Mya Glanton came home to play, completing SLU’s raid on Indiana State

Robbie Avila had announced his transfer to St. Louis University from Indiana State when Mya Glanton started dabbling in the transfer portal from the campus in Terre Haute, Ind.

Most of the Missouri Valley Conference made inquiries about her interest along with programs from both coasts after Glanton led the Sycamores in scoring and rebounding, just as Avila had done in 2023-24.

Then there was a message from SLU that dropped into the East St. Louis native’s inbox. She spent a couple of weeks watching the Billikens’ march to the WNIT championship, visited two other schools and decided to come home.

Just like that, SLU had snagged the top players from the Indiana State men’s and women’s programs.

“We stopped in (Terre Haute) for lunch on our travels in the WNIT,” SLU coach Rebecca Tillett said. “I’m not sure any Billikens would be welcome in that town this time of year.”

Glanton averaged 11.2 points and 6.9 rebounds last season. This year she is less interested in personal achievements as much as winning after enduring a losing record four straight years.

Indiana State was 38-75 during her stay, which included 111 games and two matchups against the Billikens. The 6-foot forward had career highs of 30 points and 18 rebounds and is expected to add some inside production despite being a bit short for her position.

“In college I’ve been smaller but always more athletic than the person guarding me,” she said. “I’m able to maneuver and not let one touch stop me from getting a rebound. I’ll try to be relentless.

“I’m trying to show what I can do, and coach lets us know she could use anybody at any time – whatever she needs to win. At my age, I just want to win and see what winning feels like.”

Glanton has family connections to SLU. Her mother is a nurse at the hospital and she has two cousins who work at the university. Although Terre Haute is close, being at SLU will allow more relatives to attend games.

She played AAU basketball in high school but mostly for a small team that played locally. When she joined the St. Louis Eagles briefly, she was seen by more college coaches. Still, Glanton’s only offer in high school was from Indiana State, so she was happy to get the opportunity.

The interest escalated four years later when she entered the portal.

“I was really proud of myself because I had so many offers,” she said. “It was kind of overwhelming for me. I had to stop answering the phone. It was definitely fun. I texted most of them back but couldn’t answer all of them.”

When she landed at Indiana State, Glanton was connected with a major she might not have otherwise found. She selected intelligence analysis and found the coursework fascinating. She concentrated on criminal intelligence and added a minor in law enforcement. With an undergraduate degree in hand, Glanton is working toward a certificate in cyber security.

“I had a hard time picking a major, but intelligence analysis stuck out to me,” she said. “I want to work in a government job. I was thinking CIA, but I don’t want to be an agent. That’s why I’m getting my certificate now.”

Glanton’s arrival along with the return of inside players Marcavia Shavers and Tierra Simon provides a good inside base along with a pair of 6-5 centers.

What she lacks in height she is confident can be made up with skill and quickness.

“I’ve played with my back to the basket for a long time,” she said. “But I’m expanding my range to face up and drive. I’ve developed a jump shot. I like to attack slower defenders. She just wants me to do whatever I’m good at, putting me in spots to excel.”