03/29/24 05:02:00
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03/29 05:00 CDT Hijab wearing players in women's NCAA Tournament hope to
inspire others
Hijab wearing players in women's NCAA Tournament hope to inspire others
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
N.C. State's Jannah Eissa and UC Irvine's Diaba Konate are leaving a big impact
off the court, bringing visibility and inspiration to Muslim women by wearing
hjiabs while they play.
They aren't the first women to do it in NCAA Tournament play, but with record
viewership and attendance they are certainly getting noticed.
"Representation really matters," said Konate whose team lost in the first round
of the tournament to Gonzaga. "Just having people, young Muslim women wearing
the hijab, we're not there yet. Just seeing us play, I think it makes me really
happy because I used to have people that I was looking up to. Now having people
that look up to me makes me happy."
Konate admires Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, who made NCAA history by being the first to
wear a hijab in college basketball when she played for Memphis a decade ago.
Abdul-Qaadir was instrumental in getting FIBA to overturn its own ban on
headgear in 2017.
Konate started 31 of the team's 32 games, averaging 7.5 points and nearly four
assists. She moved to the U.S. from France after receiving a scholarship from
Idaho State. She transferred to UC Irvine as a junior.
She'd love for a chance to play in a hijab at home in France, where she won two
medals playing on their youth teams, but as of now the French Federation of
Basketball prohibits the wearing of "any equipment with a religious or
political connotation".
"Being French and hosting the Olympics, it really hurts to not be able to be
ourselves," said Konate, who first started wearing the hijab in 2020.
"Hopefully, it changes."
Eissa and Konate have never met, but are aware of each other.
"I just know there's another woman wearing a hijab," Eissa said. "I just saw a
post about two days ago. I was so happy there are other people."
Eissa, who turned 18 in February was a walk-on at N.C. State, joining the team
after trying out in September. Even though she didn't play much this season ---
appearing in 11 games and hitting one 3-pointer --- her impact is definitely
being felt.
Earlier this season a group of young Muslim girls came to her game. They ended
up coming a few more times to support her.
"I'd love to say I was a role model to them. Never thought I could be a role
model for someone I didn't know," said Eissa, who grew up in Cairo before
coming to N.C. State. "Never knew one person could make such an impact. They
were so young girls and girls my age looking up to me and I was so happy"
Eissa chose N.C. State because her dad got his PhD from the school and her two
older sisters go there.
She said that even when she was having a bad day or an off day, she'd remember
her young fans and it would make her happy.
"If they see someone giving them hope, I'm happy that I'm the person to give it
to them," Eissa said. "I want to make it as far as I can for the image of women
in hijabs."
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AP Sports Writer Anne M. Peterson and freelancers Bob Sutton and Joshua Wright
contributed to this report.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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