Auburn athletics has consistently recruited international talent over the past two seasons from countries such as Belgium, Canada and Australia.
For the women's basketball program, Khady Dieng has traveled from Sengal, West Africa, to Auburn to pursue a degree in business and help bolster the backcourt for head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy's squad.
At the age of eight, Dieng played soccer until her uncle suggested she try basketball. According to Dieng, there were schools in Sengal that offered the sport, but club teams provided the best competition.
Against the odds, she was a natural from day one.
Dieng's skills improved at such a high rate over the years while playing for her club team, ASC Ville de Dakar, that by the time she was 16, her coach in Sengal felt it was necessary for her to take her talent elsewhere.
"My coach knew another coach from North Carolina, and they wanted a guard," Dieng said. "So he asked me if I wanted to come to the United States to play basketball, and I said yes."
Dieng lived in North Carolina as a high school sophomore with an aunt and uncle before transferring to the Gatewood School in Eatonton, Georgia.
In Georgia, Dieng lived with Dave and Kayleen Ringer and their five children. The Ringer family provided her with the stability she needed while being so far away from home.
"It's great to have a family to go to when things get tough," Dieng said.
With support from the Ringers, Dieng immediately flourished at Gatewood.
During her two-year career for the Gators, Dieng won 57 games, including a Georgia Independent School Association 2A state championship, averaging 15.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.4 steals and 4.1 assists per game as a senior.
Williams-Flournoy began recruiting Dieng after hearing her story, and once she committed to Auburn, her story suddenly took a different turn.
As a freshman, Dieng initially struggled with the speed of the SEC.
"Coach Flo helped me a lot," Dieng said. "Last year, I struggled. I wasn't in good shape, and my playing time took a hit."
Once she settled in, Dieng provided a spark off the bench, and her career-high 16 points helped Auburn over Furman in the WNIT.
Now, after an offseason of hard work, Dieng is excited to see what is in store for her sophomore campaign.
"The offseason has been pretty good," Dieng said. "I was a freshman last year, and now, as a sophomore, I'm more excited about coming in and playing. I know what to expect, I'm not a freshman anymore."
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