Women's Basketball | 6/27/2018 1:05:00 PM
Moon Township, Pa. – Anna Niki Stamolamprou, 2017 alumna of the Robert Morris University women's basketball team, has signed a professional contract with Olympiacos Pireus of Greece's A1 Ethniki.
Stamolamprou spent the 2017-18 season with Helios VS Basket of Switzerland's Championnat Ligue Nationale A Feminine (LNAF) and Campus Promete Logrono of Spain's Liga Femenina 1 (LF1). She played in 14 games across the two leagues, averaging 18.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per contest while with Helios VS Basket.
"Anna Niki is continuing her pro career with a great organization that's well recognized in Europe and has won multiple championships," said Robert Morris head coach Charlie Buscaglia. "There's a great level of success to go alongside this organization. We're very proud of her and happy for her to be able to play in her home country."
Olympiacos Pireus has been the gold standard in A1 Ethniki, capturing five consecutive league crowns while going unbeaten over the last three seasons. The team has also won five straight Greek Cups and advanced to the EuroCup Round of 16 in 2017-18.
RELEASE: Stamolamprou Signs with Olympiacos
In her four seasons donning the Colonial colors, Stamolamprou helped the team win three Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournaments (2014, 2016, 2017) – and subsequently appear in those seasons' NCAA Tournaments – and capture a pair of NEC regular-season titles in 2014 and 2017. She was named NEC Player of the Year as a senior after averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game and collected NEC Tournament MVP accolades in 2016 and 2017. A four-time All-NEC selection, Stamolamprou was also honored as the NEC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete in 2016 and 2017 and was a nominee for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Stamolamprou's name can be found all through the Robert Morris record books. The native of Thessaloniki, Greece ranks in the top three in career three-point field goals (283 – 1st), points (1,815 – 2nd), games started (122 – t-2nd), and assists (373 – 3rd). She is one of two players to eclipse 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, and 100 steals in a career, and holds or shares the RMU single-game standards for points scored (39), field goals made (15), and three-point field goal percentage (.875).
"She's been far away from home for her whole career, so we're very joyful for her and her family (to return to Greece)," continued Buscaglia. "We're really looking forward to rooting her on and watching as many games as we can from a distance here. We wish her all the best this season, and we know she'll do very well."
Stamolamprou is the 18th Colonial under Buscaglia to play professionally. Former teammates such as Lou Mataly (2012-16), Rebeca Navarro (2013-17), Ashley Ravelli (2012-16), and Artemis Spanou (2010-14) are among the current RMU contingent playing with a pro team.
Robert Morris concluded the 2017-18 campaign with its eighth postseason appearance since 2007 as it competed in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Colonials captured a share of their sixth Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season championship and eclipsed the 20-win mark for the 11th time in program history, finishing with a school record 25 victories.
