NORMAL, Ill. – Former MVC Jackie Stiles Player of the Year Paige Robinson has signed a professional contract with German pro team Herner TC, as announced by the team on Friday. Herner TC competes in the Damen-Basketball-Bundesliga, the premier women's basketball championship in Germany.
Robinson is already the 20th player in program history to join the professional ranks, and one of three program alums active in the pros. Robinson, her Illinois State teammate Jada Stinson (Puerto Rico) and 2022 MVC Tournament MVP Juju Redmon (Switzerland) are all active and have joined the professional ranks after playing under head coach Kristen Gillespie.
Robinson made history in her lone year with the Redbirds, leading Illinois State to the 2023 MVC Regular Season championship en route to becoming the first WNBA Draft selection in program history. The reigning MVC Jackie Stiles Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, First Team All-MVC, and All-Newcomer Team selection, Robinson averaged 18.3 points, 2.9 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 0.8 steals per contest in 2022-23.
She became the sixth MVC player, and first since 2015, picked in the WNBA Draft when the Dallas Wings selected her in the third round and 31st overall. Dallas still retains Robinson's WNBA rights heading into the 2024 campaign.
Robinson finished the 2022-23 season with 27 outings scoring in double figures, including 17 20-plus-point performances. Most notably, she tied her career-high with a 37-point performance against Wisconsin at CEFCU Arena.
The Bethany, Ill. native came to Illinois State as a graduate guard after spending four years at Division II Drury. Robinson was named the 2021 NCAA Division II Player of the Year, tallying over 2,000 points in her four-year career at Drury and helping the Panthers to a 123-8 record during that span. That run included two Final Four bids, and an appearance in the NCAA D-II title game in 2021.
For her collegiate career as a Panther and Redbird, Robinson amassed 2,600 points, 332 three-point field goals, 441 assists, 217 steals, and 604 rebounds.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
