her frustrated everyday for something she can’t control."
“Just having someone that supportive and helpful especially with my situation is really important to me,” Abby said.
“It’s a big thing because you know kids would make fun of her with hearing aids. To see now her college teammates embracing that, knowing that she can’t hear the way we can hear because you know how it is with all of these screaming fans,” Aaron said.
The University of Cincinnati has provided Abby with new sweat-resistant hearing aids that she can play with, which helps her a lot.
One day, Abby hopes to pay it forward by coaching.
“I think that I would be able to understand the girls on a more empathetic level, even if it’s not the same situation,” Abby said.
Like Abby, a love for basketball, doesn’t stop.
