Lamar's Tamara Abalde Signs Professional Contract In The Women's Euro League
BEAUMONT, Texas ? After a stellar freshman season with the Lamar University women’s basketball team, Tamara Abalde has decided to take her talent to the next level, signing a professional contract with Ros Casares of the Women’s EuroLeague.
“Although we are sad to lose Tammy, we’re happy for her and her family,” LU head coach Larry Tidwell said. “This has been a dream of hers and her family since she first started playing basketball. When you recruit high level international players there is always a risk that they will go pro, but it won’t dampen my spirits on continuing to recruit elite international players.”
Abalde was recently named to the Spanish National Team that is competing in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women.
“Abalde is not only the future of Spanish women's basketball, she is a reality as shown by being called into the national team that is competing for a place in the Olympic Games," said Ros Casares general manager Carme Lluveras.
Abalde became just the sixth player in school history to be named to the Southland Conference First Team, joining Kara Audery (1983, 1984), Joy Omen (1983), Talia Goudy (1999), Shawnta Vanzant (2001) and LaToya Carson (2006). She is also just the second player to earn SLC Freshman of the Year honors, joining Brittney Williams who earned the award as a freshman in 2007.
The only freshman named to the All-Southland Conference First Team, Abalde recorded five double-doubles, eight 20-plus point games and scored a single-game high and school record tying 44 points against Wiley College on Nov. 24. She finished sixth in the league in scoring (16.0), ninth in rebounds (7.1), knocked down a .424 mark from the field and was named conference player of the week two times.
“Losing a player like Tamara is always hard,” Tidwell added. “We lose a great player, but I think we are going to have a great team next year with the players we have returning and the recruits we are bringing in.”
Lamar went 19-13, won the SLC East Division and reached the SLC Tournament championship game last season.