Aug. 11, 2008

August 11, 2008 - DJ Sissoko, a member of Union University’s 2006 NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship team, is making the most of her Olympic opportunity. Through her team’s first two games, Sissoko is averaging 19.5 points and eight rebounds per game.

The 19.5 points per game for Sissoko ranks second in the Olympics through two games, only behind Liene Jansone of Latvia with 20.0 points per game. She also ranks eighth in the Olympics with 8.0 rebounds per game.

Up next for the former Union Lady Bulldog is the opportunity to play against the United States, the three-time defending gold medal winners in women’s basketball. The game will be shown live on national television on Wednesday morning, August 13 at 9:15 am (Central Time) on the USA Network. Sissoko wears jersey number 15 for Mali.

Mali is playing in the same women’s basketball Olympic preliminaries (Group B) as the United States. The United States leads the group with a 2-0 record, while Mali has an 0-2 record.

Sissoko played two seasons for Union, helping the team to a national title in 2006 and a semifinal appearance in the national tournament in 2007. Union captured a TranSouth Conference regular season and tournament titles during her time. Over the two year span, Union posted an overall record of 61-12.

In her Union career, she averaged eight points and six rebounds in her 61 games.

Sissoko remained at Union last season and practiced with the Lady Bulldogs. The completed her degree from Union and graduated in May of 2008, just prior to returning home to prepared with her Olympic team.

Sissoko joins Gladys Wandera (Volleyball) as the only two Union Athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. Wandera played for her home country of Kenya in the 2004 games in Athens.