:: Natalie Diaz
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Senior
5'11", Guard
Needles, California
River Valley HS (Ariz.)
This year's captain...1999-2000 Donna Doyle Endowed Scholarship recipient...A Student-Athlete Mentor (SAM)...An exciting penetrator, Diaz is not afraid to take the ball to the hole...A staunch defender, Diaz earned the respect of many opponents, usually putting forth her most solid efforts against high-caliber teams...
1998-99: Saw action in 31 of Old Dominion's 32 games and started all 31...One of just two players who started every game she played in last year...Averaged 9.1 points per game, good for third on the team...Collected 3.5 rebounds, 2.74 steals, and 3.2 assists per game...Ranked fourth in CAA in field goal percentage (48.3%), third in steals (2.74), and 20th in scoring (9.1)...In conference games, led CAA with best assist-to-turnover ratio (62 assists to 26 turnovers)...CAA Tournament MVP...Named the Torneo Cancun de Basquetbol MVP with a two-game effort of 28 points, six rebounds, three assists, five steals...Broke or tied all of her career bests during the season, turning up the intensity in the post-season...Scored double digit points in 14 games...Netted a career high 21 points and seven rebounds against East Carolina in the CAA Tournament championship game...Dished out a career high seven assists against Tennessee Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament...Collected ten steals against Maine in the second round of the NCAA Tournament...
1997-98: Within a two week period, put up a career high 17 points against Connecticut (Jan. 19, 1998) and Virginia (Jan. 27, 1998)...Also added a career high seven rebounds against the Cavaliers...Missed 12 games due to Ilial Tibial Band Syndrome...Started in 13 games and saw action in 20 of the Lady Monarchs' 32 contests...Averaged 6.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game...
1996-97: Diaz really came into her own, especially in the post-season...Instrumental in the Lady Monarchs' come-from-behind victory against Stanford in the NCAA Final Four semifinals as she scored a career high 10 points...Against Florida, safeguarded the two-point win, grabbing a defensive rebound amid a last-second flurry at the hoop from the Lady Gators...Gained valuable time running Old Dominion's offense in the absence of Ticha Penicheiro....Played in 35 games and averaged 10.5 minutes per outing...
High School: Two-time Player of the Year in Arizona...Hit a quadruple double during her junior year and averaged a triple double during her senior year at River Valley (24 ppg, 14 rpg, 12 apg)...Averaged 24.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, 10.1 assists, and 8.6 steals per game...Collected 1,887 career points and 985 career rebounds...Was also the Nevada Player of the Year as a sophomore...Was the student body President during her junior and senior years...Also lettered in softball...
Personal: Born Natalie Germaine Diaz on September 4, 1978...Daughter of Bernadette and Richard Diaz...Has four brothers, Richard Jr. (26), John (18), Belarmino (13), and Valentin (11), and four sisters, Nicole (25), Desirae (17), Gabrielle (15), and Franki Danielle (10)...Enjoys the outdoors, nature, and bungee-jumping...An active participant in Greenpeace...An activist for Native-Americans...Aspires to someday join the world of politics...Majoring in English/creative writing with a minor in Women's Studies.
CAREER BESTS:
Points: 21 vs. East Carolina, 3-6-99
Rebounds: 7 on several occasions, most recently vs. East Carolina, 3-6-99
Assists: 7 vs. Tennessee Tech, 3-12-99
Steals: 10 vs. Maine, 3-14-99
Blocked Shots: 2 on several occasions, most recently vs. UNC-Wilmington, 2-26-99