Sam Ostarello (SC 2009 Grad) was inducted into the Stanley County Buffalo Hall of Fame on January 27, 2024. Sam is the most successful athlete to grace the halls of SC. Her leadership, sportsmanship, teamwork, and discipline made her a role model that will continue to inspire future generations of Stanley County athletes.
She holds the school record in scoring (1581 points) and rebounding (1075 boards). She was a member of the All-Tournament Team at the 2008 State A girls basketball tournament and made 2nd Team All-State that year, followed by a 1st Team All-State selection in 2009. She was the 2009 Class A Player of the Year, 2009 SD Miss Basketball, 2009 SD Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year, and a 2009 McDonald’s All-American nominee. In 2009 she was one of twenty high school athletes selected from across the country to play in the WBCA Nike All-American game before the NCAA Final Four, and was also selected to the 2009 Parade All-American 3rd Team. Her high school jersey hangs in the Ring of Honor at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Ostarello is also a 3-time state high jump champion and broke a 32-year-old high jump record at the Howard Wood Relays, where her 5’9 ¾” jump is still the current record. She was on the honor roll all four years of high school and was also an accomplished clarinetist in the band.
Ostarello attended Purdue University on a full scholarship, where as a starter she helped her team claim two Big Ten Tournament Championships in 2012 and 2013. In 2012 she earned an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, and in 2013 made the All-Big Ten 2nd Team. She was also the 2013 leading rebounder in the Big Ten. In her storied Purdue basketball career, she holds the record for most rebounds in a single season (341) and is second in career rebounds (901). She holds the NCAA record for most rebounds in a single tournament game (17). She is also 3rd in double-double games in a season (12) and 6th in double-double games in a career (17). She holds the record for minutes played in a game (51) and is 11th for career games played (132). She graduated from Purdue in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health & Kinesiology–Movement & Sports Science and a minor in anthropology.
Upon graduation, Ostarello played for Team USA in China, and then played professional basketball overseas for ten years, during which she achieved her lifelong dream of playing for the Italian National Team. Throughout her long career on the hardwood, Sam Ostarello demonstrated qualities that extend far beyond the basketball court. Her determination and commitment to hard work inspired countless others to improve their game and better themselves on and off the court.