USF Women’s Basketball Standout Sammie Puisis Named AAC Player of the Week

Puisis earns her first honor from The American after her 25-point effort at No. 22/18 Texas last week. 

TAMPA (Dec. 5, 2022) – University of South Florida women’s basketball standout Sammie Puisis was recognized by the American Athletic Conference as the league’s Player of the Week for the week ending Dec. 4.

Puisis helped South Florida to a win last week in its only contest, with a 70-65 victory at No. 22/18 Texas on Dec. 2. It was the Bulls’ third-straight game against a Top 25 opponent.

A 6-foot-1 guard from Mason, Ohio, Puisis fell one-point shy of equaling her career-high, netting 25 points – including 18 in the first half – against the Longhorns in 40 minutes of action. It was Puisis’ fifth 20-plus point game – all at South Florida – and her second in the last three games. She shot 10-for-19 (52.6 percent) from the field and 5-for-11 (45.5 percent) from behind the three-point arc, while also recording four rebounds, one assist, one blocked shot and one steal in the win.

This season, Puisis, a Florida State transfer and former McDonald’s High School All-American, leads the team in scoring averaging 17.0 points per game after her 25-point performance at Texas. Included in her five 20-point performances is a career-high 26-point outing against Alabama on Nov. 16.

Currently, Puisis is tied for first in the nation in three-point field goal attempts (84) and is second in three-point field goals made (32).

South Florida closes out its five-game road stretch on Sunday, Dec. 11 when it travels to Raleigh, N.C. to face No. 8 NC State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game can be seen on Watch ESPN/ACC Network.

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South Florida recorded its 10th 20-win season during the 2021-22 campaign while playing in its sixth American Athletic Conference championship game in its nine years in the conference. The Bulls achieved their highest national ranking of the season when it checked in at No. 13 in the Nov. 30 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, and advanced to their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last nine years.

USF has made 17 postseason tournament appearances and had eight NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 22 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to 10 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and has won over 400 career games. 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 at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.

In 2021-22, the Bulls had three players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference Second Team) and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (All-Conference Second Team).

In addition, Tsineke and Mununga were named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team.

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