20   Athena Pirpich Class: Senior Hometown: Sallisaw, Okla. High School: Sallisaw HS Last College: Connors State JC Height: 5-4 Position: Guard Birthdate: 10/13/1978 Experience: 1L

TULSA — A returning letterwinner . . . has played in 18 career games . . . transferred to Tulsa from Connors State Junior College prior to the 1999-2000 season.

1999-00 — Averaged 2.5 ppg (45) in 18 games played . . . finished 14-of-16 from the free-throw line (.875) . . . scored a career-high 11 points against UTEP (1-27-00) . . . finished 3-of-4 from behind the three-point line against UTEP in that same game . . . connected on 7-of-12 three-point attempts (.583).

JUNIOR COLLEGE — In two seasons, she led the Connors State Cowgirls to a 64-5 overall mark and became the school’s all-time leader in assists (391) and steals (187) in 69 games played . . . averaged 9.1 points, 5.2 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.6 rebounds per game a year ago as a sophomore . . . led the Cowgirls to a 33-3 overall record, a Bi-State conference title with a perfect 10-0 mark, a Region II championship and an eighth-place finish at the NJCAA Tournament . . . Connors State was ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation . . . was an all-region, Bi-State all-conference and NJCAA All-America honorable mention selection as a sophomore . . . during her freshman campaign, she averaged 9.2 points, 6.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds . . . was tabbed to the all-conference and all-region teams and received All-America second team honors during her freshman campaign . . . junior college basketball coach was Monte Madewell.

HIGH SCHOOL — Was a four-year letterwinner at Sallisaw High School . . . as a senior, she was named to the Daily Oklahoman’s all-state team and earned her league’s Outstanding Player of the Year award . . . led the Lady Black Diamonds to an overall 98-16 record in four seasons, including one state championship in 1996, a state runner-up finish in 1994, and state semifinal appearances in 1995 and 1997 . . . she was a four-time member of the all-state tournament squad . . . owns the school record for career points with 1,381 . . . in 1996, she set the school record for most points in a single-season with 506 and her 18.1 points per game was the highest individual scoring average in a single-season . . . high school basketball coach was Drew Sanders.

PERSONAL — Majoring in elementary education . . . born October 13, 1978 . . . daughter of Marvin and Helena McCoy . . . the former Athena McCoy married Brad Pirpich in the spring of 1999.

CAREER-HIGHS
Points - 11 vs. UTEP (1-27-00)
Field Goals Made - 3 vs. Creighton (11-24-99) and UTEP (1-27-00)
Three-Point FG's Made - 3 vs. UTEP (1-27-00)
Free Throws Made - 2 vs. six teams
Rebounds - 2 vs. UTEP (1-27-00)
Assists - 3 vs. Creighton (11-24-00)
Steals - 2 vs. Creighton (11-24-00) and SMU (2-3-00)
Blocks - N/A

PIRPICH'S CAREER STATISTICS