Kiandra Browne has been playing sports her whole life. In fact, she started playing Ringette at age two. Ringette is a very similar game to hockey, but the stick doesn’t have a blade at the bottom and instead of a puck, it’s a donut. After that, she began to play soccer, until she discovered basketball at the age of 13. She was hesitant to try it but fell in love with it. Basketball runs through her blood; her grandma played basketball, her mom played basketball, and it was just a matter of time until she became a hooper.
During high school, she participated in the 2018 FIBA U18 Championships for Canada and in the 2017 Canada Summer Games. She ended up winning a silver and gold medal. Before entering college she was rated number 75 by ESPN, number 13 as a forward, and the number 2 rated player in Canada by Crown Scout Girls.
College Career
Browne started her college career at Indiana University after leaving her hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. At Indiana, she started slow but picked it up after her first year. Unfortunately, she battled through a lot of injuries in her junior year and was forced to sit out many games.
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She just recently transferred to Duquesne University where she plays as a Guard or Forward. Browne is a hustler both on and off the court and never gives up no matter who or what she’s up against. She does not shy away from physical battles in the game. As soon as the whistle blows, she is a threat in the paint. Kiandra is skilled on both sides of the ball. Browne is always there for her teammates, is very unselfish, and does the dirty work so that her team can thrive.
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Kiandra is the definition of a professional and would be the dream of any coach. She consistently finds time out of her busy schedule to work on her game, whether it’s practice or rewatching film so she can be prepared for when she’s called up to play. Not only that, but she is a team player as well. If her teammates need a push, she will be the one helping them push through their limits.
As determined as she is in basketball, that doesn’t stop her from her studies. Being a college athlete forces her to miss out on classes and missing classes can cause any student to get behind in their studies. But she makes time out of her day to study whether it is before traveling to the game or right after the game.
Islam Conversion
During college Kiandra wasn’t just playing basketball, but she converted to Islam. It was a very important part of her life. She found herself and hasn’t looked back since. As a Black Muslim woman who wears a hijab during games, she has not had the easiest career as an athlete. But she is not defined by hardships or any beliefs in the hearts of others. Her grit shines through as she continues to work hard and proudly prioritize her faith. She always looks to help others in any way that she can and embraces her role as a leader on and off the court as she continues to organize different events and functions to help her community.
