THE FLATS – As voted on by their teammates, Martine Fortune, Francesca Pan, Kierra Fletcher and Lotta-Maj Lahtinen have been named Georgia Tech women’s basketball captains for the 2018-19 season. One captain was selected for each class.
“We are very fortunate to have such tremendous leadership from a young group of student-athletes,” said head coach MaChelle Joseph on the selection of team captains.
The lone senior on the team, Fortune has twice been named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. A leader on and off the court, Fortune has been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board and participated in the Jackets Without Borders trip to Puerto Rico over the summer.
“Martine is our only senior and the most unselfish player I have ever coached,” Joseph said of the Philadelphia, Pa., native. “She is very deserving of this honor.”
The team’s leading returning scorer from last season and 2016-17 ACC Freshman of the Year, Pan averaged 14.3 points per game as a sophomore and led the team from the free throw line, connecting on a team-high 79 free throws. Ahead of the 2018-19 season, she was named to the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List last month that recognizes the top small forwards in Division I.
“It has been fun to watch Francesca grow into the leader of this team,” said Joseph. “She has taken a lot of responsibility on the court the past two years, and it is great to see her step up and take over this young team.”
Fletcher put together an impressive freshman campaign on The Flats last season, having started all 34 games. She returns for her sophomore season as the team’s leading rebounder, having pulled down 5.2 rebounds per game last season. Tabbed to the all-ACC Freshman Team, Fletcher also earned a spot on the ACC Academic Honor Roll last season.
“Kierra is our point guard, and she represents our core values and her teammates trust her,” Joseph noted. “It was important that she accept the responsibility of being a leader on and off the floor.”
One of six freshmen that comprised Tech’s top-10 recruiting class, Lahtinen brings to The Flats a wealth of international playing experience. A member of the Finnish National Team since 2014, Lahtinen has helped her native country to several successful performances in both the European Championships and Nordic Championships.
“Lotta-Maj is a special freshman,” Joseph said. “She is ‘Tech Tough,’ and she is an outstanding student-athlete. I am excited for her to learn from this great group of captains.”
Georgia Tech women’s basketball officially opens the season on Friday, Nov. 9 at Houston. Tip is slated for 8 p.m. EST on the campus of Texas Southern.
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