Former SU Women Hoopers Headed Overseas
8/12/2008 2:59:56 PM | Women's Basketball
Two former Syracuse women’s basketball players are headed overseas to continue their basketball careers. Fantasia Goodwin has signed a contract to play professionally with the Saarlouis Royals of the German women’s League (DBBL). Vaida Sipaviciute will be heading to France to join the Arras Pays Artois Basket Feminin Club (LFB).
Goodwin will be traveling to Frankfurt, Germany. Training camp will begin on August 10, 2008. The Saarlouis Royals compete in a Division I League that sends teams to compete for the EuroCup. In the past two seasons, the Royals have finished as runners-up for the league championship.
Goodwin finished her senior year setting the standard for rebounds, recording 25 with a career- high eight offensive and 17 defensive against St. Peter’s. She was named to the BIG EAST weekly honor roll on December 24, Dec. 17 and Dec. 3. She was third on the team with 12.3 points and first with 8.8 rebounds. She also recorded a team-high of nine double-doubles. In her junior season, she started 28 games and finished third on the team and 30th in the BIG EAST averaging 12.0 points per game. Goodwin was second on the team and 18th in the conference with 6.8 rebounds per game.
Sipaviciute signed to play professionally with the Arras Pays Artois Basket Feminin Club of France. It is one of 14 professional teams in the Ligue Feminine de BasketBall (LFB). The league competes for the French Cup, and in 2007 the team finished in the semifinals.
Sipaviciute finished her career at Syracuse with 234 blocks making her second on SU’s all-time list. She led the team with 52 blocks last season. In her junior year, she was one of three players to start all 29 games, and finished second on the team averaging 13.2 points per game and third with 5.8 rebounds per game. She also led the orange with 57 blocks, the tenth highest at SU and the most for a junior. Sipaviciute also became the 16th player ever to reach the mark of 1,000 career points. Her sophomore year, she was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team and ranked 25th nationally while leading the BIG EAST with 2.26 blocks per game. She also became the first SU player since Holly Oslander in 1992-93 and 1993-94 to post back to back 60 block seasons.
Reigning BIG EAST coach of the year Quentin Hillsman is looking to attack the competitors head on in 2008-2009. He welcomes back to the team four starters and 12 letter-winners that are ready to lead their team to success. Seven newcomers will be added to the team, including Chanieka Williams, who redshirted last season, and Juanita Ward, Syracuse’s second McDonald’s All-American. After last season’s NCAA Tournament appearance, the team is ready to make a deep run into post season play.
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