The Sideline Stories platform creates an outlet for student-athletes across the Northeast-10 Conference to tell their own stories in their own words. In similar fashion to the popular Players' Tribune, Sideline Stories will allow NE10 student-athletes a space to pitch, craft and tell stories that are most important to them.
Submissions are being accepted from student-athletes competing on any intercollegiate varsity team at NE10 member institutions. Click here if you would like to share your story!
Rising senior Morgan Ryan, a guard on the Pace women's basketball team, has always wanted to travel her own path. Her mother played at Pace and was an all-time great, setting multiple program records. How can you live up to that? Well, Ryan talks about growing up at Pace, choosing to go to school there and learning to define herself as an individual - with her supportive mom by her side.
This is her story:
When people hear that I play basketball at Pace University, they often bring up one name before I even introduce myself: my mom, Jennifer DiMaggio. She’s a two-time All-American, the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Pace basketball history and her jersey is retired in our gym. My mom left a legacy here that is impossible to ignore. To most, she’s a record-breaker and one of the greatest athletes to ever come through the school. To me, she’s Mom. And growing up, she was also my coach, my motivator, and my introduction to this sport and this school.
My relationship with Pace University goes back as far as I can remember. I had my first birthday party at Pace. I was the little kid running around the track during games, getting high-fives from players, and watching the team every year from the stands. I wasn’t just growing up near Pace. I was growing up in it. I saw firsthand the kind of community this program creates.
Even with that history, or maybe because of it, I never thought I’d actually play here. I felt like choosing Pace would mean living in someone else’s shadow. I didn’t want to be known as the girl who only went there because of her mom. I knew I would be compared to her and I knew how high the bar had been set. That scared me. I didn’t think I could ever live up to what she had done, and the truth is, nobody could. That is what makes her special.
But sometimes, life brings you exactly where you’re supposed to be, even if it’s not part of the original plan. Coach Carrie has known me since before I was born. She watched me grow up around this program and has always been part of my basketball life. So when the opportunity came to play here, it didn’t feel forced. It felt right.
Now, going into my senior year, I can say with full confidence that I didn’t just follow in my mom’s footsteps. I’ve started walking beside them. I’ve taken a familiar path and made it my own.
The NE10 has taught me how to compete at a high level, how to balance athletics and academics, and how to be a leader on and off the court. It has pushed me to grow through adversity. I’ve dealt with injuries, tough losses, and moments of doubt; but I’ve also found strength, confidence, and purpose. Being a student-athlete in this conference has helped shape who I am.
One of the biggest constants through it all has been my mom. She has been at every single game I’ve ever played. From youth basketball to high school to now traveling to New Hampshire and Vermont for our NE10 games, she always finds a way to be there. She does it while working full-time as a special education teacher. She might miss one game a year, but even then, she’s watching the livestream and texting me after. Her support has never wavered. It is more than love. It is commitment and belief in who I am becoming, not just as her daughter, but as my own player.
This final season means everything to me. It’s my chance to leave my own impact. I want to be the kind of leader that younger players look up to, and someone who represents what it means to wear “Pace” on the front of your jersey with pride.
Pace will always be home. It’s where my mom made history. It’s where I found my voice and made lifelong connections. And it’s where I’ve learned to embrace every high, every challenge, and every opportunity that has come my way. I’m proud of the path I’ve taken, and I’m ready to finish it strong.
Gallery: (8-21-2025) Sideline Stories - Morgan Ryan
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
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