Shanique and Keisharna Lucas: Teammates for Life
By Grace White, Union Sports Communications Student Writer
“With Keisharna, I never have to second-guess anything I do around her, in terms of when we talk about things or humor or just being comfortable,” said Shanique Lucas, senior exercise science major and guard for Union’s women’s basketball team. “No second-guessing any of that, which I love.”
Shanique and her sister Keisharna Lucas, a sophomore psychology major and forward on the basketball team, have gotten to spend the last two years together at Union. Keisharna redshirted her freshman season, so the 2022-2023 season will be her first on the court as a Lady Bulldog.
Shanique has had an impressive run during her time at Union, being named GSC freshman of the week five times in the 2019-2020 season, making the GSC Honor Roll each year from 2020 to 2022, and earning GSC All-Tournament and Academic All-GSC in both 2021 and 2022. She also has 1,329 career points and 394 career rebounds so far.
Although the two sisters have been together at Union since fall 2021, it wasn’t always certain that this would be the case. When Keisharna was first thinking through her decision, she didn’t want to go to the same school as Shanique.
“Initially, I didn’t want to go here just because Shanique was here,” Keisharna said. “I was like, ‘Definitely not going there.’ But then I talked to Coach Campbell, and then I thought about it more, and I was like, ‘Oh, actually, going to school with her would be kind of fun.'”
Shanique wanted her sister to come to Union, but she tried to be unbiased as Keisharna weighed her options. It was also hard because during the Covid summer of 2020, Shanique didn’t get to go home to Thailand and instead had to help her sister by talking with her over the phone.
“I just tried to make it clear that it was obviously never about what I wanted but what she wanted and what she thought was best,” Shanique said.
Ultimately, Keisharna did decide that Union was the best fit for her. This decision has allowed the two sisters to play together once again after being on the same team for four years in high school and practicing together basically their whole lives. It has also given them the chance to learn things about each other that they may not have been able to otherwise.
“I’d say with Shanique, after being away from her for two years, [I’ve seen] how intentional she is with people and relationships she has,” Keisharna said.
Shanique sees that Keisharna is an observer, someone that pays attention to small details and things other people wouldn’t necessarily notice.
“People always say that college is a place where you discover who you are and that kind of thing,” Shanique said, “and so I’m able to see just different characteristics of her that I hadn’t, I guess, noticed as much when we were in high school together. And I’d say that would be one of them, just how observant she is of the things around her.”
It’s definitely rare to get to play with your sister in college, but it also a blessing. Shanique and Keisharna are able to be there for each other in all aspects of life, in the good and the bad, on and off the court.
“When I see her struggle, on and off the floor, it’s harder just because I can see it firsthand,” Shanique. “I don’t want to ever see her struggle.”
Shanique and Keisharna definitely have an unmistakable connection. They always want the best for each other. They know each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies, perhaps better than anyone else because they have been playing together for so long and have been sisters for even longer. They love to cheer each other on and make plays together. They’re extremely competitive, but at the end of the day, they are sisters, connected with an unbreakable bond.
“I just love the dynamic we have and that I have my best friend at college with me,” Shanique said.
Veilleux leaves mark on Union women’s cross country
Chloe Veilleux of Yampa, Colorado, has spent the past four seasons competing with the women’s cross country team. And now, looking back the senior has left her mark on this storied program.
This program has produced at least one Gulf South Conference All-Conference runner in each year of membership in the league since becoming an official member in 2014. Women’s cross country was the first team from Union to win a GSC title when Union rejoined the NCAA ranks, winning the 2014 title. The program went on to win the 2016 title also and has made three appearances in the NCAA National Championships.
In 2022’s GSC Championships, Veilleux kept the streak alive by earning second team All-GSC honors, finishing 19th. It was the second time in her career to be listed on the All-GSC team. Veilleux said, “I feel blessed to have had the privilege of not only representing Union in carrying out the success of the program and accredit all of my and the team’s success to the grace of the Lord. He has granted me the gift to run, and I hope my ability to do so within this program will reflect God’s good power and intentionality in the way He uniquely equips each of us according to His will.”
Veilleux holds several of Union’s top times in program history including No. 9 with an 18:34 5K time. She also holds two top-10 marks in the 6K races including No. 2 with a 22:28 and No. 6 with a 22:42 time. She added “I am honored that the Lord gifted me with a couple of good seasons. It is honestly just a testament to His kindness to have started my career here strong and then allowed me to overcome several difficulties and setbacks in order to be able to finish healthily and perform well. It has been a challenging, but fun process.
In addition, I know that none of my success could have been attained without the support and guidance of Coach (Gary) Johnson and Coach (Bailey) Bell, the steadfastness of my teammates, and loyalty and encouragement from my loving parents, family, and friends. I know that the cross country team here at Union has what it takes to carry on the tradition of success, and I’m just glad to have served as just one block in the foundation of a great program.”
When asked why she believes her 6K times have been so low over her career, Veilleux said, “I think it is funny that my 6K has technically been more successful over the years granted that I’ve only ever done a handful of them in my life. I think my high-end mileage preparation through both the pre-and competitive seasons prepared me well both physically and mentally to keep pushing past what would “normally” be the required distance. While it is not much longer of a race, it’s long enough to feel the difference, and maintaining the mental edge to increase effort and finish strong becomes especially crucial in this race. I’ve always had the ability to at least do that.”
Veilleux has run at Union for four seasons and for two coaches. She was recruited and ran one season for Gary Johnson before his retirement after the 2019 season. For the past three seasons, she has run under the leadership of Bailey Bell, a former Union men’s cross country runner. Bell said of Chloe, “It has been an honor to coach Chloe over the past three seasons. She has been a leader, an exemplary teammate, and a constant example of a Christ-Centered student-athlete. Chloe’s impact on our program will be missed and cannot easily be replaced. Chloe’s hard work is evident in her multiple 5K/6K records. However, I believe what will last far longer than her outstanding performances is her Godly impact on her teammates. She embodies what a Union University student-athlete should look like at the end of their career. Our program is different because of the investment Chloe has had in the lives of her teammates.”
While it looks like this fall of 2022 will conclude her collegiate running career at Union, she agrees that her plans are never 100 percent guaranteed. And certainly, Coach Bell would love for her to return for her fifth season/Covid season. Veilleux assured that she is still praying about her future. However, whether she returns or begins the next stage of her life, she will do so with great conviction and determination. Veilleux says, “The plan is always to continue running, whether that be for leisure or signing up for races independently. As of now, I plan to attend Western Michigan University starting this summer to pursue a Doctor of Occupational Therapy.”
Veilleux has certainly left her mark on Union University women’s cross country and her name will forever be linked to the success of this program.
(PHOTO: Chloe Veilleux No.992)
