The University of Akron Athletics
Hanna Luburgh and Rachel Tecca sign professional contracts to play overseas
August 14 | Women's Basketball
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AKRON, Ohio -- Former University of Akron women's basketball student-athletes Hanna Luburgh and Rachel Tecca have signed professional contracts to continue their playing careers overseas.
Luburgh will play for AZS UMCS in Lublin, Poland, for the 2014-15 season, while Tecca will travel to Iceland and compete for U.M.F. Grindavik out of the Dominos League. Both contracts are one-year deals that run through the duration of basketball season and can be re-negotiated if their teams advance to postseason play.
"To play professional basketball is a dream come true for me, and I can't wait to get started," said Luburgh. "This is what I worked so hard for during my time at Akron, and to have the opportunity to continue my career at the next level is truly the chance of a lifetime."
Luburgh is scheduled to leave for Poland near the beginning of September, and Tecca will depart the U.S. for Iceland sometime next week.
"I am looking forward to getting back out on the court and competing professionally," Tecca said. "I am grateful for the chance to travel and experience a different culture, while representing my hometown overseas."
Tecca will be the only American on her squad, while Luburgh has several teammates from the United States, including former players from Penn State and Iowa State.
Together, Tecca and Luburgh were the highest scoring duo in the country during their senior season at UA, averaging a combined 44.3 points per game. Luburgh led the Mid-American Conference and set Akron's single-season scoring record with 734 points, ranking fourth all-time in league history. Tecca graduated as Akron's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, becoming just the second MAC player ever to surpass 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. The pair of all-conference selections helped the Zips to their first conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance in the 40-year history of the program.
"I am very excited and proud of Hanna and Rachel," said Akron head coach Jodi Kest. "They have worked extremely hard to take their game to the next level. They are both very driven and self-motivated young women who will have amazing professional careers."
