Years of hard work and aspirations could pay off big for one Missouri Southern basketball player.

Paige Christiansen has been working toward that goal since she was a little girl.

Christiansen, senior forward for the Lions and three-year letter winner, was born in Columbus, Kan., to Cynthia Christiansen. She started to play sports when she was 4 or 5 years old. Softball and basketball were her sports of choice.

At age 8, she moved to Pittsburg, along with her mother and two sisters, Holly and Monica. Monica joined her sister at Southern, now a sophomore. Christiansen has one niece and two nephews living in Pittsburg.

Before college, Christiansen kept herself busy in high school. She was on the basketball team, softball team for one year, the volleyball team for two years and the dance team for one year.

Before graduating from Pittsburg High School, she concentrated on basketball, which led her to Southern. To Christiansen, Southern was the only choice.

“I got a full ride scholarship,” Christiansen said. “It is close enough to home, yet just far enough away.”

Sports figures are prominent in children’s eyes, and Christiansen looks to herself for the children.

“I want to be a role model for the children, whether they come from a negative background or not,” she said.

Christiansen has her dreams as well. She wanted to be a back-up singer for a pop star, or a video jockey for MTV when she was younger. Basketball proved to be her answer though, while her favorite athlete is Michael Jordan.

“My whole room was decorated in him,” Christiansen said. “He’s awesome, good looking and he’s Michael Jordan.”

Christiansen said she has great memories with sports and basketball in particular. One of the best moments was during coach Maryann Mitts first year at Southern. The Lions traveled to Pittsburg State University and beat the Lady Gorillas in a close game.

“It meant a lot to me since I was back home, and we won,” she said.

Traveling to Hawaii was another great memory for Christiansen.

“Basketball has given me a lot of opportunities I would otherwise never had,” she said.

The dreams are not over for Christiansen. She is looking to attend law school and eventually become a children’s court judge or lawyer.

“I want to be successful and make decent money,” she said. “Happiness is the key.”

Christiansen is a criminal justice major with psychology and Spanish minors. She will graduate in July.