Auburn, ME - Gabby Foy (Wilton, ME) and Laura Soohey (Bremen, ME) will be taking their talents to the state of Michigan, having signed their National Letters of Intent to attend and play basketball at Rochester College. Rochester is a dual affiliate of the NAIA and USCAA, and is located in Rochester Hills, MI.
Foy had a great career at CM, scoring 1,046 points, ranking her 6th on the program's all-time scoring list. She was also only the 4th Lady Mustang to reach the 1,000-point plateau in less than two seasons. In 64 career games, Foy averaged 16.4 points per game, helping lead her team to an overall record of 55-9 during that time. In her freshman campaign, Foy was named a Yankee Conference All-Star and a USCAA DII 2nd Team All-American. She followed that up by being named a Yankee Conference 1st Team All-Star, and a USCAA DII 1st Team All-American this past season.
Head Women's Basketball Coach, Andrew Morong, on Foy, "Gabby came to CM with the goal of earning a scholarship to play at the next level, and she certainly did everything in her power to make that happen. She has spent countless hours in the weight room to further her game, and made major contributions on the court that not only helped her team win, but were deservedly recognized at the national level as well. She handled the pressure of not only the team being expected to win every night, but the pressure of having to individually perform at a high level on a nightly basis, more than admirably."
According to Foy, "Being here at Central Maine Community College over the past two years has not only taught me how to be a better basketball player, but also a better person. It has taught me to go after my dreams, work your hardest for what you want, and to never be satisfied. It was a privilege to be able to play basketball at CM, and I will never forget the success and memories that were made. I just want to thank CMCC for making me and my future a priority."
She continued, "I committed to Rochester College for many different reasons. I was really attracted to the small college feel, and the family atmosphere that was given off by the staff and basketball players. After I got the tour of the campus I knew it was where I wanted to spend my next two years. When we met our future teammates they were very welcoming, and you could feel that they were excited we were there. Coach Sims made sure that I had a great experience, and showed me that RC is where I should be."
Soohey had one of the more transformative careers in the history of the program. Coming in 2nd semester during the 2012-13 season, Soohey played in only 11 games, made 0 starts, and averaged only 4.7 minutes per game. After hitting the weight room and getting in great shape in the off-season, she averaged 10.6 points and 10 rebounds over her final 2 years. Soohey was named a USCAA DII Honorable Mention All-American during the 2013-14 season, and followed that up with being named Yankee Conference 1st Team All-Conference and a USCAA DII 1st Team All-American this past season. She also set the program-record for rebounds in a single game when she grabbed 21 on 1/26/14 vs. Dean College.
Coach Morong on Soohey, "Laura's growth, on and off the court, over the last two and a half years has been such a rewarding process for her, and for our entire program. A lot of athletes blame their lack of playing time on the coach, or get discouraged to the point of quitting when they aren't getting what they want - Laura did not do any of that. Instead, she hit the weight room, worked on her game, and turned herself into an All-American. She is a prime example of what a student-athlete can do when they make a commitment, work hard, and stick with it through adversity."
According to Soohey, "CMCC is not only a place where I have gotten to further my education and become a better basketball player, but a place where I have gained a family. My CM family has become a large part of my life. That is what attracted me most to Rochester. Coach Sims at RC definitely made me feel right at home when we went and visited. The team and staff were more than welcoming. I am very grateful for all of the opportunities CM has given me both academically and athletically, and I will certainly miss everyone who has been involved in my experiences here. I feel very prepared and excited to continue my journey at Rochester College."
Rochester Women's Basketball Coach, Eric Sims, "The Rochester College Women's Basketball Program is very excited to be adding Laura Soohey and Gabby Foy to our school and basketball program for the 2015-16 season. They are both coming off of fantastic careers at Central Maine Community College. Coach Morong and the Mustang women's program at Central Maine has had a lot of success over the years and I look forward to the impact both Laura and Gabby will have here at Rochester College. Gabby is a dynamic offensive player who can score in a variety of ways. She will step right into a major role in our backcourt. Laura can score inside and out as well as rebound and she loves to play defense. She will anchor our post game. Both Laura and Gabby have high basketball intelligence and are very competitive. Both CMCC and RC being members of the USCAA and having this type of relationship between the schools brings a great dynamic. I can't wait to get them on campus and start working with them."
