Allyssa DeHaan

Allyssa DeHaan
College	Michigan State University Grand Valley State University
Sport	Basketball Volleyball
Position	Center
Class	Graduated 2010
Nickname	Big Al
Career	2006–present
Height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Nationality	United States
Born	(1988-06-21) June 21, 1988 (age 28) Grandville, Michigan, United States
High school	Grandville High School
Awards
Voted Michigan Miss Basketball of 2005 Ranked among the top 25 centers in the nation A five-time Big Ten Player of the Week 2007 Big Ten Freshman of the Year First MSU freshman to score 400-plus points Set Big Ten single-season blocks record in back-to-back seasons with 145 in 2006-07 and 150 in 07-08 2007-08 All-Big Ten First Team Ranked second all-time in Division I with 503 career blocks
Medal record Women's Basketball Representing USA U18 and U19 2007 U19 Bratislava, Slovakia Team Competition

Allyssa DeHaan (born June 21, 1988 in Grandville, Michigan) is an American former collegiate basketball and volleyball player. She played for Michigan State University from 2006 to 2010.

She is ranked as the fourth all-time in career points (1,649) and rebounds (919), and is one of just three Spartans to place in the top five of both categories. She also ranks third in MSU history in made field goals (640) and made free throws (351), and seventh in free throw percentage (79.8%). DeHaan finished her career with four-year averages of 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. She is also ranked second all-time in Division I with 503 career blocks.

DeHaan is 2.06 metres (6 ft 9 in) tall, making her one of the tallest female basketball players in the country and the tallest player in Michigan State history.

DeHaan was born on June 21, 1988, in Grandville, Michigan, the daughter of Tracie and Brandon DeHaan. Her athletic life began with gymnastics in preschool. She also tried ballet, ice skating, swimming, tee ball and volleyball before she ever picked up a basketball in fifth grade. When some parents of AAU players walked into the gym and saw her doing gymnastics, they asked her to join their basketball team, to which DeHaan agreed. She also started playing pickup games in the driveway with her mom, who played basketball at Northwestern University.

DeHaan has always been tall and is very proud to be. Dehaan's parents are also tall; her father is 6 ft 6 in and her mother is 6 ft 4 in, but Alyssa outgrew both of them. In middle school, she had already reached 6 ft 2 in and rapidly grew another six inches in just under a year, between sixth and seventh grade. She was 6 ft 7 in as a high school sophomore and graduated from Grandville High School at 6 ft 8 in. Already the tallest female player in Michigan State history when she joined the basketball team, she unexpectedly grew another inch before playing her first season at 6 ft 9 in. DeHaan is not afflicted with Marfan syndrome or any other kind of overgrowth syndrome, but is simply extremely tall. She has a 39-inch inseam, and she wears a men's size 14 (women's 16) shoes. Deeply religious, DeHaan attributes her great height as a divine gift given to her by God.

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