Newcomer Feature: Micah Linthacum
10/8/2019 12:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Linthacum carries on family legacy of suiting up in the Black & Gold
Legacy and tradition run deep in freshman Micah Linthacum's (Jefferson City, Mo.) family. That is because Linthacum is a fourth-generation Tiger.
"You don't really hear of a lot of fourth-generation students," Linthacum said. "That home aspect and our culture of family within the team is super special and exciting to be a part of."
Micah's great-grandfather, grandfather and father all played football in the Black & Gold, creating deep Tiger roots in her family. Linthacum now carries their legacy onward, and is on her way to creating her own.
"My family would always go to football games and basketball games when I was younger," Linthacum said. "It's cool to now represent Mizzou for myself."
Ranked as the 19th-best forward in the country according to espnW, Linthacum, at 6-foot-4, will add depth at the post for the Tigers.
In high school, she helped lead the Jefferson City Jays to a 29-2 season, as they booked their first ever appearance to the state championship in 2019, Additionally, Linthacum earned a spot on the All-District team in 2017 and 2019.
Linthacum's commitment, along with freshmen Aijha Blackwell (St. Louis, Mo.) and Hayley Frank (Strafford, Mo.), helped Mizzou secure the 12th-best recruiting class in the nation.
"I remember right after I committed, I was watching the season highlight video at the individual camp that summer," Linthacum said. "I just remember my eyes filled with tears watching and thinking how that was going to be me next year."
Along with her deep roots to the university, Linthacum also chose Mizzou among other schools for other reasons, emphasizing the team's culture and closeness to home.
"Coach Pingeton emphasizes a family culture at Mizzou," Linthacum said. "She's always instilling the sisterhood. At times, it still may be tough, but in the end, we are all still going to deeply care for and love each other. Coach P, since she has been here, has made family a big point."
"I love that it's close to home, being from Jefferson City," Linthacum said. "That was a really big thing to me."
Now at Mizzou, Linthacum has been adjusting to college life and learning to compete at the highest collegiate level.
"It feels awesome to finally be on campus," Linthacum said. "It's even a different feel now than when we had workouts over summer. Just with classes, walking around campus and getting a more overall feel of things, it's a lot of fun."
Although she is new to campus, Linthacum has found comfort in her older teammates, who have helped her every step of the way on the court.
"The older players do a really good job of encouraging," Linthacum said. "Whether it's after a drill or just after practice, they've just given me some great tips. It is kind of tough whenever you're doing workouts and playing with these girls that are amazing SEC players."
In any way she can, on or off the court, Linthacum hopes to make her mark during her freshman year.
"For this next season, I'd like to help the team as much as I can and make as big of an impact as I can, given the opportunities," Linthacum said. "Whatever I can or whatever the team needs me for, I'll be there. Even if it's off the court, I'd like to be there for them."
Linthacum also has goals for her future Tiger career; however, she is taking it one day at a time, working as hard as she can each day.
"I'd like to be a part of helping us win games and the goal of winning championships. But I'm just trying to take it one practice at a time and do the little things that build up to that point first."
