BOULDER, Colo.—Forward Aija Putnina is forgoing her final two years of eligibility at the University of Colorado to play professionally in Europe.
Putnina said she wants to be closer to her home and family in her native Riga, Latvia. In June, she will play for the Latvian national team in Madrid in its quest to quality for the Beijing Olympics.
Putnina averaged 5.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in her two seasons with the Buffs.
She spent two yeas at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, but as an exchange student could only play a year of varsity basketball. She averaged 12 points and seven boards while helping the Raiders to a second-place finish at the 2006 class 4A state tournament.
“Aija spent four years as a student-athlete in the state of Colorado,” Buffs coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said. “She’s given everything to our program and has been a great addition. We respect her wishes to be close to her family and experience a professional career that we know she is anxious to begin.”
