POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Former Marist women's basketball center Maria Laterza (class of 2011) recently completed her second professional season overseas in Europe. After playing the 2011-12 season for UBBC APOsport Herzogenburg in Austria, Laterza played the 2012-13 season for Elite Virtus La Spezia of the Italian A2 League.
Laterza played in 31 games this season, averaging 9.8 points per game (PPG) and 8.2 rebounds per game (RPG) while playing an average of 23.3 minutes per game (MPG). She scored in double figures in 19 of 31 games, including seven double-doubles. Her 8.2 RPG led the team and she also blocked a team-high 18 shots. Her 9.8 PPG average was good for second on the team. Her season-high in points was 19 while she also grabbed 17 rebounds in a game.
Elite Virtus La Spezia cruised through the South division, finishing in third place with an 18-6 regular season record. In the playoffs - three rounds of best-of-three series – the team only dropped one game on the way to winning the A2 South Championship. Laterza averaged 8.0 PPG and 7.4 RPG in seven playoff games. In the championship clinching game, a 60-42 victory over Minibasket Battipaglia, Laterza had nine points, 10 rebounds and three steals. With the championship win, Elite Virtus La Spezia earned a promotion to the A1 League.
Following her season with Elite Virtus La Spezia, Laterza was called back to the Italian national team in preparation for the European Championships. However, while training with the team, she suffered a sprained ankle and was subsequently released.
In four seasons with the Red Foxes, Laterza appeared in 111 games amassing 83 career blocks, ranking her 10th in the Marist all-time record books. The 6-foot-2 Laterza made 34 career starts, and appeared in 33 games her senior year in which she served as one of the team's captains. She played on four of the Red Foxes' eight straight MAAC championship teams and saw action in three NCAA tournament games. The Red Foxes were an astounding 118-18 in Laterza's four seasons including a school record 32 wins in 2007-08 as well as a school record and nation-best 27-game winning streak in 2010-2011.
"I have truly been blessed to continue to have such phenomenal opportunities to grow as a player and person,” Laterza said from her home in Brooklyn. “Marist has made me a fighter and given me a great advantage as to knowing what it would take to win a championship at the pro level. I'm having the time of my life and my hard work has paid off. Still, out of all the places I've had the opportunity to play there is no place in the world like McCann Arena on a cold night in January. I'm looking forward to coming back to work Marist Camp this summer!"
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