She exclaims "Always leads by example", with her impact often stretching past basketball. With family roots in Burundi, an area known as the "Heart of Africa" due to its central location in the Great Lakes region, she brings that same sense of pride and purpose into her life off the court. The senior guard serves on the leadership council for the Lady Leopards, works as a peer mentor on campus, and is a member of the Psychology Honor Society (Psi Chi), in addition to earning Dean's List honors all 4 years.

Initially growing up, Ntaconayigize played other sports. Her height often led people to ask if she played basketball. Not having any example of basketball players in her family, she didn't gain interest until about 4th grade, when she joined a recreational school team made up mostly of 6th graders, an experience that pushed her to compete against older players early and strengthened her game. She later competed on the Ontario circuit and throughout Quebec before bringing her talents to Easton.

On the Court

What other sports did you grow up playing?
Yeah. I did swimming, gymnastics, karate, and volleyball. Also something called Kimball, but I don't think that Americans know that.

Was there a moment when you realized you could play at the next level?

I wouldn't say one really inspired me to get serious, because no one in my family played basketball. Around 10th grade, I did participate in tryouts for team Quebec, the provincial team competing at nationals, and didn't make it. But a coach that had seen me two years before saw my growth and invited me to play for his AAU team in the summer.

I think that summer was the summer that I was like, okay, I think I can play at the next level. And that coach gave me confidence and told me that I had what it takes.

How did you first start playing basketball and what initially drew you to the sport?
A lot of people kept asking me if played basketball because of my height so as I was looking to try a new sport, I decided to sign up for my school's basketball team.

How have you grown since freshman year?

Learning how to regulate my emotions and not be stuck on mistakes. With basketball, it's easy to be mad at yourself when making mistakes. Learning how to move on from things and understand when things are out of your control.

What does leadership look like for you now?
Definitely different, because I wasn't on the leadership council within our team, and I wasn't on it my freshman year. I've always said that I would lead by example, but now I've had to be more vocal with my leadership, which was harder for me at first, and definitely something that I have to work on consistently.

What would you tell your freshman self?

To shoot the ball more. I definitely played on the safer side and didn't shoot as much as I should have, knowing how good of a shooter I was.

Biggest adjustment to college basketball?

Definitely how long practices were in preseason and the intensity of practices and games. Just how busy days are with lift, film, individual workouts, games, and recovering from games.
 

Funniest person on the team?
Kay Donahue and Emma Shields 

Favorite comfort food after a long road game?
For food, I would say a burger. For snacks, I would say chocolate. My favorite is caramel chocolate, but right now I really like the Hershey's milk chocolate creamy one.

On College Hill

What does a typical day look like for you during the season?

I wake up, eat breakfast, go to class, maybe two or three classes, go to lunch, meet with my mentees sometimes, then go back to my house, eat something quickly, go to practice, maybe lift, then dinner, watch something, and go to bed. Same thing every other day really.

Favorite memory from this season?

Definitely beating Pitt. Beating an ACC team is always a great feeling. Everything just clicked and everyone was really in sync.

Favorite class?
Human factors and engineering psychology taught by Micheal Nees. He's just a great professor overall. I've learned how to design things inclusively and spot issues with different designs.

Favorite eat in Easton?
Aman's Artisan Indian Cuisine 

What's in My DNA

Three words that describe you
Optimistic, chill, and passionate.

Something people are always surprised to learn about you?
I'm a psychology and economics double major. I feel like people that know me would never guess it.

Why take on two majors?
I've always been interested in understanding how the financial world works and understanding how money works. I took 1:1 Econ my freshman year and kind of liked it, so I just kept going with it.

A favorite childhood memory?
The first time that I went to Burundi. I met my grandfather and my mom's siblings and I was able to see where my parents grew up and where I come from.

Coaching & Mentorship

How did growing up in Quebec shape you ?
Not only do we speak French Quebec, but education and laws are different. Being surrounded by different cultures and diverse areas. It helped me be open minded about different things and be culturally aware. Basketball players in Quebec are really tough, they taught me to be tougher to be able to compete.

What do you miss most from home?
Family gatherings. My dad has like a dozen siblings and they all have children, so when we get together it's a lot of people and it's always fun catching up with everyone and good to eat cultural foods after eating at the dining hall for a while.

If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go?
Definitely Burundi, it's small country in East Africa. That's where my family is from originally, and where most of my family still is. I haven't been since 2019, so I would like to go and see my family. It's a beautiful country. The weather is really nice. The beach is really nice.

Off the Court Faves

What do you like to do when basketball isn't the focus?
After a long day or like after a basketball practice, I just like to chill and watch TV shows on Netflix. But other than that, I also like doing my own hair, reading and catching up with friends. 

After graduation, what's next?
I want to work helping people but I haven't figured out how yet. I will probably always be involved with basketball in some capacity

What's usually playing in your headphones before a game?
Probably Drake. But lately I like to listen to women rappers before games. Since high school though, the go-to has always been Drake.