Maria Billingsley

Position:
G
Height:
5-6
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Stockholm, Sweden
High School:
Vasalunds Gymnasium/Central Arizona College

Barry on Billingsley: “Maria Billingsley worked hard on her right hand this year, and I think she’ll be a better ballhandler because of it. The question will be, can she hit the outside shot and can she do it on a consistent basis.”

This Season: Billingsley enters her second season in a Buffalo uniform as one of three returning starters for Colorado in 2003-04. She was one of CU’s top defensive players last season, and will be asked to function in the same role as a senior, as well as working as the Buff floor general. Billingsley will help break in freshman Emily Waner, a probable heir to the point guard spot.

2002-03 (Junior): Starting the season coming off the bench, Billingsley became one of Colorado’s top defensive players, using her quickness to her advantage. She averaged just over 14 minutes a game during the non-conference season, but her minutes immediately increased when the Big 12 season began when she started to get a better grasp of the triangle offense and eventually led the team in steals, robbing teams 39 times. She had four steals and even had a blocked shot to go along with her five points against Detroit-Mercy. She scored 10 points while dishing out six assists and getting four rebounds in her first start in the overtime win against Syracuse on December 31 to warm her up to conference play. She went from playing two minutes in her first conference game against Kansas State to playing 37 minutes against No. 7 ranked Texas Tech four games later. Billingsley became the regular starter prior to the departure of Syreeta Stafford on February 11 and proved she could fill that roll. In her first complete 40-minute game against a tough Oklahoma team, which turned out to be one of her top performances of the season, Billingsley scored four points and had four steals and five assists to only two turnovers. She scored a career high 17 points, hitting three three-pointers, and dished out four assists in a close win over Iowa State on Feb. 26. She also scored seven points and gave out four assists in Colorado’s second round NCAA tournament win over North Carolina. In wins over BYU and UNC, Billingsley held WNBA picks Erin Thorn (BYU) and Coretta Brown (UNC) to just 10 points apiece, well below their season averages. She was named CU’s Most Valuable Defensive Player following the season.

At Central Arizona College: A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Billingsley played two seasons at Central Arizona College under coach Lin Laursen. She averaged 7.6 points per game, 5.3 assists per game and 3.8 steals per game in 19 contests as a sophomore, having to sit out 13 games due to illness. She led CAC to a 22-2 conference record and an overall record of 23-3 after falling in the regional championship to Arizona Western. As a freshman, Billingsley averaged 7.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 2.4 assists per game, helping guide the Vaqueros to their 20th consecutive conference championship. She also shot 35-percent from three point range her first year. The CAC program has produced many WNBA players, including former Missouri standout Amanda Lassiter, now with the Seattle Storm, and Bridget Pettis of the Phoenix Mercury.

Off The Court: The former Maria Eriksson was born Sept. 21, 1979 in Stockholm, and is the daughter of Ronald and Birgitta Eriksson. She married Brent Billingsley, a transportation engineer with a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona who competes in rodeo roping competitions, on Dec. 16, 2001. She is majoring in kinesiology at Colorado.