Craig Austrie
Craig Austrie | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 14, 1987 |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball player, basketball coach |
| Known for | Collegiate basketball at University of Connecticut, Springfield Armor (NBA Development League) |
Craig Kevin Austrie (born March 14, 1987) is an American basketball athlete who competed at the collegiate level for the University of Connecticut and had a brief stint with the Springfield Armor in the NBA Development League.
High school career
During his tenure at Trinity Catholic, Austrie played a key role in achieving a 103–6 record across four seasons, capturing three league championships, two state titles, and finishing as state runner-up twice. In his final year (2005), he averaged 22.5 points, 5.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.1 steals per game while guiding his team to a 26–2 record. His performance earned him the Gatorade Connecticut high school basketball player of the year distinction.
College career
Austrie originally committed to play under coach Steve Lappas at UMass; however, following Lappas’s dismissal during Austrie’s senior year of high school, he reopened his recruitment process. He eventually selected UConn, turning down offers from Florida, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John's, and USC.
2005–06 (Freshman)
Austrie participated in all 34 contests, starting the first 24 games of the season. He established a UConn freshman record by distributing 14 assists in a victory over Quinnipiac and posted a personal best of 15 points against Arizona.
2006–07 (Sophomore)
Appearing in all 30 games and starting six times, Austrie reached double-digit scoring on eight occasions during the season, including a season-high 14 points versus Big East opponent Syracuse.
2007–08 (Junior)
He took part in 31 games with 16 starts and maintained an impressive free throw accuracy of 89.2%. Notably, he converted 24 out of 31 free throws in critical moments during the final two minutes of games. Recognized for his poise under pressure, Austrie notably sank a decisive off-balance jumper to secure a win at South Florida.
2008–09 (Senior)
Starting in 23 of 36 games, Austrie contributed significantly to UConn’s journey to the 2009 NCAA Final Four. He concluded his collegiate career ranking third all-time at UConn with an 83.0% free throw shooting percentage. He graduated in 2009.
Pro career
In the 2009 NBDL draft, Austrie was selected third in the fourth round by the Springfield Armor. Over five games, he averaged 7.6 points and 1.6 assists before being released on December 11, 2009. His roster position was subsequently filled by Chris Lowe, who had been recruited to replace Austrie at UMass.
Following his playing days, Austrie established Craig Austrie B-Ball IQ, a basketball training enterprise that provides personalized and group coaching sessions aimed at enhancing skill development for youth athletes.