The shy star turned into a 5x WNBA All-Star; Alyssa Thomas can write quite a biography about herself. She is keeping us consumed with her involvement in Team USA’s quest for their eighth consecutive Olympic gold. But she has thrilled us with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and has always been a great player, even in college. Hence, as she adds more stories to her book, let us look at how she had been performing through the years before she became a part of the professional basketball league.
The University of Maryland announced in August that they will induct Alyssa Thomas into the Hall of Fame for their Class of 2024 for her achievements with the Terrapins. Hence, with so much riding on this name, here is the early life of this Olympic debutant in numbers.
The numbers of a Terrapin GOAT
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One of the best players to ever put on a Maryland jersey, Alyssa Thomas made a name for herself from the very beginning of her NCAA career. From the freshman season itself, she had her aim set on the National Championship. The Pennsylvania native led her team in scoring with 14.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game.
Improving her stats further, she averaged 17.2 points and 8 rebounds per game. Her average scoring was also the highest in the ACC. In her sophomore season, she led the Terrapins to their first Elite Eight in three years. That season, Maryland had an impressive 31-5 record. The Terrapins became the ACC leaders, with Alyssa Thomas controlling their reins. She was also the ACC Tournament MVP after scoring 29 points against Georgia Tech.
As a junior, Thomas averaged 18.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. She became the first NCAA player to do so for an entire season. However, she could not take the Terrapins past Sweet Sixteen that year. But looks like she left the best for the end. As a senior, she gave her best average of 19 points and 10 rebounds. She led them to the 2014 Final Four but lost to their rivals, Notre Dame.
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She capped her NCAA career as the all-time leading scorer for Terrapins with 2,356 points and 1,235 rebounds in 135 games. The 32-year-old also has the all-time record with 66 double-doubles. The Olympian also has the paperwork to prove her legacy back in College Park.
A look at the achievements for Alyssa Thomas in college
While the fourth overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft could not add the NCAA champion title to her resume, she has many accolades to prove her a gold-standard player. In her first season in Maryland, Alyssa Thomas swept away the ACC Rookie of the Year, All-ACC Freshman Team, and Second Team All-ACC in 2011. She was also the All-ACC Second team awardee. As a sophomore, her efforts in placing the Terrapins as the ACC champions were awarded in the form of the WBCA and USBWA First Team All-American.
Apart from these, she is 3x First-team All-ACC and 3x All-American team honors, with one from AP in 2013. Moreover, she is a 3x All-American by the USBWA and 3x WBCA Coaches’ All-American. In her conference, she was clearly a great basketball player as they awarded her with ACC Player of the Year three times in four years, and was the 2014 ACC Female Athlete of the Year.
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After the team’s exit from the NCAA tournament, Maryland honored Alyssa Thomas’ jersey in March 2014. Now, she will soon have her name inducted into the Hall of Fame in Maryland’s history books. Certainly, a great honor for a rugged player like Alyssa Thomas.
Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.
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