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University of Houston Athletics
Tyler Gilbert Signs to Play Overseas
9/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON -- Houston Cougar alum and standout forward Tyler Gilbert has signed a contract to play overseas for Lousada AC in Portugal. Gilbert, a 2016 graduate of the University of Houston, signed the contract this week.
Gilbert will play in the Liga Feminina under Lousada's head coach Paulo Fidalgo. The Hightower High School alum will don the purple and yellow for first time when she squares off against Uniao Sportiva to open the 2016-17 campaign on Oct. 8. The 22-game regular season schedule for Lousada AC runs through April 1, 2017.
The Liga Feminina has been in existence since 1955 and has been carried out every year since 1959. The league currently has two spots in the annual FIBA Eurocup.
"This is an incredible accomplishment for Ty, and I'm extremely proud of her for earning this chance," Head Coach Ronald Hughey said. "This just shows the opportunities you create for yourself when you choose to not take days off and pick a program that prepares you for the next level."
In her four seasons with the Cougars, Gilbert averaged 4.8 points per game while pulling down 3.9 rebounds per contest in 103 career games played. Gilbert graduated from Houston seventh on the all-time block list, finishing her career with 118 rejections.
FERTITTA PLEDGES $20 MILLION TO ATHLETICS
Tilman J. Fertitta, globally recognized entrepreneur and Chairman of the University of Houston System Board of Regents, presented a historic $20 million gift to the University of Houston to transform the UH basketball arena into a state of the art collegiate sports facility and rename the arena Fertitta Center. Fertitta's gift is the largest individual donation to UH Athletics.
The Fertitta gift is a significant step forward in the $60 million University of Houston Basketball capital renewal project for the center's design and renovation. Design work is currently underway. Renovations and construction are scheduled to follow the 2016-17 season, with completion expected during the 2018-19 season. Plans for the Cougars' home facility during the 2017-18 season have not been finalized.
The facility will feature a premium club area and a courtside club. The reconfigured bowl will move mid-court seating locations closer to game action with floor-level seating opposite the team benches for UH students. Renovations include a new audio system, sports lighting and video boards as well as new concession stands and expanded restrooms. The facility's exterior also will be refreshed.
Prominent to the center's exterior, the renovation will preserve the legacy of the Hofheinz family and its contributions to both UH and the city of Houston. UH will transform an area adjacent to the new facility into Hofheinz Plaza, where fans will be greeted by a bronze statue of former Harris County Judge Roy Hofheinz. The University of Houston will request that city officials rename a portion of Holman Street in front of the arena after the Hofheinz family. In addition, Roy Hofheinz's records will be permanently archived and publicly accessible as a special collection in the UH library and the Alumni Center will house an area describing the lives and public service of Roy and Irene Hofheinz.
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