Brittanny Dinkins signs her first pro basketball contract

|Sterling A. Randle, Southern Miss Athletics' Communications Assistant

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Former Southern Miss women’s basketball player Brittanny Dinkins has signed a contract to play with Keflavik of the Iceland Premier League.

“Thank you Coach McNelis for giving me the opportunity to come into your program and make a difference,” Dinkins said. “I knew there was something special about the city of Hattiesburg and I am so glad that I had the privilege to come play and represent the city and state of Mississippi on your behalf. Thank you to my USM family and fans for embracing me with so much love and support. You all made me feel like I was home. All the blood, sweat and tears I shed were for you to be inspired and impacted by every time I stepped out on that court”

The league begins play in late November and continues until the end of April. The squad won the 2016-17 championship after going 21-5 last season and is coached by Sverrir Sverrisson

“I am so happy for Brittanny as the Head Coach/Mom of this program,” Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. “I got tears in my eyes when her future coach sent me a message saying that he was going to offer. She witnessed her growth in every aspect of life and I believe our program has prepared her for this opportunity. Our staff push her to go beyond what she could imagine. Brittanny pressed on and stayed true to the course, and now she will live her dream. She did it and we are proud of her.”

Dinkins is the 11 Lady Eagle to play professionally and she joins Jamierra Faulker, the No. 34 pick in the 2014 WNBA draft, as the most recent Hattiesburg products.