Temple University Athletics
Owls in the Pros
4.21.26 | Women's Basketball
Week of Apr. 19
PHILADELPHIA — Temple women's basketball currently has three former Owls playing professionally overseas.
#1. Aleah Nelson, a guard standing at 5'6", graduated from Temple University in 2024. Currently, she is playing professionally in the Czech Republic for SBS Ostrava. In a recent game, despite her outstanding performance, Nelson could not prevent SBS Ostrava (16-6) from suffering a heavy 92–53 defeat at home to the second-ranked team, Zabiny Brno, in the Places 1–5 group. Nelson showcased her skills by being the top scorer of the game with 16 points and contributing three assists in just 24 minutes of play. This remarkable performance is even more impressive considering that Nelson is only in her second season of professional basketball. Throughout the season, Nelson has maintained solid statistics, averaging 10.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in the 29 games she has played so far.
#2. Anissa Rivera, a 6'1" forward who graduated from Temple in 2025 and now plays professionally in Portugal, showcased her talent as she led Quinta dos Lombos (Q. Lombos) to a resounding 93–62 victory over the eighth-ranked Sporting in the Portuguese Liga Feminina de Basquetebol last Saturday. Rivera's exceptional performance earned her the title of MVP of the game, as she contributed 16 points and secured five rebounds in just 29 minutes of play. This remarkable display is even more impressive considering that this is only Rivera's first season in professional basketball. Quinta dos Lombos currently holds the top spot in the league with a record of 20–2. Her impact was particularly evident in the recent game against Sporting, where her 16 points and five rebounds played a crucial role in securing the victory for her team. Rivera's overall performance throughout the season has been commendable, as she is averaging 10.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game across 22 appearances.
#3. Tiarra East, a former Owls alumna from 2025 standing at 5'10", is currently showcasing her talent as a professional player in the United Kingdom. In a recent game, East, playing for Manchester, unfortunately could not help her team secure a victory against the leading Hatters, despite her outstanding performance. The final score was 94–82 in favor of the Hatters on Manchester's home court. East emerged as the leading scorer of the game, contributing 22 points along with five rebounds and three assists in a commendable display of skill, including a perfect 8-for-8 performance from the free-throw line, all achieved in 34 minutes of play. With only two games remaining in the regular season, every upcoming match holds significant importance for the team. This season marks East's debut with the Manchester squad, and she continues to impress with her strong performances. In a previous game against Sheffield H., she scored 22 points while adding five rebounds and three assists, although her team fell short of victory. Throughout the season, East is averaging 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game across 16 games.
Other former Temple University players who play in professional basketball:
#1. Aleah Nelson, a guard standing at 5'6", graduated from Temple University in 2024. Currently, she is playing professionally in the Czech Republic for SBS Ostrava. In a recent game, despite her outstanding performance, Nelson could not prevent SBS Ostrava (16-6) from suffering a heavy 92–53 defeat at home to the second-ranked team, Zabiny Brno, in the Places 1–5 group. Nelson showcased her skills by being the top scorer of the game with 16 points and contributing three assists in just 24 minutes of play. This remarkable performance is even more impressive considering that Nelson is only in her second season of professional basketball. Throughout the season, Nelson has maintained solid statistics, averaging 10.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in the 29 games she has played so far.
#2. Anissa Rivera, a 6'1" forward who graduated from Temple in 2025 and now plays professionally in Portugal, showcased her talent as she led Quinta dos Lombos (Q. Lombos) to a resounding 93–62 victory over the eighth-ranked Sporting in the Portuguese Liga Feminina de Basquetebol last Saturday. Rivera's exceptional performance earned her the title of MVP of the game, as she contributed 16 points and secured five rebounds in just 29 minutes of play. This remarkable display is even more impressive considering that this is only Rivera's first season in professional basketball. Quinta dos Lombos currently holds the top spot in the league with a record of 20–2. Her impact was particularly evident in the recent game against Sporting, where her 16 points and five rebounds played a crucial role in securing the victory for her team. Rivera's overall performance throughout the season has been commendable, as she is averaging 10.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game across 22 appearances.
#3. Tiarra East, a former Owls alumna from 2025 standing at 5'10", is currently showcasing her talent as a professional player in the United Kingdom. In a recent game, East, playing for Manchester, unfortunately could not help her team secure a victory against the leading Hatters, despite her outstanding performance. The final score was 94–82 in favor of the Hatters on Manchester's home court. East emerged as the leading scorer of the game, contributing 22 points along with five rebounds and three assists in a commendable display of skill, including a perfect 8-for-8 performance from the free-throw line, all achieved in 34 minutes of play. With only two games remaining in the regular season, every upcoming match holds significant importance for the team. This season marks East's debut with the Manchester squad, and she continues to impress with her strong performances. In a previous game against Sheffield H., she scored 22 points while adding five rebounds and three assists, although her team fell short of victory. Throughout the season, East is averaging 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game across 16 games.
Other former Temple University players who play in professional basketball:
- Victoria Macaulay (6'4" F/C, 1990, played 2009–13) plays for Emlak in the Turkish KBSL
- Feyonda Fitzgerald (5'7" G, 1995, played 2013–17) plays for Panathinaikos in the Greek A1
- Tanaya Atkinson (6'0" G, 1996, played 2014–18) plays for Estepona in the Spanish LF Endesa
- Shey Peddy (5'7" PG, 1988, played 2007–09) plays for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA
- Kendall Currence (5'9" G, 2000, played 2022–24) plays for Ippokratis in the Greek A2
- Ruth Sherrill (6'2" F/C, 1994, played 2014–14) plays for Stjarnan in the Icelandic Subway League
- Tarriyonna Gary (5'8" G, 2001, played 2022–25) plays for Ulriken in the Norwegian Kvinneligaen
- Denise Solis (6'1" F, 2001, played 2022–24) played for Caguas in the Puerto Rican BSNF a few months ago
- Shaqwedia Wallace (5'9" G, 1989, played 2007–11) played for Club Beirut in Lebanese Division II last year
Players Mentioned
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