Elly Callihan was a two-time all-state performer for the Gilmer High Lady Cats.
When she takes the basketball court next season, she will do so for the Berry College Vikings. Callihan was in regular contact with four schools at the end of her recruitment and it came down to Berry and Oglethorpe University.
For Callihan, location and degree programs were the deciding factors.
“I really like Oglethorpe, and thought I was going to go there, but they didn’t offer my major,” Callihan said. “I was going to have to kind of go and enroll at Mercer (as part of a dual degree partnership program) to be able to get my major. I didn’t like that, and I really didn’t like the area (Brookhaven). I like the area around Berry a lot more because it’s a lot like where I’ve always lived.”
When it comes to a major, Callihan said, “I want to go into special education, and I got to work with the special education class at the elementary school this past year. I feel like that job takes a certain type of person and a lot of patience.”
Berry’s Rome campus offers a much more rural setting than Oglethorpe. Callihan received the grand tour on her visit and got to see athletic facilities, weight rooms, Berry’s gym known as ‘The Cage,’ as well as classrooms and dorms.
“I went to two or three games and got to go in the locker room during halftime and after so I got to meet all the players,” Callihan said.
Like most college-bound athletes, Callihan began playing at a young age. She expanded her basketball landscape by traveling and playing on AAU teams by the time she was in middle school. She continued to travel until COVID arrived in the spring of 2020.
AAU exposed Callihan to faster, better competition comprised of girls who were dedicated to improve their game and play beyond high school. She typically played around 40 games each spring season.
However, travel nearly turned her away from college ball all together. She was reeled back in during a showcase camp when she got to meet college coaches.
“I started playing with this FBC travel team, and I played in one tournament with them and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this, and I don’t want to play in college.’ I didn’t want to have to make that much of a commitment,” Callihan said.
“I do well in school, but I’m not very into school work. I figured I needed to focus on my school work so college basketball was a no-go. I went to an exposure camp this past year, and the Berry, Oglethorpe and Reinhardt coaches were there, and they were the main ones recruiting me. After that camp, I decided I wanted to do this.”
Callihan received a basketball education at home playing with older sisters Mary Lee and Emma. Many days ended with bloodied knees and hurt feelings, but it helped mold her into the player she became.
“It was very competitive. We used to play 21 every day and someone would always end up crying,” she said. “We went so hard and someone would end up getting slammed to the ground. We all three wanted to win. It was rough, but I think that’s where I got a lot of my basketball knowledge from.
“Just growing up and playing with my sisters, they were bigger, older and stronger than me, and I think that helped me out a lot.”
GHS had all three Callihans at its disposal Elly’s freshman year as Emma was a sophomore and Mary Lee was a senior. The trio helped Gilmer reach the state tournament where the Cats lost to Marist in the opening round.
“It was a lot of fun, and I always tell people I like playing with Emma more than Mary Lee because she played my position and was always trying to tell me what to do,” Callihan said.
allihan was a four-year varsity letter winner. Her first of three all-region seasons came as a sophomore when she led GHS in scoring (16.3 points per game), rebounds (9.4), total steals (73) and blocks (22). GHS lost to Northwest Whitfield in the region title game, and the Cats reached the second round of the state tournament.
Following the season, the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association named Callihan to its all-state north squad, the only sophomore to receive the honor. She also received an all-state honorable mention in Class 4A from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
She continued to be a force at both ends of the court as a junior. She led the Lady Cats with 17.3 points per game, 9.2 rebounds and shot 67.8 percent from the free-throw line. She also snagged 56 steals and blocked 26 shots.
Gilmer fell to Lumpkin County in the region championship game. GHS punched its ticket to the Sweet 16 once more, and while the Cats lost to Greater Atlanta Christian, Callihan eclipsed 1,000 career points in the game.
She received an all-state honorable mention from Sandysspiel.com, which is an online publication that bills itself as “The Leader In GHSA Basketball Coverage.”
Gilmer fell short of the state tournament Callihan’s senior season. A nagging injury kept her off all-state lists and she played in 17 of 25 games. She concluded her senior season as Gilmer’s top scorer (13.1), rebounder (8.6) and free-throw shooter (75 percent) while averaging 3.2 steals per game.
“My time here was a lot of fun, and I wouldn’t change anything about it except for the fact that I got hurt. I got to go to state in three of my four years here, and that doesn’t happen for a lot of people. I’m very blessed for the people I got to play with and the talent that was on those teams,” Callihan said.
“When I went down with my injury, it was very stressful. I wanted to help because we were having a learning year. It was real hard to watch and not actually get to go out there and play.”
Callihan said she will play guard at Berry, and could also see time on the court at wing and in the post. She is in favor of playing guard because it gives her the opportunity to drive and attack the lane. She credits parents Chris and Gina and coach Scott Kiser with helping her reach this stage of her basketball career.
“With athletics, it’s definitely been my mom and dad who have pushed me,” she said. “People always say they’re too hard on me, but if they weren’t that hard on me, I wouldn’t be the player I am. Scott Kiser was one of my biggest influences when it comes to any sport. He’s been around since I started basketball and coached me the whole time and I really appreciate that.”
Berry competes in the NCAA’s Division III as members of the Southern Athletic Association.