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Erikstrup takes Aussie MVP, joins Spain club
9/3/2025 5:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Former GCU star led title team, continues pro play in Salamanca
Laura Erikstrup's whirlwind basketball year is keeping her moving since she raised a trophy in Las Vegas for Grand Canyon's first NCAA Division I Tournament trip this March. Since then, Erikstrup led an Australian professional club to a title as the tournament's Most Valuable Player two weeks ago before she moved across the globe to be introduced this week in Spain for her next professional career step.
Erikstrup helped GCU to a 32-3 record with a career season that ended in March with her ranking as the nation's ninth-best shooter by field goal percentage (60.9%). The graduate student moved to Woodville, Australia, to start her pro career in the National Basketball League, where she averaged 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds during the regular season and led Woodville to its first NBL1 Central tournament championship as the Grand Final MVP.
The versatile 6-foot-2 forward posted 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting and added 13 rebounds to lead Woodville to a 73-65 title game victory over Sturt on Aug. 16 in Adelaide.
"This one's up there too (with GCU's WAC Tournament championship)," Erikstrup told nbl1.com. "My sister, Sydney, said to me, 'If you win today, this is going to be your second championship.' To have this opportunity with these girls is amazing."
Erikstrup, who was raised in Beaverton, Oregon, before her family relocated to Chandler, Arizona, crossed two oceans for her next basketball stop in Spain's highest level of women's basketball.
She will play for Perfumerias Avenida, the Salamanca, Spain, club that was the Euroleague runner-up in 2021 before making two more runner-up runs in Europe's top competition.
"I'm excited to be a part of this team and this program," Erikstrup said at a Tuesday press conference in Salamanca. "I know how historic this program has been and how we all have ambitions to take it to that next level this year. We have a very special group, and I think with all of the competitors we have on this team, it's a great opportunity to not only compete but push ourselves every day.
"The club has done a very good job of meeting me where my body is and helping me to continue to grow but also a little bit of a break to make sure I'm healthy and can compete at my highest level."
Avenida President Jorge Recio said in Spanish at her press conference, "When we considered the option of signing Laura, we all fell in love with her because of the potential we saw in her. She does so many things well."
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Erikstrup helped GCU to a 32-3 record with a career season that ended in March with her ranking as the nation's ninth-best shooter by field goal percentage (60.9%). The graduate student moved to Woodville, Australia, to start her pro career in the National Basketball League, where she averaged 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds during the regular season and led Woodville to its first NBL1 Central tournament championship as the Grand Final MVP.The versatile 6-foot-2 forward posted 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting and added 13 rebounds to lead Woodville to a 73-65 title game victory over Sturt on Aug. 16 in Adelaide.
"This one's up there too (with GCU's WAC Tournament championship)," Erikstrup told nbl1.com. "My sister, Sydney, said to me, 'If you win today, this is going to be your second championship.' To have this opportunity with these girls is amazing."
Erikstrup, who was raised in Beaverton, Oregon, before her family relocated to Chandler, Arizona, crossed two oceans for her next basketball stop in Spain's highest level of women's basketball.
She will play for Perfumerias Avenida, the Salamanca, Spain, club that was the Euroleague runner-up in 2021 before making two more runner-up runs in Europe's top competition.
"I'm excited to be a part of this team and this program," Erikstrup said at a Tuesday press conference in Salamanca. "I know how historic this program has been and how we all have ambitions to take it to that next level this year. We have a very special group, and I think with all of the competitors we have on this team, it's a great opportunity to not only compete but push ourselves every day.
"The club has done a very good job of meeting me where my body is and helping me to continue to grow but also a little bit of a break to make sure I'm healthy and can compete at my highest level."
Avenida President Jorge Recio said in Spanish at her press conference, "When we considered the option of signing Laura, we all fell in love with her because of the potential we saw in her. She does so many things well."
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