In the fourth quarter of the women’s basketball team’s match against Monmouth on Sunday, senior guard Abby Antognoli received a pass from senior guard Halee Smith, before firing and connecting on a three-point shot to cut Lafayette’s deficit.
It’s a shot Antognoli has nailed over a hundred times for the Leopards, but this particular basket meant more.
As the ball made its way into the basket, Antognoli became just the 21st player in Lafayette women’s basketball history to record 1,000 career points.
“It’s such an incredible honor and something I couldn’t have achieved without the help of my teammates, coaches and family,” Antognoli wrote in an email. “It makes me even more proud to achieve this milestone as a true point guard who enjoys leading her team.”
Antognoli made an instant impact when she joined the team as a freshman in 2021, appearing in 29 games in her first year as a Leopard. Since then, she has cemented herself as one of the key players in coach Kia Damon-Olson’s system, leading the team in assists in both her sophomore and junior seasons, while being second in scoring.
Despite her remarkable individual achievement, Antognoli was quick to credit the whole of the basketball program for helping her hit this milestone.
“I’m grateful to share this moment with my teammates and coaches, who push me to be my best every day,” Antognoli wrote. “The past four years have been a grind with many ups and downs, so it’s nice to have this recognition in my last season.”
Antognoli also emphasized her desire to focus on the team’s ongoing season, with Patriot League play coming just around the corner in January.
“My main focus is on how we can keep improving as a team and making this season a success, but this milestone is definitely something I am proud of and will have forever,” she wrote.
