Graduate guard Sammie Puisis has etched her spot in Bulls’ history in her three seasons at USF.

Puisis played a valuable role in the 2022-23 team that made the NCAA tournament, while winning countless individual awards in the process. 

Now, the 25-year-old is a key part of a Bulls team in the running for a regular season American Athletic Conference title and NCAA tournament berth.

Puisis has been a bright spot on a team struggling with its offensive identity.

Through a transfer and a season-ending injury, Puisis’ college career has been anything but easy. 

Puisis described the trials she went through as blessings in disguise on her journey through college basketball.

After graduating from William Mason High School in 2019, Puisis received offers from schools such as Ohio State, Arkansas, Michigan and Wisconsin. 

Despite high-profile offers, Puisis said she wanted to call the Sunshine State her home.

“Just being in Florida with the warm weather,” Puisis said in a recent interview. “Some of my family lives in Fort Myers so it puts me closer to them.”

But Puisis’ college basketball journey did not start in Tampa. It started 270 miles north, at Florida State University. 

Puisis was the 38th ranked player in the class of 2019. She committed to FSU as a five-star recruit, all the way from Ohio.

Puisis played three seasons at FSU, never averaging more than 6.9 points per game. 

“[FSU] was a good experience,” Puisis said. “It just wasn’t my perfect fit.”

After the retirement of FSU head coach Sue Semrau, Puisis looked for a new place to call home.

At the same time, USF women’s basketball surged. The Bulls had made it to the NCAA tournament in six of their last eight seasons.

When Puisis transferred in 2022, she said longtime head coach Jose Fernandez said all the right things.

“When I spoke to [Fernandez] on the phone, he said all the right things,” Puisis said. “He would talk about how hard everyone worked.”

Fernandez looked to fill a hole in the Bulls’ lackluster three-point shooting, as they made just 29% of their three-pointers in 2022. 

Fernandez pointed out Puisis’ shooting ability as a reason to recruit her.

“It seems like everytime she shoots it, it goes in,” Fernandez said in a 2022 USF Athletics article. “I think Sammie is going to offer us a lot.”

The next season, Puisis averaged 15.6 points a game. USF’s three-point average increased to 35%.

The Bulls made the NCAA tournament, where they beat Marquette in a 67-65 overtime thriller. The team then lost to the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks in a 76-45 blowout. 

Puisis entered what was supposed to be her final season in 2023-24. She suffered an injury to her ACL shortly after her first game of the season, sidelining her for the rest of the year. 

The injury granted Puisis an extra year of eligibility, allowing her to play in the 2024-25 season. 

“It was definitely hard at the beginning,” Puisis said. “Basketball was all I knew.”

Despite the setback, Puisis felt the injury gave her the time to look at her life from a new perspective. She said she spent the time with her family and furthering her faith.

“It ended up being a blessing because I got to have a greater relationship with God,” Puisis said. “I became closer with my family too.”

She said the time away helped her feel revitalized when she returned to the court.

“I had a hunger for basketball because I took such a break,” Puisis said. “Watching from the sidelines gave me a new perspective.”

As the Bulls sit at 14-8 on the season, Puisis averages 14.8 points per game, shooting 43% from beyond the arc. Puisis’ three-point percentage places her 23rd in the nation. 

Still, 13 months after her injury, Puisis said it feels recent in her mind.

“Mentally I tried not to be hesitant,” Puisis said. “My body was doing things that caused hesitation.”

After an early-season minutes restriction, Puisis has shined amid the Bulls’ strong season.

Related: These are USF’s top five athletes

After acclimating back to basketball, Puisis averages 28 minutes a game, the third most on the team.

Despite the heavy load, Puisis said it’s exactly what she wants.

“I only have a few months left and I want to play as many minutes as I can,” Puisis said. “I have to do what I can to ultimately get to an NCAA tournament.”

The Bulls have just nine games left in the 2024-2025 season as they look to make a run towards an AAC title as well as another NCAA tournament berth.