October 13, 2009

PAIR OF FORMER WOMEN’S HOOPS STANDOUTS NAMED TO CAA 25TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM

RICHMOND, Va. – A pair of former Virginia Commonwealth University women’s basketball players were recognized by the Colonial Athletic Association for their standout careers with the Rams.

Quanitra Hollingsworth and Kristine Austgulen were named to the CAA 25th Anniversary Team as part of the 25 most prolific women’s basketball players in conference history.

Last March, Hollingsworth finished her four-year VCU career second on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,604 points.  She also holds VCU’s career records in rebounds (1,114), free throws made (411) and double-doubles (55), which ranks in the top-25 in NCAA history. 

Following a standout rookie campaign, Hollingsworth, who became the first player in school history to ever post career marks of 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, garnered 2006 Freshman All-America accolades and was chosen as the CAA Rookie of the Year.

The four-time All-CAA honoree became the first-ever VCU women’s basketball player to be selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft (ninth overall selection by Minnesota Lynx in April) and was the highest-ever selection by a VCU student-athlete in any professional draft.

Meanwhile, Austgulen earned All-CAA honors each of her four seasons with the Rams, including 2003 CAA Player of the Year.  She ranks fourth on VCU’s all-time scoring list with 1,572 career points and is second all-time with 364 free throws.  The Bergen, Norway native also holds the VCU single-game record for free throw percentage (1.000) hitting a perfect 15-of-15 at the line against Drexel on Jan. 26, 2003.

Austgulen, who became the first player in VCU women’s basketball history to have her jersey retired, made her presence felt off the court as well.  Aside from earning CAA All-Academic Team recognition all four years, she was the 2003 recipient of the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award, while being honored as a 2003 Verizon Academic All-America selection.