VHS rising sophomore Layla Carter receives her first college scholarship offer

Vicksburg High School basketball player Layla Carter has received her first college athletic scholarship offer.

Carter, who will begin her sophomore year at VHS in the fall, received an offer from the University of Louisiana Monroe after helping her ninth-grade team win the Little Six Championship earlier this year. She was moved to the varsity team after her freshman season ended.

“My goal for next season is to grow as a player and to help lead the Gators to a state championship,” Carter said.

Receiving as full ride scholarship as a sophomore is a huge deal in the sports world, and Carter has made a big impact on her team to reach this goal.

“I’m excited to receive this offer and for seeing how the coaches viewed me as an overall player,” Carter said.

Carter is the daughter of Larry Carter Jr., head football coach at Vicksburg Junior High School.

“I’m very proud of Layla and what she’s accomplished both academically and athletically,” Larry Carter said in a text message.

His daughter finished her freshman year with a 3.3 GPA, a Little 6 Championship, and she played for a few weeks on the varsity team that made it to the state semifinals.

“When I played, my dad was always my No. 1 fan, and he never missed one game. So far, I haven’t missed one either,” he said. “What I love most is her passion for the game and her work ethic to get better.”

Layla Carter said that her dad was her biggest inspiration.

”He put in the time and effort to help make me a better player both physically and mentally,” she said.

After Carter helped the freshman Gators in the 2019-2020 year to an undefeated season, she moved up to the varsity level where she helped the Gators reach the semifinals under head coach Troy Stewart.

Carter’s mother, Kimberley Vaughn, is super proud of her daughter’s new accomplishment.

”I’m very excited to see schools show an interest in her, and it will better prepare her so she will know what to look forward to,” Vaughn said.

Now that Carter has received her first offer, she will be playing even harder to impress the schools she wants to attend in the future.

”My dream school is the University of Southern Mississippi because I like the campus, and the coaches were very great when I visited,” Carter said.

She will be on the court again this fall for the Gators, helping them reach their full potential.