Spring Arbor Women's Basketball has undergone an incredible turnaround over the last four seasons. After a miserable 4-23 season in 2021-2022, the Cougars have completely flipped the script, combining for a 62-30 record over the last three campaigns, which have included two national tournament appearances, their first two appearances in over 25 years. Multiple players have helped to spur on this change, including Senior Forward Alayna Wagner (formerly Kulesza). Wagner has been the heart and soul of the Cougar defense, constantly forcing pressure and making life tough on opposing offenses. A Crossroads League All-Defensive team honoree in 2023-2024, Kulesza took a step up offensively in 2024-2025, going from 4.1 points per game to 8.1 points per game, while also continuing to wreak havoc defensively, going from 35 steals in '23-24 to 65 in '24-25. Despite all of this success, Wagner is much more than a defensive stalwart for the Cougars. Often leading team bible studies and being a faith resource for her team, Wagner is a bona-fide leader and a woman who lets her faith guide everything she does. She strives for her actions to point to Jesus, and that is evident in everything she does. Here is more on how she does that:
How do you connect your spiritual and athletic life here at SAU?
"My involvement with the basketball program has opened so many doors for discipleship opportunity throughout my years here. Before coming to SAU, I found it difficult to be very outspoken about my faith with people who had differing beliefs/backgrounds as me. Yet when I look at the life of Jesus, He was intentional and outspoken everywhere He went, which is exactly what I want to mirror. I have found that a great way to combine the two is to be intentional with my teammates. The more time I spend with Jesus, the more I realize that yes, He wants me to come to Him to be filled, but it doesn't stop there. He tells me to GO and make disciples."
Do you have a favorite Bible verse or spiritual practice that encourages you as an athlete?
"Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." I remember a meeting I had with my coach a few years ago, my freshman or sophomore year, and he challenged me with an idea that I hadn't really thought much of before… He said that as Christians, we should do our work with the most excellence out of anyone, whether that is a practice, a game, a career, a work opportunity, etc. Looking back on that conversation, that has really changed my outlook on my sport. Every time I show up to a practice, game, devotional, team time… My aim is to do it with excellence. This is not for "human masters" (worldly fame, popularity, or glory), but out of a deep gratitude for all that the Lord has blessed me with. After all, there is not one gift that I've been given apart from Jesus. He gave me the ability to run, jump, relate to people, compete, play at SAU, so the least I can do is show up every with a grateful heart, ready to do whatever is expected of me with excellence, as if I'm working for the Lord."
What advice would you give to younger athletes who want to keep faith at the center of their sport?
You MUST be connected to the vine, to Jesus. Apart from Him, you can literally do nothing. Sure, you can win a game and play great, but if Jesus is not at the center of what you do, you will always be searching and striving to win the next game, play better than the girl next to you, get that record… And you'll always come up short, it won't satisfy you in the end. The best advice I have for younger athletes is to prioritize spending time with Jesus, talking to Him, reading the Word. The devil would love your sport to consume you, to destroy your confidence, to distract you from what really matters. The only way you can cut through those lies is to go to the source of truth, to the source of life. I have had far too many times where I let my identity get tangled up in what others think of me, how good I am at my sport, what the coaches think of me… And it's just not worth it. Set apart some time every morning to fill your heart with truth from Jesus. Remain in Him!! You will find that true satisfaction is found only in Him and not in your sport or your performance, and that is so, so freeing.
In what ways has being a part of SAU Women's Basketball helped you grow in your faith?
"I've had the privilege of being able to plan some team devotionals, and that has really challenged and grown me! Also, our assistant coach, Coach Al, has been leading the team in Bible studies throughout the past couple years and that has been an awesome way for our team to grow spiritually together."
How do you see God working through your team? / How do you see God working in your sport?
"I appreciate how outspoken my coaches are about their goals for our team in the spiritual sense. I've heard my coach talk about how his goal is yes, to win, but even more than that, it is to see every single girl be saved by Jesus. The way that they build the team activities, practices, and program around this goal is really encouraging to see. The Lord is definitely moving in our team and has been over the past few years. It is so exciting to see the interest that so many girls have in Jesus from being in the program. I am so excited for this season and to experience all that the Lord is going to do in and through our team!! I (and so many others) have been praying for revival among our team, and I really do believe that God is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, so I'm excited to see what happens."
How do you wrestle with the struggle of putting your identity in Christ vs. putting it the success and status of being an athlete?
"It is so vital for me to acknowledge that at the end of the day, win or lose, bad game or good game, played a lot or played a little… My worth is determined by what has been done FOR me. Jesus died and rose so that I can have life in Him, which means that my identity is fixed as a child of God. It is so hard to remember this right after a tough game, when I feel the lies of false identity so overwhelming in my mind. So, something practical that I have learned to do is to bring those lies to the light. Tell someone who is close to me and close to Jesus all the lies that are going through my head at that moment and let them speak truth over me. This is why it's so important to have community and relationships with people who are not afraid to speak truth and call out lies that I've been believing about myself and about who I am! When I bring those lies into the light, they hold no power over me, and I see who I truly am – a child of God no matter what."
