RELEASE DATE: 10/25/06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Former Mountaineer Standout Alison Tagliaferri Signs to Play Professional Basketball in Portugal

MANSFIELD – Former Mansfield University women’s basketball standout Alison Tagliaferri has signed a contract to play professional basketball for Clube Do Povo de Esgueira.

The team is located in Aveiro, Portugal and plays in the Portuguese Basketball Federation.

“I’m really excited,” Tagliaferri said prior to boarding her plane in Newark, NJ this afternoon. “But I’m also a little nervous. It’s a long way away, and I’m just honored to have the opportunity to continue playing basketball.

Tagliaferri, the 2005-06 PSAC East Player of the Year, is the first Mountaineer women’s basketball player to play professionally in Europe.

The first player in school history to earn All-PSAC East honors four times, Tagliaferri holds 14 school career or season records including both the season and career scoring marks.

Tagliaferri finished her career as the Mansfield’s all-time scoring leader (for both women and men) with 1,795 points. She also holds the school career marks for field goals made (669); free throws made (457), and blocked shots (130).

Tagliaferri also finished  fourth in school history in rebounding (852), 9^th in assists (227) and 12^th in steals (145) while earning  PSAC East Player of the Week honors a school record nine times during her career. She was the PSAC East Rookie of the Year as a freshman.

-www.GoMounties.com-