Laksa Leaves Mark in NCAA Record Book
TAMPA, Fla. Sept. 19, 2018 – USF women's basketball player
Kitija Laksa set two NCAA records in the 2017-2018 season, published in
the 2018-19 NCAA Division I record book on Tuesday.
Laksa's set her first record in consecutive three-pointers made in a game with 11 straight makes, set against Southern U on Dec. 15, 2017. She set a second record for free-throw shooting percentage in a season with 96.5 percent, hitting 111-of-115 from the charity stripe in 2017-18.
Laksa, who earned WBCA All-America Honorable Mention last season, broke the previous NCAA record for free-throw shooting percentage in a season set by Adrienne Squire (Penn State) in 2006 with 96.4 percent (80-of-83). She bested Katie Lou Samuelson's (UCONN) record of 10 straight makes on March 6, 2017 against USF. Laksa led the nation in the statistical category in 2017-18 and is the first USF women's basketball player to set an NCAA record in any category, now with two records in the book.
The marks aren't the first for Laksa, who broke the USF junior scoring record last season with 717 points, backed by her 111 makes from the free-throw line. The Riga, Latvia native averaged 21.1 points per game on the year and returns in 2018-19 as the Bulls' leading scorer for her senior season.
In 2017-18, Laksa was also named to the WBCA All-Region 3 team and was a first team all-conference selection. The American Athletic Conference recognized her as its Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the second Bull to ever receive the honor.
Laksa currently ranks sixth in program history on the all-time scoring list, amassing 1,715 points in her career. She will chase the all-time scoring record at USF in 2018-19, currently held by Jessica Dickson (2003-07) with 2,402 points.
Coming up, Laksa will represent her home country of Latvia in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup from Sept. 22 until Sept. 30. Latvia will compete in Group D alongside Senegal, China, and USA.
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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 winningestcoach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNITfinal four appearances, the 2009 WNITchampionship and won more than 300 games.
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