UMBC

Bio

	#25 - Melissa Book
	Class: Junior Height/Weight: 5-9     Hometown: Raleigh, N.C. Position: G     High School: Millbrook

NOTE: Will serve as a team captain for a second year in a row… Is the president of UMBC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).

AS A JUNIOR (2007-08): Played the first seven games of the season but suffered a concussion and did not play after Nov. 28 at the advice of team physicians due to her past history with concussions… Received a medical redshirt and recovered the year of eligibility… Led the America East in 3-point field goal percentage (.550) before her injury… All but one of her field goals on the season came from long distance… Was also leading the Retrievers in field goal percentage at the time of her injury, as she shot 48.0 percent (12-for-25) from the floor… Played 14 minutes in the season opener against George Washington (Nov. 9), drilling a 3-pointer for her only scoring of the game… Scored five points in 19 minutes against Rider (Nov. 11)… Scored a career-high 14 points and went a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 from the foul line in a career-best 30 minutes against James Madison (Nov. 16), when she was named the America East Player of the Game… Doubled her previous career total for triples in the game, while the four field goals were also a career high… Scored eight points and tied a career high with four rebounds in 27 minutes at George Mason (Nov. 21)… Scored a team-high 10 points by shooting 2-for-3 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the charity stripe at NJIT (Nov. 28)… Averaged 6.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per game on the season… Shot 88.9 percent (8-for-9) from the foul line... Was recognized on the America East Academic Honor Roll.

AS A SOPHOMORE (2006-07): Saw action in 18 games on the season, including nine America East contests, with her most extensive playing time coming against NJIT and Texas State… Played a then-career-high 15 minutes against the Highlanders (Nov. 26), scoring one point on 1-of-2 shooting from the free throw line, but went 0-for-5 from the field, including 0-for-4 from long distance… Grabbed a career-best four rebounds in the game, nearly doubling her previous career total… Played a career-high 18 minutes against Texas State (Dec. 29) and was 0-for-1 in field goal attempts… Played four straight games in December before sitting out the America East opener against Boston University and Stony Brook… First field goal of the season came against Vermont (Jan. 31), when she scored a then-career-high four points… Topped that with six points on 2-for-3 shooting and a perfect 2-for-2 at the free throw line in 13 minutes at Stony Brook (Feb. 7) and added three rebounds… Averaged 0.7 ppg and 0.8 rpg on the season… Struggled from the floor, making just three of 19 field goal attempts and going 0-for-13 from 3-point range… All three of her field goals came against conference opponents, and averaged 1.1 ppg against league foes.

AS A FRESHMAN (2005-06): Saw action in 17 games on the season, coming off the bench in each one… Played in nine conference games… Played three minutes at Albany, pulling down a rebound and dishing out an assist in the game… Went 0-for-2  from the field… Was 1-for-3 from the 3-point arc at Binghamton, playing four minutes for three points and a rebound… Came off the bench to score two points at the end of the first half against Hartford… Scored her first career 3-pointer at home against Binghamton… Tallied two points at Hartford, scoring both at the free throw line… Scored her first points of the year against Vermont, making a nice move to the basket and hitting a lay-up… Averaged 0.8 ppg, 0.3 rpg and 0.2 apg on the season.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year varsity letterwinner at Millbrook High School, earning Cap Six All-Conference accolades all four years… Led her team to back-to-back Cap Six Conference championships… Averaged 14.6 ppg her senior year despite missing part due to injury… Averaged 21.3 ppg in the seven games prior to her injury… Shot 33.0 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from 3-point range while averaging 6.7 rpg, 2.0 apg and 3.5 spg as a senior… Racked up the accolades in her final year, as she served as team captain, earned the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award and was named Athlete of the Month for February 2005 by Sports Radio 850… Also earned All-Tournament honors at the Tiger Christmas Invitational that season… Named Most Outstanding Offensive Player as a junior and senior… Earned the team’s coach’s award as a freshman… An honor roll student and Academic All-Conference honoree, as well as a member of the National Honor Society.

PERSONAL: Competed in gymnastics for eight years, reaching Level 8 (out of 10)… The oldest of two children to Ed and Liz Book… Has a younger brother, Eric… Born Feb. 16, 1987… A psychology and pre-physical therapy major and a biology minor.