LORMAN, Miss. – After stacking up her honors during the 2015-16 season, Alcorn State University women's basketball standout Norianna Haynes signed a professional contract to play for Portugal's Clube Desportivo Torres Novas.
 "This is a dream come true," Haynes said. "It really means a lot. I don't have to work a normal job and I can continue doing what I love and more importantly, I'll be able to provide for my family and daughter."
The Meridian, Miss., native earned 2016 Historically Black Colleges & Universities Female Athlete of the Year honors earlier in July. It came after she was honored with the 2015-16 Southwestern Athletic Conference Women's Player of the Year award.
"I really want to thank my head coach Courtney Pruitt. There were some personal things that came up this past season but she was always there for me on a personal level. It was more than just basketball," Haynes said.
Haynes led the SWAC in scoring with 20.3 points per game. In conference play, her production went up with 20.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per outing. Haynes totaled a league-high 12 double-doubles on the season.
Furthermore, she finished 39th in the nation with 568 points and also seventh in free throw attempts (222) and top-15 in free throws made (157).
"Norianna really deserves this opportunity to play professionally overseas. Throughout the season, she remained committed to this goal so that she could take care of her daughter and ill mother. She looked adversity in the eyes daily and never backed down," said Alcorn women's basketball head coach Courtney Pruitt.
The 5-10 forward concluded her two-year career at Alcorn with 914 points, 399 rebounds, 103 steals, 66 assists and 24 blocks. She was also named to the All-Conference First-Team this past season.
Haynes scored a career-high 39 points at University Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 29, 2015. She poured in at least 30 points five times during the 2015-16 season and led the team in scoring 20 times. Haynes pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds in the SWAC Tournament against Southern University to go along with her 17 points.
"I couldn't be happier for Norianna and I know she will make the best of her new job and do everything in her power to win a championship in Portugal," Pruitt said.
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