Michelle Kurowski

Classroom

Kurowski graduated Magna Cum Laude (3.82) from UMBC in May 2011 after just three years with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in social welfare. She is currently pursuing a teaching certificate and a master’s degree in early childhood education at UMBC. The 2011 America East Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Kurowski was selected to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-District First Team, the Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team and the America East Women’s Basketball All-Academic Team. She has been recognized on UMBC’s Dean’s List all six semesters, with a perfect 4.0 GPA three times, and she has been selected to the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll in each of her first three seasons. Kurowski was named the female recipient of UMBC’s Matt Skalsky Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award in 2011, and she is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Character

A women’s basketball team captain for the 2011-12 season, Kurowski is the vice president of UMBC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She won UMBC’s 2010-11 SAAC Award for academic achievement, community service and athletic involvement.

Community

Kurowski participates in UMBC’s Make A Difference mentoring program, which pairs student-athletes with elementary school students on a one-on-one basis to promote academic and personal growth. She has also volunteered with Autism Speaks and, along with her teammates, served dinner to homeless women and children at My Sister’s Place Women’s Center. In addition, Kurowski has participated in Race for the Cure and Relay for Life with her teammates, and she speaks at local elementary and middle schools as part of UMBC’s community outreach program. Finally, Kurowski volunteered for the Department of Social Services foster care unit in the summer of 2009, overseeing supervised visits between parents and children.

Competition

A 2011 America East All-Conference First Team selection, Kurowski ranked second in the America East in scoring (14.6 ppg) last season, leading the Retrievers to the America East regular-season title and a berth in the postseason WNIT. She led the America East and ranked sixth in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.894), a UMBC single-season record and the third-best ever in the America East. Kurowski also ranked seventh in the league in minutes played (35.7 mpg), eighth in steals (1.9 spg), 11th in assists (2.7 apg), 12th in field goal percentage (.402), 12th in 3-pointers made (1.3 pg), 14th in 3-point percentage (.319) and 15th in rebounds (5.7 rpg). The 2011 team MVP, Kurowski scored 467 points in the 2010-11 season, the eighth-best single-season total in school history, while her 118 free throws made rank third. She also drained a career-high 43 three-pointers on the season. Kurowski is the America East’s active career scoring leader with 1,342 career points, which ranks fifth all-time at UMBC and 46th in conference history, and she was the third-fastest Retriever ever to score 1,000 career points (74 games). She owns a career 13.7 ppg scoring average, the third-best in school history, and she has ranked among the America East’s top 10 scoring leaders in each of her first three seasons. Her career .852 free throw percentage ranks second all-time at UMBC, and she also ranks third in career free throws made (317), seventh in career 3-point percentage (.315) and career 3-pointers (127), eighth in games started (91), 13th in career steals (158), 14th in career assists (199) and 15th in career rebounds (520). Kurowski has been named America East Player of the Week four times in her career, with four Rookie of the Week awards as a freshman in 2008-09, when she was named to the America East All-Rookie squad. She has scored in double figures 66 times in her career with 20 career 20-point performances and 10 double-doubles, and she has led UMBC in scoring 33 times, in rebounding 26 times and in assists 19 times.. She is just the 11th Retriever ever with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.