Women's Basketball Alumnae compete at Pan Am games

"I felt proud to represent my country and compete with the best athletes in the world." - Lizanne Murphy

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Lizanne Murphy and Vanessa Gidden, members of the Class of 2007, were named to their respective native country's basketball teams for the Pan American Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 through 29.

Murphy, a native of Beaconsfield, Quebec, represented Canada, while Gidden played for Jamaica in the tournament, as she was born there and lived in the country until the age of 10. Murphy averaged 3.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in helping Canada to a fourth place finish. Gidden led Jamaica in scoring at 14.4 points per game and was second in rebounding at 8.2 per contest as the nation finished in eighth place.

The Pan American Games have been held every four years, always one year before the Summer Olympic Games, since the first games occurred in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951. The 2007 Pan American Games included 42 countries from the Americas.

Falling only 12 rebounds short of becoming the second player in school history to accumulate 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds, Murphy ended with 1,245 points and 988 rebounds. She ranks second in Hofstra history in rebounding and 12th in scoring. She is also sixth all-time in rebounding in CAA history.

Gidden led Hofstra with an average of 14.3 points and was second with 7.5 rebounds per contest this past season. Gidden also had a team-high 43 blocked shots and made a team-best 123 free throws in 2006-07. Gidden left her mark in several areas of the Hofstra record books as she finished with 1,489 points, 911 rebounds and 175 blocks. She ranks first all-time in Hofstra history in blocked shots, fourth in rebounding and sixth in scoring. Gidden is also the fifth-best shot blocker in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) history.