Classroom:Franklin is on track to graduate as a recreation, park and tourism sciences major at Texas A&M. She will graduate in four years with an expected graduation date of Spring of 2008. Franklin has aspirations of owning her own recreation center in the future.
Character:Franklin has made great strides as a basketball player, but perhaps her biggest impact has come in her attention to and interaction with children in the College Station community. One example of her impact on children comes from a parent whose undersized child was inspired to become a better basketball player once she met and watched Franklin play. According to Marlene White, her daughter Timbra was determined to quit playing basketball because she was too short. However, after watching the Aggies play, things began to change when she met Franklin. Franklin sat with Timbra and talked with her for a full period during a men’s game. Following the talk, Timbra stepped her game up and even started to do better in school. Her game became a mental as well as a physical game. White says “…Timbra is no longer in anyone's shadow…She is standing and glowing in the light that Aqua helped her find.” Franklin then took the time to attend Timbra’s postseason basketball celebration, talking to her team and signing autographs. “I know whatever path Aqua takes, she will be successful. It is apparent to me that she truly cares and is not simply providing ‘lip service.’…If she ever does open up her recreation center, I can assure you that Timbra will be seeking employment there,” White concluded.
Competition:A preseason All-Big 12 Conference selection, Franklin is the starting point guard for the nationally-ranked Aggies. She has led the league for three consecutive seasons in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.91) and ranks fourth all-time in the A&M record books in career assists (454) and fifth in career three-pointers made (106). Last season, she became only the second A&M player in school history to be selected as an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection. Franklin led the Aggies to its first regular season conference title in school history and second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006-07. She holds the distinction of being the shortest player in the Big 12 at 5-foot-3. She is a two-time Big 12 player of the week and a three-time conference rookie of the week during her career. She was voted to the Big 12 first team by the coaches last year and to the all-conference first team by the Dallas Morning News.