UVa frosh Edwards just one of the girls

With pep in her step, Britny Edwards rushes from class to class in search of a front-row seat.

That would likely make her unique at the University of Virginia.

Edwards has her reasons, most of which stem from a pair of behind-the-ear hearing aids that she wears to amplify volume levels from her professors.

While she can’t hear everything that her teammates can, Edwards, a rookie on the Virginia women’s basketball team, is of the opinion that she is not different.

“I don’t consider myself different because I have always worn hearing aids,” Edwards said. “That’s all I know. I didn’t feel different then and I don’t feel different now.”

Another member of the team can attest to Edwards’ claims. Her fraternal twin sister, Whitny, is also a freshman on the Cavaliers’ roster.

“Britny has worn hearing aids since she was about 3, so she has been used to it her whole life,” Whitny said. “Obviously, she misses some things in conversation, people talking or whatever, but I pretty much try to do my best to fill her in if she misses something. Or if it wasn’t clear to her, she will come to me and ask, ‘What did they say? Is this what I am supposed to do?’

“She is not shy about it. If she doesn’t hear you, she will ask you what you said or to repeat it. I think she makes it a lot easier for people that are uncertain about how to talk to her. She makes them feel a lot more comfortable with it.”

Edwards, whose father, Blue, played 10 seasons in the NBA, offered evidence of her desire to be considered a typical student at UVa during a summer school session in July.

“Most kids who wear hearing aids will wear an FM system — it just amplifies the teacher’s voice — but I have chosen to go without that,” Edwards said. “I just try to talk to my teachers before the classes start to let them know that I wear hearing aids.”

The smooth start thus far at UVa in the classroom has been matched in practice sessions with her new collection of teammates, many of whom were initially unaware Edwards wore hearing aids.

“We haven’t even noticed,” Virginia junior Monica Wright said. “A lot of the team didn’t even know that she was legally deaf. On the court, as we have been playing, she hears everything.

“She doesn’t use sign language, but she reads lips extremely well. On the court, I will just tap her and she will hear you if you yell,’ screen left,’ or ‘screen right.’”

Virginia coach Debbie Ryan did admit that some minor changes would be necessary.

“Unfortunately, my voice is not very good for her because it has a low tone to it,” Ryan said. “I really have to speak up with her. Otherwise, you just have to be sure to get her attention.”

As an all-state performer at Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C., and with the Tennessee Flight AAU program, the 6-foot-1 forward monitored signals relayed from the bench to the team’s point guard.

“I have always tried to do the same thing even though they don’t tell me to just so I know what is going on,” Edwards said. “I also try to stay in tune with what other players are doing and just feed off them.”

Ryan does not foresee issues and said Edwards possesses an uncanny level of court awareness. The youngster has also gained Ryan’s respect for her ability to flourish as a student-athlete.

“She doesn’t even want to be bothered with getting extra sympathy for that,” Ryan said. “She doesn’t even see it as a handicap. It is just part of what makes her go.”

Edwards looks forward to meeting many of the program’s faithful fans as the season is suddenly approaching.

“I just try to tell everybody that they can talk to me like I normal person,” Edwards said with a bright smile. “If I don’t hear you … I will ask you to repeat it. You don’t have to shout at me.”

But she says you can shout for her.

“I can’t wait.”