From a one-stoplight town to Division I basketball: Mollie Mounsey shines at Colorado State University

College coaches will claim that there’s no ground that goes untouched in recruiting.

It has been suggested that diamonds in the rough are a thing of the past.

With social media and easy-to-share video highlights, talent will be found, they say.

Well, it seems that everyone missed Follett, Texas. 

The sign entering town says the population is 459. Students from kindergarten to 12th grade attend the same school, and the one stoplight in town flashes yellow 24 hours a day.

There's one convenience store and one restaurant, Nana’s Cafe, in the town in the very northeast of the Texas Panhandle.

Few college basketball coaches would even think to look for talent there.

But those coaches missed out on Mollie Mounsey, who has taken a remarkable journey from small-town star to Division I basketball player at CSU.

She was the star on Follett’s basketball team in high school, leading the Panthers in scoring for four years in a row. Mounsey’s high school career saw her average 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game.

She was basically unrecruited, picking up offers from Lubbock Christian and Seward County Community College. 

“I didn’t really know what to expect (in recruiting), but I knew it would be difficult. I mean, I lived in a town of 459 people,” Mounsey said with a laugh.

She went to Seward County in Liberal, Kansas, where she absolutely lit up the JUCO scene.

She averaged more than 19 points per game in her two years and led all of college basketball (all levels) with 143 3-pointers as a freshman and was a JUCO first-team All-American.

Those numbers were eye-catching, but also led some coaches to have tunnel vision.

“She unfairly got labeled as just a catch-and-shoot (player),” Colorado State University coach Ryun Williams said.

She talked with Texas Tech and visited the campus. She also visited Wichita State and CSU. Too many coaches thought she wasn’t athletic enough for them.

That despite the fact that Mounsey is a four-time state champion in track and field. She won the 1A discus and shot put titles both her junior and senior years. She was also an all-region softball player.

CSU assistant Amber Cunningham started recruiting Mounsey through a connection at Seward County. Williams then saw her play at a JUCO showcase tournament.

His message was easy: “No-brainer. Offer this kid.

“Mollie’s a basketball player. She’s arguably our best man-to-man defender as well. She does so many things well … She unfairly just got labeled, and we saw right through that when we watched her.”

The transition from JUCO to DI can be tough, but it’s been pretty smooth for Mounsey.

The 5-foot-10 junior is second on the team at 12.9 points per game, leads the Mountain West with 36 3-pointers made, is 10th in the conference in total rebounds and second in defensive rebounds.

When you’re from a town of 459 people, everyone knows everyone. Now Mounsey’s successes are celebrated by all of Follett and they proudly blow up social media with her every step.

“My people, just all over Facebook, Twitter, they’re proud. I can see that and I love it,” Mounsey said.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.