During the last few months,
Rana Elhusseini has been working out nearly every day three times a day. A typical wake up for her is around 5AM, and workouts are spread out between running around Edinboro's campus, getting shots up at a local gym, and getting a free weight workout in.
In addition to her workouts, five times a day she dedicates time to pray like all dedicated Muslims do. In the early morning, afternoon, and at dark, she dedicates time for worship. She spoke about the first time having to worship around her teammates.
"I remember laying the mat down and putting on my scarf for worship in the hotel. At first, I was always on edge about worshiping in front of them. I did not know how they would react and if it would be weird for them."
It is probably safe to say that she is not the only Muslim who has faced situations like this. However, she has gotten more used to it over the years and is very open about her heritage and faith.
In Arabic, the first name Rana means "an eye-catching object." For Edinboro sophomore
Rana Elhusseini, it is fair to say that her play on the basketball court for the Fighting Scots is indeed eye-catching.
The Dearborn, Mich., native is of Lebanese heritage and is a practicing Muslim. Around one percent of people living in the United States are Muslim, but in Dearborn nearly 50 percent of people practice the religion.
Growing up in Dearborn meant the opportunity to really embrace her Muslim faith as well as her Lebanese heritage. She attended Fordson High School, which was composed heavily of practicing Muslims.
While living in Dearborn meant she was around people who had some similarities to her, it was not simple in the athletics area. Elhusseini became the first girls' basketball player from Fordson to earn a scholarship in basketball at the Division I or Division II level since the 1980s, a fact she is really proud of.
Earning a basketball scholarship was her biggest goal since early in her high school career, but she crossed many sub-goals off the list on her quest to become a college hooper.
She became one of the top 100 girls' basketball players in the state of Michigan as a senior. She was also named the Fordson High School Athlete of the Year for putting up 22.3 points, 7.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game.
She helped the Tractors team win its first district championship since 1999 in addition to winning three league titles during her four years.
Along the way, Elhusseini became the school and district's all-time leading scorer with 1,603 career points. She also holds Fordson records for assists and free-throw percentage for a career.
It was no surprise that Elhusseini was receiving both Division I and II looks, but ultimately it was Edinboro she chose. "I was getting recruited by Wayne State and Oakland at the Division I level. Oakland had over-recruited guards in the class of 2019, but their assistant coach at the time, Andrea Williams, saw an opportunity to help me," she said.
Williams helped Elhusseini get in contact with a small Division II state school in Western Pennsylvania with a strong tradition in women's basketball. The school was none other than Edinboro University.
Williams played for the Fighting Scots and is now the head women's basketball coach at Fort Valley State University.
Coach
Callie Wheeler helped orchestrate a visit for Elhusseini to check out Edinboro and meet assistant coach
Chris Bess. She also had the chance to meet the team on the visit, and all these factored into her committing to play for the Fighting Scots.
"I was really looking for a coach to play for that I connected with," said the reigning PSAC West women's basketball Freshman of the Year.
"When I reached out to Coach Wheeler and told her my story, she immediately got back to me. Playing for Coach Wheeler is exactly where I need to be, and we talk about that all the time. Coach really relates to me and understands my game, which helps our relationship greatly."
Coach Wheeler has nothing but positive things to say about Elhusseini as a person and a player.
"Rana is the hardest-working player that I have ever coached. She has been overlooked by several coaches due to her size, but her passion for the game is what makes her such a special player. She is an inspiration to young players and her teammates." Wheeler said.
"Aside from her basketball abilities, her best attribute to our team is how much she cares for people. She has gone above and beyond to make sure people within the community and on our team are cared for. That is a real rarity to see. I am beyond grateful that she is a very special part of our Fighting Scot family."
Coach Wheeler said it best when she mentions just how much her starting point guard cares for people. The people who mean most to her on campus are her teammates and Edinboro family, of course, but her family back in Dearborn is really who she plays for.
Before she played basketball, neither of her parents, Sawssan Haidar and Anwar Elhusseini, was very familiar with the game. However, both started learning the game so they could support their daughter in the sport she loves.
In addition, Elhusseini talked about how much her brother Jad; sisters Jana, Rawan and Sulaf; and her best friend, Nadine Bazzi, mean to her.
"They are my best friends," she said. "Growing up and to this day, we really stuck together. Nadine may not be my actual sister, but we are so close, and I consider her my sister. Nothing means more to me than making my family proud."
While Elhusseini went on to have an outstanding first collegiate season, she admitted it was not always easy.
"I was really homesick and struggling more than I probably ever have," she said. "I had to learn so many new and different aspects of basketball, but I pretty much lived in the gym to prepare myself. I wanted everything to come to me so fast, but I view it as all growth, and it has helped me become a better player. I feel where I am at today mentally is unbreakable."
Despite some woes and difficulties early in the season, the former Fordson standout started in 24 of the Fighting Scots 28 games. She put up 9.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. She also shot 88.7 percent from the foul line and 33.3 percent from deep.
It was a great start to what appears will be a standout career for Elhusseini, but what this young woman goes through to perform at such a high level is nothing short of inspiring.
Another aspect of practicing Islam means fasting during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed daily from sunrise to sunset. From around 4 a.m. until 9 p.m., Muslims do not eat or drink anything. However, festivities and celebrations happen at night during the month.
"Celebrating Ramadan in Dearborn is amazing," said Elhusseini. "Tables and booths with outstanding food are set up at night, and it is a great time where the community comes together."
Competing in and even playing sports during this period is difficult because athletes need food and water to help them perform their best. It is notable that current Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter played in the NBA Playoffs while fasting during Ramadan, and he had to go the entire game and lead-up to it without food or water.
When Elhusseini was still getting recruited out of high school, she and her travel basketball team were playing three to five games a day, and it was during Ramadan.
When recounting this experience, she said, "It was frustrating at times because there were college coaches there, and in some of the games I was just drained because we had played so many games that day already."
Despite tough times of fasting, having to leave campus to find the food she needs and prefers, and dealing with homesickness, Elhusseini remains focused on her list of goals, including to win a PSAC title as well as working to play professionally.
The sophomore is studying biology and health sciences with a plan to continue her education at some point to become a doctor of physical therapy. While she enjoys her area of study, she hopes her career in basketball is a long one.
Elhusseini has thought about the opportunity to coach after her own playing days and said that coaching is a possibility in her future.
Not many collegiate athletes hail from Fordson High School, but Elhusseini is making her hometown and high school proud each day. She serves as a tremendous role model to all, but especially young Muslim women who don't think they could play collegiate athletics.
Her high school coach, Sal Abazeed, was not shy when talking about his former point guard and what she means to the community and to girls' basketball at Fordson.
"As a person, there are not many better people than her. She was a great student and an unbelievable leader. She works so hard in everything she does; not just basketball. Everyone loves to check the stats, but she is a great teammate and is great at making her teammates better," Abazeed said.
"We have not had many Arab-American girls go this far out of our community to play a sport. Girls on my team have the goal now to go play college basketball because of her."
Some didn't want her to leave Dearborn, but trading the urban area for a countryside college town has made a difference in her life and basketball career. With three seasons left, her many fans will be watching to see how the remainder of Elhusseini's college career unfolds and how many people she will inspire in her journey through basketball.
