As 1,000-point scorer Holly Hoopingarner has closed her college basketball career, she has no worries that Destiny Perkins will fill those shoes.

Perkins is approaching her redshirt junior season after playing one year at Akron and one with the Jaguars. Once she hit the transfer portal IUPUI women's coach Austin Parkinson took notice of the dynamic guard's availability. Perkins was captivated by IUPUI's culture and appreciated the family aspect that the program offered.

"That's really big for me because I'm a really big family person," Perkins said. "I really love genuine people and that's what IUPUI is all about."

Perkins will have more responsibility this season after the graduation of Hoopingarner, the Most Valuable Player of the 2020 Horizon League Tournament.

"Holly had complete control of our offense," Parkinson said. "She was a true leader."

Hoopingarner was the 27th player in IUPUI history to score 1,000 points in their collegiate career and now is excited to see her former teammate run the team. Perkins backed up Hoopingarner over the course of the 2019-2020 season while averaging 5.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Perkins started just three times, but Parkinson has always believed in her talent.

Perkins became an Indiana All-Star in 2017 after averaging 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in her senior season at Lawrence North.

"It was such an amazing feeling to be able to represent my school, which was Lawrence North, my family and my coaches," Perkins stated. "Coming from Lawrence North, there are so many great players who also were Indiana All-Stars, so to be able to also have the privilege to represent was a blessing."

Parkinson remembered the times he had both Hoopingarner and Perkins on the floor together. He quickly pointed out big shots Perkins hit in the closing moments of big games down the stretch of their championship season. Both Hoopingarner and Parkinson are aware of the differences in styles.

"She's more athletic," Hoopingarner said of her former teammate. "I think she has a better touch around the rim when in the paint."

Perkins' road to this point has been unorthodox. She has had to overcome the obstacle of a global pandemic while gearing up for the start of the season. Due to NCAA health protocols, the Jaguars were unable to have a team practice until September. Parkinson used this time to keep in touch with Perkins and her teammates by reviewing film via zoom and then coming back and quizzing his players with a platform called Kahoot.

Perkins is looking to continue to build comradery with her teammates as they all look to get through the virus.

"It's so important that you still try to build relationships and bonds with the freshmen and also continue building on the relationship you have with the returners," said Perkins, "because that's what makes our team so special. We all really vibe well."

The point guard is the coach on the floor and Parkinson believes in having a great relationship with his guards. Hoopingarner reflected on her time by pointing out the relationship she had with Parkinson and recognized how much they talked over the seasons they spent together.

"Coach P expects a lot of his point guards," said Hoopingarner.

Despite not having face-to-face interactions with Perkins, Parkinson is confident in his point guard's work ethic, as is her former high school coach, Chris Giffin. Perkins, one of the six players to have gone on to play college basketball after being coached by Giffin, has always played with confidence. Giffin believes her confidence is projected in many ways.

"Vocally," he said. "Her habits, her physicality, her intensity both ends."

Giffin always encouraged her to show her confidence because she was skilled enough and worked hard enough to do so.

Giffin reflected on Perkins time at Lawrence North. "Loved her effort, intensity, focus and loyalty to death," he said. "To this day, love those things. She was fearless, tough. Her biggest challenge was and I imagine is still playing to her strengths on consistent basis. When she does, she's an absolute beast."

The 5-foot-6 guard is a competitor and takes on all challenges. Because of this, Giffin has no doubts that Perkins will handle this role well and embrace it. Giffin describes her as a "gamer." She is a competitor and won't back down from challenges.

As the season opens, the redshirt junior is "excited and grateful" to be able to step on the court with her teammates as the IUPUI Jaguars look to defend their 2020 Horizon League Championship.