The Venezuelan native was one of the NJCAA’s most dominating rebounders and shot blockers in 2020-21.
TAMPA (April 21, 2021) –University of South Florida head women’s basketball coach Jose Fernandez announced on Wednesday the signing of junior college standout Odeth Betancourt to a National Letter of Intent (NLI) during the spring signing period. Betancourt, who is expected to make an impact during the 2021-22 campaign, joins Bella Weary (Jacksonville, Fla.) who signed during the fall signing period in November.
“Odeth’s athleticism and versatility on both ends of the floor is what stood out for us in the recruiting process,” said Fernandez. “She plays with great energy and passion, and we look forward to her getting on campus.”
Betancourt, a 6-foot-2 forward from San Cristobal, Venezuela, played her last two seasons of junior college ball at Panola College in Carthage, Texas, where she proved to be a dominating force on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Betancourt is great in transition and has tremendous body control around the basket.
An athletic and versatile post player that is a threat on the perimeter as well as in the lane, Betancourt averaged 11.0 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots per game for the Fillies during the 2020-21 campaign. Her rebounding average was first in Region XIV and eighth in the nation, while she finished the season tops in the region and 14th nationally in blocked shots.
Betancourt netted double figures in the scoring column 13 times and double-digit rebounds in 19 games for Panola, and recorded 13 double-doubles, leading her team to the district semifinals. She poured in a career-high 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against Jacksonville College on Feb. 10. She also grabbed a career-best 17 rebounds, twice, against Kilgore College on Feb. 3 and March 6, respectively.
In her two-year career at Panola, Betancourt averaged 11.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per outing in 41 career games.
Betancourt also has experience on the international stage, representing her home country of Venezuela as many as 14 times. She helped guide Venezuela to a gold medal in the 2018 South American and Central American championships and a silver medal in the 2017 U17 South American Youth Championships. In addition, Betancourt took part in the 2018 Olympic Youth Games 3×3 Tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
This past season, USF posted a 19-4 overall record, and a 12-2 mark in The American, and capped off an unprecedented season with its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance, and its sixth trip to the Big Dance in the last nine years. The Green and Gold finished the year ranked No. 19 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 18 in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll, and rose to as high as No. 12 in the AP poll on Feb. 15, USF’s highest ranking ever.
Included in their 19 wins are a thrilling 67-63 overtime victory over No. 6 Mississippi State, the highest-ranked team the Bulls have ever defeated, and two victories over rival UCF. The first win against the Knights secured the regular-season crown on March 2 (W, 65-62) and the second the AAC Tournament crown on March 11 (W, 64-54).
USF defeated Washington State, 57-53, in the NCAA Tournament first round for its first tournament win since March 19, 2016, when it defeated Colorado State, 48-45.
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USF has recorded its best season in program history during the 2020-21 campaign, all while navigating the unpredictable COVID-19 landscape. In doing so, the Bulls won their first-ever conference regular-season and tournament titles, and posted their highest ranking in the Associated Press Top25 poll, reaching as high as No. 12.
USF has made 16 postseason tournament appearances and had seven NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 21 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and won more than 380 games. For his efforts on the sideline during the 2020-21 season, Fernandez was named a finalist for the WBCA and semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Awards. He was also tabbed the 2021 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
Also, during the 2020-21 campaign, the Bulls had five players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elisa Pinzan (Most Improved Player, All-Conference Second Team), Maria Alvarez (Co-Sixth Player of the Year), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference First Team), Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), and Sydni Harvey (All-Conference Third Team).
In addition, Harvey was named the American Athletic Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament Team, while Mununga and Tsineke were also All-Tournament selections.
– #GoBulls –
