« Women’s Basketball 2008-09

Takia Starks

School
Texas A&M University
Position
Guard
Major
Agricultural Leadership
PPG
16.0
RPG
4.4
APG
1.3

Classroom

Senior Takia Starks is working toward a bachelor’s degree in agricultural leadership at Texas A&M University and is on course to graduate in May of 2009. She is passionate about working with animals someday outside of the possibility of playing professional basketball in the WNBA.

Character

Starks is a member of the team’s Leadership Council which consists of players who serve in an advisory role throughout the season and voted on by their fellow teammates. She plays with the poise and attitude of a true leader, both on-and-off-the-court. Starks is a hard worker and is always the first player and last player in-and-out of the gym. She is very passionate about her family. Her mother, Debra, served in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves and her father, Vernon, is battling lymphoma cancer.

Community

Starks has participated in numerous Bryan-College Station community service events with the women’s basketball team and through Aggie Athletics Involved. She has worked with Aggies Can, an annual student-athlete food drive to support the Brazos County food banks, the local Boys and Girls Club, the Special Olympic Games, the St. Thomas Learning Center, Nothing But Nets, which raised money for treated mosquito nets for effected populations in Africa, and National Night Out, a unique program designed to bring awareness in communities on crime and drug prevention. She has also served as a guest panelist at campus seminars and a guest speaker at All Aggie Hullaballoo which is a class of reunions for former A&M students.

Competition

Starks was named a preseason first team All-America by The Sporting News leading into the 2008-09 season and ESPN.com recently tabbed her as one of the top five two-guards in the nation. She is a returning two-time All-Big 12 Conference First Team selection and is one of the top returning players in the country. Starks has led the nationally-ranked Aggies in scoring the last two seasons and to their first-ever Big 12 Tournament title and NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2007-08. She is a Wade Trophy, John R. Wooden and Naismith Trophy Award candidate. Starks was selected as a 2008 Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection, 2008 State Farm/WBCA All-America finalist and a 2008 NCAA Oklahoma City Regional All-Tournament Team member. Her junior campaign was also highlighted by earning 2008 Big 12 Most Outstanding Player and 2008 Big 12 All-Tournament Team honors.