Getting to Know Women’s Basketball Newcomer Emma Hart
7/22/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The point guard joins Denver this season after being a three-year member of the IMG Academy National Team
DENVER – University of Denver women's basketball newcomer and freshman guard Emma Hart is from Houston, Texas, and played as a guard at IMG Academy National Team. As a starting guard with her team, she won the program's first Chipotle National Championship in Indianapolis in April 2025. She was nominated McDonald's All-American, her high school's student-athlete of the year (2026) and a nominee for the school's Bollettieri Award (2026).
Hart was a member of the National Honor Society, IMG's Mentor/Mentee Program, the Basketball Student Advisory Board, the Ascender Athlete Council and the Black Student Union. She was part of IMG's organization for six seasons and went from Varsity to the National Team.
The Texas native chose the University of Denver because she felt like it was the best place for her. During her time with DU, she hopes she can win a conference championship with the team. While off court, she enjoys watching movies, and would like to study pre-law. Her mom Yvonne played college basketball at Stanford under Tara VanDerveer, while her twin brother currently plays soccer in Berlin, Germany.
DenverPioneers.com caught up with Hart during summer workouts.
What made you start playing Basketball?
Hart: I started playing basketball when I was very little, and I was doing it kind of recreationally, until I went to a final four in 2017, and just that atmosphere of watching, all the teams play it, was just amazing and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.
What is your favorite spot in Houston?
Hart: There was this place by my house, I think it's closed down by now, but it was a pho Vietnamese restaurant, and so every Sunday after church we would go, and we would get pho, and that's like a core childhood memory of mine.
Do you have a pregame routine?
Hart: Pregame routine, usually I set a couple of goals for myself and then I'll go over those goals, I'll pray, and then I'll just listen to music. It's kind of funny because a lot of people before games, they listen to like hype music to get themselves ready, but I like to listen to like slow, calm music, 'cause usually I'm really high in energy, and so I have to bring my energy level down so I can focus.
Do you play any other sports?
Hart: When I turned 8, I was playing both basketball and gymnastics, and I had to decide which one I was going to pick in order to further myself in whichever sport I chose. I played softball, and then I ran cross country.
What is your favorite TV Show/movie?
Hart: Favorite movie would be Silence of the Lambs, and then favorite TV Show… That's tough... I have a list of like my favorite shows and stuff like that! I think I'd have to say the Walking Dead
What do you like to do off court?
Hart: Usually I just watch movies I can't lie, I watch a lot of TV… Yeah, that's pretty much it.
Who is your favorite music artist?
Hart: I'd say SZA"
How is it to have your twin brother also play in high level sport? Is there some competition between you two?
Hart: Yeah for sure! Growing up, there was competition, especially because we played similar sports. He played basketball, and I played on a boys team, and so sometimes we would play each other, and so those games would just really get heated. I tried playing soccer… didn't really work out, but whenever he comes home for the summer, for the winter, we'll help each other train. He'll have to guard me at basketball, and I'll have to try to guard him in soccer; and so it doesn't usually work out good, sometimes ends up in a fight, but… yeah it's pretty competitive!
What is one thing you would want people to know about you?
Hart: I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but my mom she played college basketball. She is kind of my inspiration growing up.
What are you most excited about at DU, and Denver/Colorado in general?
Hart: Denver, Colorado… I'd say the mountains and hiking, because I'm from Texas and Florida. I've only seen snow like one time. It wasn't even snow it was sleet, hail and stuff like that. So I'm really excited to see snow and to see the mountains and that. I'm excited to go to a hockey game! I've never seen hockey before so that'll be cool.
DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of Denver's NCAA Division I sports.-
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Women's Basketball on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Whoops on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @du_whoops on Instagram
Hart was a member of the National Honor Society, IMG's Mentor/Mentee Program, the Basketball Student Advisory Board, the Ascender Athlete Council and the Black Student Union. She was part of IMG's organization for six seasons and went from Varsity to the National Team.
The Texas native chose the University of Denver because she felt like it was the best place for her. During her time with DU, she hopes she can win a conference championship with the team. While off court, she enjoys watching movies, and would like to study pre-law. Her mom Yvonne played college basketball at Stanford under Tara VanDerveer, while her twin brother currently plays soccer in Berlin, Germany.
DenverPioneers.com caught up with Hart during summer workouts.
What made you start playing Basketball?
Hart: I started playing basketball when I was very little, and I was doing it kind of recreationally, until I went to a final four in 2017, and just that atmosphere of watching, all the teams play it, was just amazing and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.
What is your favorite spot in Houston?
Hart: There was this place by my house, I think it's closed down by now, but it was a pho Vietnamese restaurant, and so every Sunday after church we would go, and we would get pho, and that's like a core childhood memory of mine.
Do you have a pregame routine?
Hart: Pregame routine, usually I set a couple of goals for myself and then I'll go over those goals, I'll pray, and then I'll just listen to music. It's kind of funny because a lot of people before games, they listen to like hype music to get themselves ready, but I like to listen to like slow, calm music, 'cause usually I'm really high in energy, and so I have to bring my energy level down so I can focus.
Do you play any other sports?
Hart: When I turned 8, I was playing both basketball and gymnastics, and I had to decide which one I was going to pick in order to further myself in whichever sport I chose. I played softball, and then I ran cross country.
What is your favorite TV Show/movie?
Hart: Favorite movie would be Silence of the Lambs, and then favorite TV Show… That's tough... I have a list of like my favorite shows and stuff like that! I think I'd have to say the Walking Dead
What do you like to do off court?
Hart: Usually I just watch movies I can't lie, I watch a lot of TV… Yeah, that's pretty much it.
Who is your favorite music artist?
Hart: I'd say SZA"
How is it to have your twin brother also play in high level sport? Is there some competition between you two?
Hart: Yeah for sure! Growing up, there was competition, especially because we played similar sports. He played basketball, and I played on a boys team, and so sometimes we would play each other, and so those games would just really get heated. I tried playing soccer… didn't really work out, but whenever he comes home for the summer, for the winter, we'll help each other train. He'll have to guard me at basketball, and I'll have to try to guard him in soccer; and so it doesn't usually work out good, sometimes ends up in a fight, but… yeah it's pretty competitive!
What is one thing you would want people to know about you?
Hart: I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but my mom she played college basketball. She is kind of my inspiration growing up.
What are you most excited about at DU, and Denver/Colorado in general?
Hart: Denver, Colorado… I'd say the mountains and hiking, because I'm from Texas and Florida. I've only seen snow like one time. It wasn't even snow it was sleet, hail and stuff like that. So I'm really excited to see snow and to see the mountains and that. I'm excited to go to a hockey game! I've never seen hockey before so that'll be cool.
DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of Denver's NCAA Division I sports.-
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Women's Basketball on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Whoops on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @du_whoops on Instagram
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