GREENVILLE, N.C. — It’s hard to quantify the kind of season that hasn’t happened in the lifetime of most viewers – and Amiya Joyner is having one of those seasons.

The basic context is easy: Amiya has broken the East Carolina freshman rebounding record which had stood since Marcia Girven set it in 1977-78, she’s entered the top 10 in freshman scoring and blocks, passing ECU legends and approaching others. The kid from Farmville has more double-doubles than any Pirate freshman since records became available (Rosie Thompson probably had more, but the records are lost to time).

Those numbers are simple and, I suppose, easy to understand. But in a broader sense, what do they mean?

They mean that the highest-rated recruit in the history of ECU women’s basketball has taken daunting expectations and blown the lid off of them. Rated No. 70 in her class by ESPN, Amiya had the weight of the world – or at least Eastern North Carolina – on her shoulders as the season tipped off; and sure, the 6-2 phenom has had some growing pains. She’s earned a seat on the bench more than once and has faltered at times in her adjustment to the college game. She battled COVID… then the flu, but persevered.

And when it clicks for Amiya – when she’s on, it’s a sight to see. A sight to see.

Heck, her bad days result in double-doubles now and she’s second in the nation amongst freshmen in the category – which is particularly remarkable considering No. 23 in Purple hadn’t registered a single one before her breakout game against North Carolina A&T on Dec. 19.

Since then, Amiya put on runs of five- and seven-consecutive double-doubles – which equalled the program record set by Rosie herself in 1978-79 – career highs of 23 points and 16 rebounds and highlights abound. She’s carried the team at times – and been a key contributor in the times in between.

Amiya has passed on various freshman record lists ECU Hall of Famers such as Thompson, the lone Pirate to have their number retired; Mary Denkler, the long First-Team All-America in program history; and Tomekia Blackmon, the most recent addition from women’s basketball to the Hall. It also deserves to be reiterated: the freshman rebounding record had stood for forty-five years.

Amiya has been the AAC Freshman of the Week seven times, all since mid-December. She now sits just one weekly nod shy of the conference record of eight.

There’s also the eye test: the numbers tell a great story, but the things Amiya does on the court – things beyond her years, simply have to be seen to be believed.

It’s a challenge to compare this season to any other in the past because, frankly, it’s not clear that there’s been one similar. Scratch that, it is quite clear: in the history of ECU women’s basketball, there has never been a freshman season quite like the one Joyner is having. And if you’re still not sure, you can watch Amiya and the Pirates for yourself as they open the AAC Tournament on March 7 in Forth Worth, Texas.