It's a Cole World: Last-Tear Poa on her incredible college career

• Victorian Last-Tear Poa played for Dandenong Rangers in youth basketball
• For her final year of college she has transferred to Arizona State
• She won an NCAA title alongside Angel Reese in 2023

Victorian Last-Tear Poa has never been one to back down from a challenge. Whether it was taking charges in a national championship game, transferring schools for a final push at the NCAA Final Four, or setting her sights on the WNBA, Poa’s journey has been shaped by intensity, purpose and family.

The Championship Run at LSU

Poa's basketball journey reached its pinnacle during the 2022-23 season when she helped the LSU Tigers capture the NCAA National Championship. Playing alongside star Angel Reese, Poa established herself as a defensive specialist, drawing an impressive 31 charges throughout her junior season.

"It didn't even feel real," Poa recalls about winning the championship. "When the confetti was coming down and every one was announcing it... it was a proud moment."

Her defensive prowess was on full display during the championship game against Iowa, where she notably drew two offensive fouls against superstar Caitlin Clark. Those game-changing plays helped secure LSU's victory on college basketball's biggest stage.

"Film was so important," Poa explains about preparing for Clark. "We watched film the whole week, even the night before the game. It was intense, but so fun to play against her."

The championship experience extended beyond the court, as Poa and her teammates were invited to the White House to meet President Joe Biden -a memory she describes as "a tick off the bucket list."

The Transfer to Arizona State

After three seasons at LSU, Poa transferred to Arizona State University for her final year of college eligibility. The decision came down to her connection with head coach Molly Miller.

"Honestly, it was really coach Molly (Miller)," Poa says about her decision. "I'm always the type to follow the coach. I don't really care about programs."

The relationship with coach Miller has already become a highlight of her Arizona State experience. "My relationship with her is so tight. Everything outside of basketball. I check up on her, she'll check up on me," Poa explains. "I've never had that before."

The Complete Player

Throughout her college career, Poa has evolved as a player. She describes herself as more of a scorer during her junior college days before developing into a defensive specialist at LSU.

Her defensive statistics tell the story - a career-high six steals in one game and those 31 charges taken in a single season. But she's also an efficient passer, recording a career-high eight assists with zero turnovers in one contest, and a sharp shooter, leading LSU in free throw percentage at 88% during the championship season.

"My intensity always starts on defence," Poa explains. "I feel like once I bring that into the game, everything else kind of flows."

Learning from Basketball Royalty

Playing alongside Angel Reese at LSU taught Poa valuable lessons about accountability and leadership.

"Holding people accountable. That was the one thing I know for sure she would hold you accountable," Poa says of Reese. "In the game, if you stuffed it up or did something, she'll tell you how it is."

Poa credits Reese with helping change women's basketball through her outspoken nature and dominant play. "She's one of the reasons,actually the main reason, why women's basketball changed that year that we won."

Looking to the Future

With her sights set on a Final Four appearance in her final college season, Poa is focused on bringing Arizona State to new heights. The Final Four will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, making it an even more meaningful goal.

Beyond college, Poa has clear ambitions: "I'm going to the WNBA. That's been my goal."

She's also studying business to prepare for life after basketball. "I think it'll be really smart to start understanding the business side of the game," she explains. "I want to know how the rich get wealthy. I'm doing this for my siblings."

The Origins Of Her Name

Her family is originally from the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and her given name pays homage to her great-grandmother, who predicted her child's birth. However, Poa never met her great-grandmother who died shortly before she was born, shedding one last tear from her left eye just before she died.

"And, I have a beauty mark just beneath my left eye in the same spot where my great-grandmother's tear fell," Poa told The Advocate. "So I am named in her memory. It is a part of our culture."

 For the full interview, check out It's a Cole World with Bec Cole and Last-Tear Poa in the video player above.