A systematic study of a chapter of the Bible might seem intimidating to some Christians, particularly to those who happen to play women’s collegiate basketball for one of America’s major universities, but players need not fear. Two of the brighter celestial bodies in this universe, a city light and a country light who love to glow in tandem, are Kara Lawson and April McDivitt of the University of Tennessee. For Lawson and McDivitt, to execute such a study is neither scary nor unexciting.

In fact, these two guards for the Lady Vols share more than just a common faith in Jesus Christ and their common struggles in life. It took them awhile, but these roommates with a deep friendship are discovering that meatier aspects of Christianity, which may, at times, consist of things such as the entire book of 1 Corinthians, can be safely and authentically described as “cool.”

“Kara and April are two young ladies who strive for and achieve excellence in everything they do,” FCA Representative Tammy Eichholz said about this tandem. “As athletes, they push themselves day in and day out to perform on the court. Off the court, they are just as competitive. Not only are they standout students in the academic world, but they are students of the Word.”

The desire for authentic Bible teaching led Lawson and McDivitt to a pastor named Chad Sparks at Providence Church of Knoxville. Chad used to play football for Carson-Newman College, where his father, Ken, is the coach. Both Chad and Ken are Christians who are not afraid to add a pinch of athletic intensity to their time-tested foundation of true belief. The ladies like that.

“April and I had been struggling for awhile,” Lawson remembered. “We went to a lot of different churches and were trying to find the church where we felt God wanted us to be.” So when Tammy suggested that they try Providence, “we went one Sunday and felt that was where we were supposed to be,” Lawson said. They eventually settled into a college small group.

“We’re actually the only athletes in that, and that’s just awesome for us because we’re sort of out of our element, out of our comfort zone, and we’re able to share with people who have different sorts of views, different sorts of problems,” Lawson said. “It’s just a refresher, and it’s great not to be noticed as athletes, just sitting down to fellowship with other Christians.”

The recognition that Lawson generally gets is as a great athlete. She stands 5-feet-9 and has been known to bench-press 235 pounds. A junior who has assumed more of a leadership role this season for the Lady Vols, she has averaged more than 13 points and 5 rebounds per game. Last August, she led the USA to the gold medal in the World University Games in Beijing. More importantly, she was faithful in Bible study with a player from Colorado, Jenny Roulier. “I grew so much,” she said.

McDivitt, a 5-8 junior, can rotate into a starting role when needed. Her defense has been watched, and improvements have been noted. She is also a smart player. In fact, both McDivitt and Lawson are noted for their mutual presence on the Tennessee Dean’s List. They were honored in the fall semester, McDivitt for her 3.13 as an education major and Lawson for her 3.54 as a finance major. Intangibles are hard to pin down, but Lawson’s comfort level at any particular moment in a game may be linked to this sisterly relationship.

“There’s no other teammate I’d like on the court with me (more) than April,” she said. “We know each other so well, we feed off each other very well, we read each other and we’re close in so many ways. I know that she’s been a role player for us the last two years, and this is a big year for her, a chance to step up and be a starter and be a big-time player for us. I couldn’t be more confident in her ability.”

McDivitt is a little bit “country.” She hails from Connersville, Indiana. Lawson, on the other hand, is a little bit “city.” She comes from Alexandria, Virginia. This has turned them into a bit of a curiosity around Knoxville. “You know, a lot of people kind of hide if they were born and raised on a farm,” McDivitt said. “A ‘farm girl’—they don’t really like that title. I’m really proud of the fact that I grew up on a farm. It really taught me a lot, all the values that I’ve learned. I really cherish that part of my life.”
When McDivitt gets going about where she was reared, Lawson can  look just a little bit quizzical. The string music of various “country-boy” Hoosier basketball legends does virtually nothing for this street-smart Washington D.C. lady who is driven to succeed. But that’s okay. It’s all fun.

“I’m used to a lot of craziness going on, and I got down here to Knoxville and it was a little slower,” Lawson said. “April was kind of the reverse. We come from two different worlds. I tease her a little bit about being from a small town, and she ribs me a lot about being from a big city, but it’s a good partnership and it’s a good balance.”

McDivitt’s favorite book of the New Testament is 1 Corinthians, which happens to include encouraging language about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Eichholz, the FCA representative, views this intimate relationship within the Lady Vols backcourt as a precious gift from God. “When I think about Kara and April, 1 Corinthians 9:24 comes to mind. April and Kara are running the race. They are shining His light on the Lady Vols basketball team.”

The Tennessee women’s basketball program is under a lot of pressure to perform. Its reputation for sterling performance goes back to the 1990s, when the Lady Vols put together a bit of a run like the old Chicago Bulls.

They won NCAA Championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998. The ’98 team was particularly exceptional, in that it won all 39 games it played. While the Lady Vols will not do that in 2002, winning 13 of the first 14 games represents hope.

“We feel it’s a failed season if we don’t end the season on a winning note, so that’s a big challenge for this team this year,” Lawson said. “We are a young team, we are inexperienced in a lot of ways, but it’s a great challenge for the upperclassmen, and hopefully we’ll be able to meet that.”

Allen Palmeri, the former editor of Sharing the VICTORY, is the founder and president of AMP Ministries.