Former Golden Eagle standout Samaria Howard to play professionally in Athens, Greece in 2016-17 season

Posted: Sep 07, 2016

By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—Former Tennessee Tech women's basketball standout Samaria Howard is now playing professional basketball in Athens, Greece.

"It's a dream come true honestly," former Golden Eagle Samaria Howard said. "Millions of girls try to make it professionally, but only certain ones will get picked. Many even have to wait years after they graduate to make it. I feel really blessed that someone saw something in me and wanted me to be apart of their team."

The 22-year old point guard was recently added to the AO Terpsithea Glyfadas roster for the 2016-17 season and will begin contests in October.

"My former Tech coaches really had my back," Howard continued. "They helped me in every way to prepare myself for life after college during the two years I was a Golden Eagle. They would always remind me of the things I needed to work on to get to an elite level of play and they helped me get into the pro combines and to find agents after I graduated. I still communicate with them now, whether it is sending them pictures and they all tell me how proud they are of me. Coach Walker [former Tech assistant women's basketball coach] even spent an entire day with me to help me get my passport. I can't thank each of them enough for how supportive they have been of me."

While at Tech, Howard saw action in 58 games including 56 starts over her two years in the Purple and Gold. She departed from the Golden Eagle program accumulating 1,059 points, 322 rebounds, 62 steals, and 72 assists. Over her career, she shot 39.8 percent from the field, 27.6 percent from downtown, and 80.4 percent from the charity stripe while averaging 18.3 points and 5.6 boards per game.

In her senior season alone, Howard set career-highs in points (31), rebounds (13), steals (4), blocks (2), and minutes played (46) while also joining the 1,000 point club after surpassing the mark in just two seasons in the Purple and Gold. She scored in double figures for all 29 of Tech's games including 18, 20+ point games and two double-double showings, while leading all Tech players in scoring in 28 of the Golden Eagle's contests. She also led the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring in OVC play averaging 23.1 points per game and was second in overall play averaging 21 points per game on the season.

She earned adidas® OVC Player of the Week honors on three separate occasions during her senior year and was named to the All-OVC first team at the end of the 2015-16 season. In the 2014-15 year, Howard received three adidas® OVC Newcomer of the Week honors, as well as earned a place on the all-OVC second team and the all-Newcomer team, which guaranteed her a spot on the 2015-16 preseason all-OVC team.

"I put in a lot of work," Howard remarked. "I know that's the only way to make it in life, and I believe that's why I am here. I know there are girls on this level that are as good or even better than me, but I am ready to give it my all."

Photo by Jim Dillon