As March Madness nears, faith and basketball intersect for Sallman ’27

Tika Sallman '27 was part of the W&M Women's Basketball team that made history last year by going to the NCAA tournament. (Photo by Robert Keroack)

When March arrives, faith and basketball intersect for Tika Sallman '27 like no other time.

It's not just because of March Madness, the unifying cultural phenomenon where people come together to celebrate a love for college hoops. Sallman experienced this firsthand last season as a member of William & Mary's first team, men's or women's, to make the NCAA Tournament.

It's also the holy month of Ramadan, which Sallman, a native of Cairo, Egypt, observes strictly by fasting from sunup to sundown every day.

Understandably, this presents some difficulty for Sallman, who abstains from eating or drinking before, during and after practices and day games. For night games, she breaks her fast by eating a snack and drinking water before tipoff and then eats snacks during halftime to sustain her energy.

"It's not easy at all," said Sallman, a junior forward. "The word hard is not enough for what I'm going through. It's mental more than physical, and I think my faith is helping me get through it."

'We can do hard things'

Sallman said she is sustained by her own willpower and is boosted by the support of her teammates and coaches.

"The sacrifice that she is showing right now I think should be a story to all of our players," William & Mary Coach Erin Dickerson Davis said. "Look what you can do. We can do hard things."

Sallman was a member of last year's team that pulled off one of the greatest feats in William & Mary Athletics history. The Tribe won the CAA Championship as the ninth seed, clinched the university's first trip to the Big Dance and defeated High Point 69-63 in its inaugural NCAA Tournament game.

Eight players from last year's squad are part of this year's rotation, including returning starters Monet Dance '27, Cassidy Geddes '26 and Natalie Fox '28. They'd love nothing more than to make another postseason run this season.

"Looking back at it a year later, it was like a fairytale," Sallman said. "I would be very hungry to repeat it and go again and maybe make even more history by winning more games in March Madness."

The Tribe (16-13, 9-9 CAA) opens this year's CAA Championship as the eighth seed. It kicks off the tournament against ninth-seeded North Carolina A&T on Thursday at Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.

"We were able to set the foundation last year, and we know what we need to do to achieve it again," Dance said. "I think we can do it. We are definitely capable of doing it. Everyone believes on this team."

A special talent

Sallman has been a pivotal contributor this year, averaging 8.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and one blocked shot. She ranks eighth in the CAA in blocks per game and 12th in rebounds per contest.

A film & media studies major, Sallman has made significant advances in many areas on and off the court since transferring to William & Mary in 2024. Her first year on campus was a learning experience as she adapted to her new school and new demands in the classroom and on the hardwood.

She says she was moved by how supportive William & Mary community members, particularly those close to her in the basketball program, were during her time of transition.

"Tika is a very special, special talent. We're lucky that we were able to get her out of the transfer portal and really make her feel comfortable in this space," Dickerson Davis said. "I think there's something to be said about being able to produce and grow and mature in your game and your comfort level with the people that you're doing it with. It's a testament to the culture that we have here."

Coming out of her shell

Initially, Sallman was selective with how she shared her culture and faith with her teammates. Dickerson Davis says she came out of her shell over time.

For example, she had keychains made after last year's postseason success that were customized for each player. On each of the small ornaments was the player's name in Arabic along with a nod on each side to the team's conference championship.

"I'm going to tell you why that was so cool. At first, she didn't really want to put herself fully out there with her team. She didn't really talk to the team about what she was going through during Ramadan. She was still just kind of feeling everybody out, wanting to know who she can trust," Dickerson Davis said.

"She had to think this through. This was not something she could just buy at the store. The thoughtfulness that took, I think, created relationships deeper than she could have ever imagined."

According to Dickerson Davis, Sallman has been more open this year. Before the start of the holy month, she spoke to the team about her faith and why it was important for her to fast.

"Going into Ramadan this year, she said, 'I want you guys to learn more about me and my faith and how we celebrate.' She painted the picture for everybody," Dickerson Davis said.

Sallman's candidness meant a lot to her teammates.

"It was amazing to hear," Dance said. "It showed us that she trusted us, because you don't share that part of your life with just random people.

"If she's fatigued, the next person has to pick her up. It's a family here. If one person falls, we're all there to pick her up, and she knows that. That's been able to help her keep her going within her journey."

Nathan Warters, Assistant Director of Media Relations

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