CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green has announced the addition of Irene Noya Catoira to the program. Noya Catoira – a true freshman – has signed a Big Ten Tender of Financial Aid with the University of Illinois and is set to join the program beginning with the 2024-25 season.
Noya Catoira is a 6-foot-3-inch forward from Vilagarcía de Arousa, Pontevedra, Spain, where she attended Institut Joaquim Blume.
She has represented Spain on the international stage, making her debut at age 15 in the Ciudad de Toledo International Tournament. Noya Catoira helped Spain to a runner-up finish at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U17 Europe Cup following a second-place finish at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U17 Europe Cup Qualifier.
From 2022-24, Noya Catoira has played for Segle XXI in the Spain-LF2 league during which the team won the Group B regular season championship both seasons. During the most recent 2023-24 season, she appeared in 22 games while averaging 19 minutes a game to go along with 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds. The team went 25-1 during the 2023-24 season. In 2022-23, Noya Catoira appeared in 24 games while averaging nearly 12 minutes per game. She registered 3.7 points per game and 2.8 rebounds an outing while the team posted a 21-5 record.
HEAD COACH SHAUNA GREEN ON THE ADDITION OF IRENE NOYA CATOIRA:
“I am super excited to have Irene join our FamILLy! Irene brings size, length, and a versatile skillset to our program. She is someone who can play multiple positions and stretches the floor. I believe her best basketball is ahead of her and we can’t wait to get her here to get to work!”
IRENE NOYA CATOIRA ON WHY SHE CHOSE ILLINOIS:
“I am absolutely thrilled to dive into this new chapter of my life in Illinois. It’s a dream come true to go study there, and I can’t wait to arrive, meet everyone in person, and get to know the team. I-L-L!”
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