USF Athletics

All-America Candidate Laksa To Miss The Remainder Of The 2018-19 Season With Injury

November 16, 2018

TAMPA, NOV. 16, 2018 –USF women's basketball senior guard Kitija Laksa (Riga, Latvia), a preseason Wooden, Naismith and Drysdale Award candidate, will miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season with a knee injury suffered in the Bulls' victory Thursday night.
 
"This is obviously a very difficult blow for Kitija, who is one of the top players in the nation, and our team," USF head coach Jose Fernandez said. "I know with Kitija's will and determination, she will get through this and be back on the floor as a top-level player. It is very tough for our team to lose Kitija's ability and leadership on the floor, but we still have our goals ahead of us and we will continue to work to accomplish those."
 
Laksa suffered the injury to her right knee in the third quarter of Thursday's 88-39 victory over Bethune-Cookman. An MRI performed Friday morning revealed a torn ACL and meniscus. 
 
The two-time first team all-conference and honorable-mention All-America selection was on three national award watch lists and was a preseason All-America candidate. She currently stands sixth on USF's all-time scoring list with 1,764 points. Laksa has led USF in scoring in each of the last two seasons and was leading the Bulls with 16.3 points per game on the 2018-19 season. 
 
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USF notched its sixth consecutive 20-win season and fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017-18. It marked the ninth 20-win season in program history, with head coach Jose Fernandez at the helm for all nine. The Bulls posted 26 wins in 2017-18, just shy of the program record of 27 set in 2008-09 and 2014-15. 
 
USF has made 14 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez's 18 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 300 games.