After a standout college career with the UMBC women’s basketball team, former Hicksville H.S. standout Michelle Kurowski has signed a contract to play professional basketball for the Eveil Garnachois Basket Vendee, a member of the National Feminine 2 league in France.
“I am thrilled for Michelle,” UMBC head coach Phil Stern, an Oceanside native, said of the 2012 graduate . “All of her hard work has paid off and enabled her to realize her dream of playing professional basketball.”
The Eveil Garnachois Basket Vendee, who play in La Garnache, are in Pool B of the National Feminine 2, a French Federation of Basketball. The squad, who finished fourth last season, is 3-4 on the year. In two games with the the Eveil Garnachois Basket Vendee, Kurowski has averaged 13.0 points per game. In a 68-62 loss to Espoir Chalosse, Kurowski scored 15 points. She followed with 11 points and six assists in a 74-62 loss to La Couronne Basket.
Kurowski amassed 1,690 career points during her time at UMBC – ranking second on the Retrievers’ all-time scoring list and 18th all-time in the America East record book. She also departed as the program’s leader in minutes played (4,131), games started (118), games appeared in (124), as well as ranking in the top 10 in 11 offensive categories including rebounds (663) and steals (200).
The Hicksville, N.Y., native averaged 13.6 points per game in her four seasons at UMBC, recording 24 20-point performances, 10 double-doubles and 86 double-digit scoring games. During her senior season, Kurowski became the 11th player in program’s history to tally 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
The 5-9 guard garnered America East All-Conference First Team honors as a junior and was a Second Team honoree in her final season of collegiate play. In addition, Kurowski earned numerous prestigious academic awards during her time with the Retrievers.
“I am very excited to be in France playing basketball,” Kurowski said. “It has always been a dream of mine to play in Europe and now that this dream is a reality, it is pretty surreal. I can’t wait to see where this experience takes me. I could not have made it without support from my family, friends, and everyone at UMBC, especially the women’s basketball staff.”