Where Are They Now: Checking in with former Hartford point guard Courtney Gomez!

The newest feature on the Hartford Hawks Women’s Basketball Blog has arrived. The Where Are They Now section will be updated every few weeks with an update from a former member of the Hartford women’s basketball team. Cedric Quackenbush, women’s basketball manager, will catch up with former Hawks and provide an update on their life after basketball. If you have a question or a possible topic for a future Where Are They Now feature, email athletics@hartford.edu.

Where Are They Now: Checking in with former Hartford point guard Courtney Gomez!

When former Hartford women’s basketball player Courtney Gomez suited up for the Hawks between 2004 and 2008, she helped the Hawks win three America East championships and two NCAA tournament games throughout her tenure. Her passion, leadership and teamwork enabled her to blossom into a relentless point-guard and team captain in her senior year.

Those same qualities are now helping Courtney blossom in a world off of the basketball court in a field in which she is putting her strengths as a leader on display. After spending two years studying at the University of Hartford following her college basketball career, she graduated in 2009 with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. This spring Courtney began working for Ardor Health Solutions, a traveling company based out of Coral Springs, Fla. Now working as a Traveling Physical Therapist, she is placed in a working assignment for 13 weeks anywhere in the country she chooses. She is currently halfway through her first assignment in Austin, Texas.

"I love helping people recover and get back to the activities that they enjoy doing,” said Gomez in a recent interview. “I absolutely love Austin. It’s one of my favorite cities that I’ve ever been too.”

Although she admits adjusting to Austin’s high temperatures has been challenging, they haven’t prevented her from getting out and enjoying the city. Recently, she completed a triathlon and is still competing in a recreational basketball league.

After her time in Austin, Courtney plans on spending a couple of years completing assignments in Denver, Seattle, California and Oregon before working her way back to the east coast to cities such as Atlanta, Chicago and New York City.

“Right now I’m enjoying traveling, meeting new people and experiencing new and exciting things,” added Gomez. “I plan on using this traveling experience to find an area that I will end up focusing in.”

When asked to look back at her experience as a Hartford basketball player and pick out a favorite memory, she admitted there were just too many for her to choose from.

“I can’t give just one fond memory because I obviously have so many! I think the best part about being a part of the team is the relationships that I have now. I am still friends with amazing people on the teams I played for. I miss the coaches and my teammates and sometimes I sit and think of how I will never have that kind of experience again.”