Marta Savić

While still only a freshman, Marta Savić has already achieved what many can only hope to in their entire four-year career as a collegiate athlete - winning their conference and booking a trip to the national tournament! Marta talks about where she came from, who has helped her get to where she is today, and what she hopes to achieve in her next three years at the University of Wyoming.

Where are you from and what sports did you play growing up?

I was born and raised in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Growing up I was a swimmer first before I started playing basketball just to try and experiment with a different sport. I ended up switching to basketball as my main sport so here I am. I also come from a basketball family; my father was a basketball coach, my mother played basketball, and my brother still plays professional basketball in Croatia. My sister is also a basketball player.

Why was college in the U.S. the best option? Where do you go to school?

I have a lot of friends who played college basketball in the United States so I knew it could be a possibility for me. Additionally, it is very difficult to go to college while playing sports professionally in Croatia so that is a big reason why I wanted to attend college in the States. I knew I could continue playing basketball while also working towards a college degree so I thought it was the best of both worlds for me.

I am currently a freshman at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming which is located in the Western United States. I am majoring in psychology and am very happy here.

How did you begin your recruitment process?

I always knew that after high school I wanted to play basketball somewhere outside of Croatia. The club team I played for in high school had a lot of players go to the U.S. to play for different colleges and I had a lot of friends who ended up doing just that so I always knew it was an option. I connected with an agency that helps European players get recruited to colleges and ended up being recruited by Wyoming because one of my good friends was playing here at the time. I was lucky to be able to visit the University of Wyoming before my decision which was a huge help in getting a better understanding of what the campus is like.

Was it challenging to make the move from Croatia to the U.S.? What has that transition been like?

There are many differences between basketball and school itself in the U.S. compared to Croatia so it has been interesting. Living on my own for the first time and not having my parents to help me out has been very different. For example my parents would always take me to practices and games but now I am on my own. I would say figuring out how to live on my own has been the biggest change. I have been learning English since I was 5 years old so I don’t think the language was very challenging for me when I came, but it has been interesting to study, take notes, and listen to lectures all in English. There are a lot of international students on my team from all over the world and I have met many more international students outside of basketball so it has been nice to be around people who are in the same boat as me. I have created very good relationships with these other international students and it has made the transition easier.

Do you feel that your school has provided you with sufficient resources to help you get accustomed to school in the U.S.?

Yes, definitely, and that is what I am most grateful for in the program. Everyone here is ready to help at any time with anything. We have great tutors and wonderful staff on our team that help us with not only basketball or school related issues, but with anything else we need to make life easier while we attend the University.

What is the difference in the level of basketball between Croatia and U.S. colleges?

While playing for my club team in Croatia I had the opportunity to play with much older players on the senior team so in comparison I think the game back home is more physical but here it is definitely faster. A big difference is also the amount of scouting we do. In collegiate basketball scouting is a big part of the sport and our approach to it is very serious, more so than it is back home.

You started your freshman year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tell us how your experience has been considering it was not a “normal” time in the world?

It has definitely been weird, but I didn’t really know what to expect either way. Getting my visa was a very interesting and stressful process, the traveling itself was weird and very different from normal times. I’m sure it will be an unusual experience getting back home for the summer as well. Since Laramie is a small town in Wyoming, we have been pretty contained so we haven’t been affected badly by the virus. We have to be tested regularly and wear our masks everywhere, but luckily we are not dealing with a high number of cases.

Congratulations on winning your conference and going to the NCAA tournament! Can you tell us something about that experience?

It was amazing and it took me a long time to actually register what was happening. Having the opportunity to play a part on the team that won the conference for the first time in school history means a lot to me and everyone else on the team. It also puts pressure on us for next season, but our hope is to repeat. Our coach always had the goal of winning the Mountain West championship and we all believed in that goal so I never doubted we could do it, but it was so surreal as it was happening. It was a strange year with all the COVID-19 restrictions. We needed to show up for games earlier than usual for testing, masks were required everywhere, all of the players were in separate hotel rooms, but it was still a really fun experience and I would love to go back again. Maybe next year we can do the same but under more normal circumstances.

You mentioned you have a lot of friends from Croatia who also play in the States, do you follow their seasons? Do you keep in touch with them?

Yes definitely, I keep in touch and follow all the girls I have played with or know. The former Wyoming player who is Croatian now plays at the University of Miami and we watch each others’ games all the time. I do try to keep up and watch as many games as I can of a number of girls. We all cheer each other on and use each other as a place to get out all our feelings and as an escape, we are each other's support network. Unfortunately I haven't gotten to play against any of the many that I know since their schools are not in the same conference as Wyoming.

What do you hope to achieve both academically and athletically in your next few years at Wyoming?

Academically I would love to graduate and get a masters degree, but first I need to see if I am going to take advantage of the extra year we are given by the NCAA because of COVID-19. This is something I still need to decide. Athletically I think I have found my place here and realize what my coaches want from me and I would love to keep building on that. I want to keep gaining experience and keep doing what I love. This is a good place for me to grow as an athlete and a student.

What are your plans after college?

I’m still young, only a freshman, so I haven’t decided what I want to do for sure yet, but I definitely want to go back home once I graduate. I am not sure if I will go back and play professionally or find a job, but I want to go back to Croatia.

What do you miss most about being away from home?

Mostly my family and friends and all of their support. There weren’t many games my parents missed so not seeing them in the stands has been weird and something I’ve needed to get used to. They do watch the games though, they can watch them all on livestream. The time difference isn’t too bad, our day games are a good time for them to watch, but once we get into the later games it turns into the middle of the night for them. My dad either stays up all night and watches or goes to bed early and wakes up early to watch them. My mom tries but usually is asleep by halftime.

Do you have any advice for athletes in Croatia hoping to play at colleges in the States?

Definitely make highlight tapes. In my case that helped tremendously so that coaches could see how I play since I was so far away and they couldn’t come see me play in person like they do with American players. Do the extra work, I am sure anyone who wants to can find a place for themselves in the States if they are persistent and work hard.

What is your favorite sport to watch and who are your favorite athletes? Which players do you look up to?

Besides basketball, I would say soccer when our national team plays because they are a great team and everyone gets together to watch them. My favorite team right now in the NBA is the Denver Nuggets because of Nikola Jokić. My favorite athlete is Dražen Petrović because of his inspiring story and he is such a big part of Croatian basketball. I like to style my game after Nikola Jokić and he is my favorite player to watch because he is a big man with great passing abilities and always finds his teammates, so he is the most fun to watch. I am a post player and I would love to play like him.

Thank you Marta, for speaking with us and sharing your experience so far. We wish you all the best with the University of Wyoming and look forward to watching you further your career. There are definitely great things in store for you.