LA CROSSE — With Bradley University (Ill.) women’s basketball coach Kate Popovec-Goss now the former coach for that program, a local star is headed a different direction after graduating this spring.
Aquinas High School senior Sammy Davis will follow Popovec-Goss to her new job at Boston College and give herself the opportunity to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The 5-foot-10 forward made it to the semifinalist round as the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association narrowed its selection for Ms. Basketball after leading the Blugolds to a 10th straight MVC championship and 10th straight WIAA regional championship this year.
Davis averaged 23.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game for the Blugolds as they went 24-3. Aquinas was eliminated by eventual Division 3 state runner-up Wisconsin Dells in the sectional semifinals.
She finished her career at Aquinas with a program-record 2,167 points, which put her nine ahead of Central grad and brother Johnny’s 2,158 before he embarked on a basketball career that took him to the University of Wisconsin to an NBA lottery pick by the Washington Wizards.
Davis also finished her time with the Blugolds with 870 rebounds, 366 steals and 178 steals over 112 games. Aquinas was 98-14 with her, and she committed to Popovec-Goss and Bradley last summer.
The Braves went 20-13 under Popovec-Goss and made the second postseason appearance in program history by qualifying for the NIT field. The Eagles are coming off a 5-26 season, but the move gives Davis the chance to play against the likes of Duke, North Carolina, Louisville and Notre Dame.
