EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball has added Ali Saunders, a 5-10 guard from Depauw, Indiana, who is transferring from Valparaiso University.
Saunders just wrapped up her freshman season with Valpo, making nine starts in 30 games played. Saunders was second on the team in scoring with 10.7 points per game, shooting over 47 percent from the floor and 43 percent from beyond the arc. She also connected at the free-throw line at an 84 percent clip. The USI newcomer dished out a team-best 81 assists, had 22 steals, and averaged nearly two rebounds per contest. Saunders averaged 24 minutes per game for the Beacons.
“We are very excited to have Ali join our team and the USI family!” USI Women’s Basketball Rick Stein said. “Ali is coming off an outstanding freshman season, where she made an immediate impact on both ends of the court.”
At the end of the 2022-23 season, Saunders was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team after leading all MVC freshmen in scoring and assists, both overall and in conference play.
“Ali has a versatile skill set on the offensive end where she can make shots and create plays for herself and her teammates,” Stein added. “Ali is a leader and a tough competitor who fits in perfectly with our style of play.”
Saunders scored in double figures 18 times and handed out five or more assists five times in the regular season. The guard’s freshman campaign was highlighted by a 32-point performance on November 21 against the University of Alabama Birmingham, setting a new Valpo freshman record. In February, Saunders scored 19 points on a perfect night shooting, going 7-for-7 from the field with one made three and 4-for-4 at the charity stripe. She became the first Valpo player with a 100% field goal percentage on at least seven attempts since 2004.
Prior to college, Saunders played for North Harrison High School, where she graduated early to enroll at Valparaiso. On the court, the Depauw, Indiana native surpassed 1,000 career points in her junior season at North Harrison, averaging more than 20 points per game her last two seasons. Saunders was also an all-state and all-conference selection twice. Plus, she earned all-conference honors three times as a soccer player for North Harrison, helping the high school to conference and sectional championships in 2019.
