The Niagara College women's basketball program is pleased to announce the addition of Oakville native Marina Painco. Painco most recently competed as a key member of the Iroquois Ridge High School Trailblazers and the Flamborough Fire.
Painco is the latest addition to the resurgent Niagara College women's basketball program that possesses an impressive record of 22-14 over the last two seasons. She brings a basketball resume that includes an AAU Team MVP award, a Sr. High School Girls Basketball MVP award, and multiple team captain selections.
"Teamwork is something that is very important to me. After meeting Coach Beccaria and the rest of the team, I felt that at Niagara I could grow as an individual and a player" said Painco in a meet and greet at the Niagara College Welland campus athletic centre.
The Knights will return the majority of their roster from the 2014-15 season and from March 3-5, 2016 the team will host the OCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
"Marina is a great addition at the guard position for our program" said Niagara College women's basketball head coach Mike Beccaria. "She has a high basketball IQ, is a good athlete, is incredibly self-motivated, and has worked hard on her game over the last two years to the point where she has the potential to come in and contribute right away."
Beccaria has been pursuing the five-foot-seven Painco over the last two years. "We first saw her early in her grade 11 year" continued the Knights third year head coach. "She can really shoot the ball, she's strong, and has the potential to be a highly effective shooting guard at the OCAA level."
Painco will enroll in the Niagara College two-year police foundations program and has aspirations of continuing her education in the field of criminology down the road. "I felt like attending Niagara College and playing for the Knights was the best fit for me right now" added Painco. "I'm really looking to excel academically, while having the opportunity to continue to grow as a player and providing leadership to the women's basketball team."
Painco and the rest of the Niagara College women's basketball program will open their 2015-16 season on October 24th when the team travels to Sudbury for a pair of weekend games against the Cambrian Golden Shield.
