Katie Lou Samuelson

Katie Lou Samuelson

Samuelson in 2016
No. 33 – Connecticut Huskies
Position	Guard / Forward
League	American Athletic Conference
Personal information
Born	(1997-06-13) June 13, 1997 Fullerton, California
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Career information
High school	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California)
College	Connecticut (2015–present)
Career highlights and awards
NCAA Champion (2016) 2x AAC Player of the Year (2017, 2018) AAC Tournament MOP (2017) Gatorade National Player of the Year (2015)

Katie Lou Samuelson (born June 13, 1997) is an American basketball player at the University of Connecticut.

High school career

Samuelson played for the Mater Dei High School basketball team for three seasons. As a sophomore in 2012–13, she averaged 20.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and helped Mater Dei to a 30-2 record. The following season, Samuelson averaged 26.3 points and 9.4 rebounds. She was named the 2014 California Player of the Year and was a USA Today first-team All-American. As a senior, Samuelson averaged 24.9 points and 8.5 rebounds. She helped Mater Dei win their third consecutive Trinity League championship and the 2015 state regional championship; the team finished 31-3. Following the 2014–15 season, Samuelson was named the national player of the year by Gatorade, USA Today, McDonald's, and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, won the Naismith Trophy, and made the consensus All-American first team. During her high school career, she set Mater Dei single-season records for points average (29.2), field goal percentage (62.0), free throw percentage (89.4), free throws made (178), free throws attempted (211), and three-pointers made (117).^[1]

College career

Samuelson was a freshman at the University of Connecticut in 2015–16. She played in 37 of the Huskies' 38 games, including 22 starts. She missed the national championship game due to an injury. During the season, Samuelson scored 11.0 points per game and led the team with 78 made three-pointers, which was the second-most ever by a Connecticut freshman. She scored a season-high 22 points against Robert Morris on March 19. Samuelson was named the 2016 national freshman of the year by ESPNw. She was also named to the American Athletic Conference all-freshman team and the AAC all-tournament team.^[1]

In 2016–17, Samuelson started in all 37 of the Huskies' games. Her 20.2 points per game and 42.0 three-point field goal percentage both ranked second in the AAC. Her 119 made three-pointers that season was the second-highest in school history. On March 6, 2017, Samuelson scored a career-high 40 points against USF; she also set the NCAA single-game record for most three-pointers made without a miss, with 10. She was named the 2017 AAC co-player of the year and the AAC tournament most outstanding player. She was also selected as a first team All-American by the AP, WBCA, and USBWA, and made the AAC first team.^[1]

International career

Samuelson was part of the United States under-17 team who won the 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship and subsequent 2014 FIBA U-17 World Championship.^[2]

Personal life

Samuelson was born in Fullerton, California. Her father Jon played basketball at Cal State Fullerton and professionally in Europe. Her mother Karen was a netball player. Katie Lou has two older sisters, Bonnie and Karlie, who both played at Stanford.^[1]

References