Funda Nakkasoglu, a native of Hampton, Victoria, Australia and two-year standout at Utah State University, signed scholarship agreement papers to transfer to the University of Florida, UF Head Coach Amanda Butler announced today. Per NCAA rules, Nakkasoglu will have to sit out the 2016-17 season and will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2017-18.
Nakkasoglu, a 5-7 guard, garnered First Team All-Mountain West Conference honors last season and was the named the league’s Freshman of the Year in 2014-15.
In her two years at USU, Nakkasoglu played in and started all but two games of her 60-game USU career, when she averaged 19.1 points per game and amassed 1,149 points.
Nakkasoglu led the Mountain West in scoring last season with 20.8 points per game, an averaged that ranked No. 21 in the country.
Nakkasoglu is the fourth newcomer for the Gators, as she joins Sydney Morang, Sydney Searcy and Delicia Washington, each of whom signed a National Letter of Intent during the 2015 Fall.
Florida Gators Incoming Class, at a Glance
- Sydney Morang (5-10, Wing, New Providence, N.J / New Providence High School)
- Funda Nakkasoglu (5-7, Guard, Hampton, Victoria, Australia / Utah State University / St. Leonard’s)
- Sydney Searcy (5-7, Guard, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida / Nease High School)
- Delicia Washington (5-10, Guard, Glen St. Mary, Florida / Baker County High School)
More on Funda Nakkasoglu:
CAREER HONORS:
- First Team All-Mountain West (2016)
- Mountain West Freshman of the Year (2015)
- Honorable Mention All-Mountain West (2015)
- Full Court Mid-Major Freshman All-American (2015)
- Full Court All-American Freshman Third-Team (2015)
- Academic All-Mountain West (2015)
- Mountain West Scholar-Athlete (2015)
CAREER RECORDS – Where she ranked in the Utah State career record book upon completion of her two-year tenure (50-game minimum):
- No. 1 scoring average (19.2 points per game)
- No. 2 free throw percentage (.847)
- No. 2 free throws made (342)
- No. 2 free throws attempted (404),
- No. 4 (tied) three-pointers made (83)
- No. 5 three-point percentage (.336)
- No. 6 assists (274)
- No. 6 total points (1,149)
- No. 7 three-point field goals attempted (247)
ADDITIONAL STAT NOTES:
- Led USU and the Mountain West Conference from the free throw line in 2015-16, averaging 87.9 percent (197-of-224) on the year.
- Over a 10-game stretch during the 2015-16 season made 51 straight from the charity stripe. She ranks second at Utah State in single-season free throws made, as well as ranking second in career free throws made (330).
- Set a USU freshman scoring record in both total points (504) and scoring average (17.4)
- Set a Mountain West record for free throws made and free throw percentage in a single game (14-14) against San José State in the MW Tournament.
AS A SOPHOMORE AT UTAH STATE (2015-16):
- First-team all-MounÂtain West (fifth and youngest Utah State player in program history to be named to an all-conÂference first team)
- Led the team and the Mountain West and ranked 21st nationÂally in scoring with 20.8 points per game
- Led the team and ranked fourth in the Mountain West in assists, averaging 4.5 per game
- Became the youngest player in USU history to reach the 1,000-point mark, hitting the milestone at New MexÂico (Feb. 10)
- Among all Mountain West players, led the league in scoring and was tops in free throw percentage, shooting 87.9 percent (197-of-224); ranked fourth in assists (4.5 apg), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.3) and eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.355)
- Only Aggie to play in and start all 31 games
- Averaged 35.3 minutes per game
- Played the full 40 minutes in five different games
- Ranked ninth nationally in free throw percentage, shooting 87.9 percent
- Scored in double digits 29 times, including 19 games with 20-plus points and three games with 30-plus points
- Scored a career-high 37 points against Pacific (Nov. 21)
- Had a career-best nine assists twice, against Haskell (Dec. 4) and at Boise State (Jan. 6)
- Averaged 20.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game
- Shot 42.3 percent (199-of-471) from the field, 35.5 percent (50-of-141) from the 3-point line and 87.9 percent (197-of-224) from the free throw line
- third Aggie in program history to record multiple 30-point games in a season: 37 points (career-best) vs. Pacific (Nov. 21, 2015), 34 points against Air Force (Jan. 13) and 32 vs. Wyoming (Feb. 6)
AS A FRESHMAN AT USU (2014-15):
Named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year and earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors… Named to the Full Court All-American Freshman third-team and was a Full Court Mid-Major Freshman All-American… Led the team, ranked third in the Mountain West and 68th nationally in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game… Led the team, ranked third in the Mountain West and 56th nationally in assists, averaging 4.7 per game… Led the Mountain West in scoring in conference games with 18.9 points per game… Was second in assists in league games with 5.1 per game… Set a new freshman school record with her scoring average (17.4) and total points (504) and had the second-highest scoring average of all freshmen nationally… Set a Mountain West record for free throws made and free throw percentage in a single game (14-14) against San José State in the MW Tournament… Scored in double-digits 25 times, including 11 games with 20-plus points… Scored a career-best 28 points at New Mexico (Jan. 10)… Had a career-best nine assists against Air Force (Feb. 28)… Had five steals against Utah Valley, leading the team to a season-high 21… Averaged 4.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds while playing an average of 34.3 minutes per game… Shot 39.5 percent (163-of-413) from the field, 31.1 percent (33-of-106) from three and 80.6 percent (145-of-180) from the free throw line… Earned academic all-Mountain West honors and was a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete… Was also a Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.
HIGH SCHOOL:
Graduated from St. Leonard’s in Melbourne, Australia… Played for the Melbourne Boomers of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL)… Was selected to the Victoria U20 state team, winning the U20 national championships in 2013 and 2014, while her U18 National Championship took third in 2012… Named Grand Final MVP in 2011 as her squad won the U18 McDonald National Junior Classic Championship… Also ran track in high school.
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