van der Keijl Signs Pro Contract in Greece

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Former University of New Mexico women’s basketball post Richelle van der Keijl has signed to play in the upcoming season with the team of Dafni Agiou Dimitriou of Greece. Van der Keijl spent her final year of eligibility with the Lobos last season as a graduate transfer. 

“I’m really excited for Richelle,” head coach Mike Bradbury said. “She will be playing in a good league and I’m expecting for her to have a great year.”

The 2017-18 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year played in all 30 games last season and was named to the All-Mountain West Team. Van der Keijl led the Lobos with 9.9 rebounds per game and ranked second in the Mountain West in the same category. She also was second in the league in blocked shots with 61 and led the MW in field goal percentage with 58.7%. van der Keijl averaged 13.8 points per game and was named Mountain West Player of the Week on December 12, 2016.

Even though she was a Lobo for just one season, van der Keijl left her mark on the UNM women’s basketball record book. She broke the program record for highest field goal percentage in a season (.587) while also ranking fourth in program history in single-season rebounds (298) and tying for fifth in single-season blocks (61). In addition, she finished tied for eighth for most points in a single game (31) and tied for 11th in rebounds in a single game (20). 

The Lobos will tip off the 2017-18 season on November 1 at Dreamstyle Arena at 7 p.m. against the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico University in an exhibition match.