CHICAGO – Former Chicago State women's basketball player Loretta (Ellul) Soria (Melbourne, Australia) captured her second gold medal in international play as she helped lead the Malta National Team win the XIII Games of the Small States of Europe, which was held on June 1-6 in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Other teams that competed with the Maltese in the tournament were Iceland, Luxembourg and the host country, Cyprus.
Soria, who helped Malta finish undefeated in the competition, posted averages of 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during the tournament in addition to shooting 33 percent from three-point range. She ranked second among the tournament's free throw shooting leaders (83 percent) and fifth in scoring.
In the Maltese's 69-53 victory over Iceland in the opener, Soria scored 15 points and grabbed five boards. She followed that performance with a game-high 13 points in leading Malta to a slim 53-48 win over Cyprus.
"It was such an amazing feeling to stand on an Olympic podium and receive my second gold medal while playing for Malta," Soria stated. “The opportunity to play basketball in Europe has allowed me to travel and explore different countries. I would to thank the coaching staff at Chicago State who has continued to be supportive of my basketball career since graduating in 2004. I know that I will cherish this achievement for a lifetime.”
Last summer, Soria helped the Maltese capture their first-ever international championship after winning the gold medal at the FIBA European Division C Championship in Luxembourg.
Soria averaged 7.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest in 108 games during her collegiate career. She led the Mid-Continent Conference (now Summit League) in three-point field goal percentage as a senior in 2003-04 when she connected on 43 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Soria was recognized for her efforts in the classroom as she was a two-time Academic All Mid-Con honoree in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. She is currently the school's all-time record holder in made three-point field goals with 157.
~CSU~
