Former Quinnipiac standout and professional basketball player, Sam Guastella, has been promoted to assistant women’s basketball coach at LaSalle, head coach Mountain MacGillivray announced Friday. Guastella joined the Explorers last season as a graduate assistant.
“I am excited to announce the promotion of Sam Guastella from graduate assistant to full time assistant coach,” MacGillivray said. “She will have a major impact on our player development, practice execution and scout preparation. Sam has already played a role in our teams understanding of nutrition and fitness and she will continue to have a positive impact on our team.”
As a graduate assistant, Guastella helped the team with its nutrition and fitness needs, while also handling operations on the road.
“I’m extremely appreciative for the opportunity to coach alongside Mountain and the incredible staff here!” Guastella said. “Mountain was so much fun to play for and I look forward to continuing to learn from him in this new role. I’m excited for what this season brings and can’t wait to get on the court with our student-athletes.”
Prior to joining La Salle, Guastella played a full season for T71 Dudelange in Dudealange, Luxembourg during 2017-18. Over the course of the season, the Red Bank, N.J. native posted 18.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. Her team fell in the Total League Championship.
Before her full season with T71 Dudelange, Guastella spent February through April 2017 in Australia playing for Hume City in Melbourne.
After her stellar career at QU, Guastella thrived in her rookie season at the professional ranks for BBC Etzella in Luxembourg, as she averaged a team-leading 19.8 points per game while adding 6.6 rebounds in a team-high 36.2 minutes across 25 games. She shot a team-best 58 percent from the floor (134-231 FG) while going 34.7 percent from three (59-170 3FG) and 77.8 percent from the free throw line (49-63 FT). Guastella led BBC Etzella to the semifinal round of the Luxembourg League playoffs in 2015-16.
She followed up her rookie campaign by leading T71 Dudelange and the Total League in scoring with 23.7 points per game.
A thrilling four-year star at Quinnipiac, Guastella graduated in 2015 after having led the Bobcats to their best season in program history. Amassing a record of 31-4 in 2014-15, she helped lead Quinnipiac to its first MAAC Championship. A 2015 MAAC First Team Selection, Guastella broke out with a sensational senior campaign where she averaged 12.8 points (44.9 FG%, 42 3FG%), 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 25.3 minutes per game.
The Bobcats’ do-everything forward was the only player in the country to rank in the Top 100 for three-point field goals per game (2.91; 10th NCAA Div. I) and blocked shots (1.83; 70th NCAA Div. I) per game. She was also just one of three players to rank in the Top 20 in three-point percentage (42.0; 14th NCAA Div. I) and three-point field goals (2.91) per game. Guastella finished her career as the all-time leader in Quinnipiac’s women’s basketball history in three-pointers (225) and the QU Div. I (since 1998-99) all-time leader in blocked shots (179).
A 2015 graduate of Quinnipiac, Guastella has a bachelor’s in health sciences and is pursuing her master’s degree from La Salle.
Photo Courtesy LaSalle Athletics
https://goexplorers.com/news/2019/8/23/guastella-elevated-to-womens-basketball-assistant-coach.aspx
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