Putman makes waves at LCC

By Emmett Roman
Staff Reporter

Ashlynn Putman has been playing basketball for as long as she can remember. Growing up, Putman played lots of other sports, as well, such as soccer, softball, volleyball, tennis and cross country. “Basketball has always been my favorite,” Putman clarified.

This is Putman’s second year at LCC, making her a sophomore. She is very close to completing her General Associates Degree; leading to her studying business (preferably sports management and psychology) at a four-year school.

According to Putman, she never believed she would be good enough to play at a college level, which is why she is grateful for her position at LCC. Putman was a division three champion for Mason High School in 2024, according to the Lansing State Journal. Putman also led Mason to wins several times to wins during her career in high school. A specific incident of this was on Feb. 15, 2024, where Putman scored 12 points with nine rebounds, giving Mason the win against Grand Ledge.

Her transition from high school to college went better than she had expected. “The most challenging thing for me was meeting new people and putting myself out there with people on my team as well as outside of basketball,” Putman said.

Putman’s height—she measures 6 feet tall—gives her an advantage on the court as a power forward.  “My main role is to get points in the paint and to get rebounds,” Putman said. Putman leads the team in rebounds with 107 total. Putman on average lasts 22.7 minutes per game on her career so far at LCC.

The team is currently ranked #10 in the National Junior College Athletics Association with 11 games won so far. According to Putman, “I think our athleticism and depth has allowed us to be successful in spite of some inexperience,” Putman said. “Over the past few months, I have really enjoyed getting to know my teammates on and off the court.”

Right now, though, Putman’s priority is to begin 2026 on the right foot. “I am hoping to start out strong with a win at home against Jackson on January 7, 2026,” Putman said.