RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Kia Davis may have taken the road less traveled, but arriving at the destination is all that matters.

Davis, a 2009 graduate of Cordova High School, was recently elected to the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame. Despite not playing basketball for the Lady Lancers during her junior and senior seasons, her contributions to the varsity team during her freshman and sophomore years along with a stellar collegiate career have placed Davis in elite company. She will be honored at Rancho Cordova City Hall during an induction ceremony on Sept. 14.

For Davis, the news came as a shock.

“It’s definitely an honor,” she said. “To know that I’ll be a part of that is a special thing and an honor that I didn’t think I would receive.”

As a 5’5” guard, Davis averaged better than 17 points per game during her freshman and sophomore seasons at Cordova, where she was a two-time All Sierra Valley Conference selection under the tutelage of former Lady Lancers’ head coach Sherry Burch. But after her mother passed away during her freshman year, and with Burch being relieved of her coaching duties during Davis’ sophomore season, Davis found herself somewhat lost. Her issues outside of the classroom soon began to impact her in school, where she would get into fights, and ultimately elected not to play basketball during her junior and senior years. But under the guidance of her former coach, Davis would still graduate.

From there, Davis was encouraged to try out for the basketball team at Sacramento City College. She not only made the team, but parlayed that opportunity into an impressive career at Our Lady of the Lake University in Texas. Quickly becoming a team leader, Davis was named an All-Big 8 Conference Honorable Mention in 2009-10, and First Team All-Big 8 in 2010-11. All along, Davis received advice and encouragement from her mentor who remained in her corner.

“She’s everything,” Davis said of Burch. “She took me under her wing once my mom passed. Any time I come out to California I still meet up with her. She’s been a great figure to me and held me accountable during times that I felt like giving up. She’s always been there."

These days, Davis lives in Texas where she is a juvenile probation officer.

The Cordova Sports Hall of Fame ceremony is being held at 6 p.m. Sept. 14 at Rancho Cordova City Hall. Tickets to the event can be purchased online for $30 at this link: https://form.jotform.com/cordovacouncil/rcaa-reception-tickets-2024.