Will Join the Purple Eagles’ Division I Basketball Program, Citing Coaching, Team Culture, and Faith as Key Factors in Her Decision
Reading, MA — For Tiffany Burns ’27, the chance to help shape a new chapter of Division I basketball made Niagara University stand out. The Austin Prep point guard saw an opportunity to contribute to a program under new leadership while pursuing the competitive goals and Catholic faith that have guided her journey.
The Austin Prep senior has committed to play for the Purple Eagles in Lewiston, New York. A 5-foot-9 point guard from Methuen, Massachusetts, Tiffany sees Niagara as a place to make an impact while continuing her development.
Tiffany joined Austin Prep as an eighth grader and immediately became the starting point guard. She has also competed nationally with Mass Lady Rivals Adidas #3SSB, a nationally ranked basketball circuit. Austin Prep Head Girls Basketball Coach Ushearnda Stroud, who directs the Mass Rivals girls program, has guided her in both settings.
Those experiences helped Tiffany recognize what she wanted next: an environment where she could improve and make the people around her better.
Tiffany Sought Coaching That Would Push Her Further
Stroud first met Tiffany at a summer clinic before eighth grade. Watching her compete against older players, she noticed more than skill. Tiffany could anticipate how a possession would develop, recognize layers of a defense, and create opportunities.
Asked what stood out about Tiffany, Stroud said, “Extremely skilled, loved to be in the gym, very hungry to play.”
Tiffany remembers entering the Rivals gym and realizing she could hold her own against players several years older. That experience made her ambitions feel attainable. It also convinced her that improvement would require honest feedback.
She wanted someone who would identify mistakes and demand better decisions. Stroud called it “truthful coaching.”
That approach carried into Austin Prep, where Tiffany learned to lead a team while accepting the accountability that comes with directing it.
At Niagara, Tiffany Recognized the Culture She Wanted
Tiffany first connected with Tiara Johnson during her recruitment by Providence, where Johnson was an assistant coach. Johnson later became associate head coach at St. Bonaventure before being named Niagara’s head coach in May 2026.
When Johnson took over the Purple Eagles, she reached out to Tiffany again. Her experience developing guards and willingness to explain her vision to Tiffany’s family made an impression.
On campus, Tiffany met players who embraced early workouts and shared a determination to improve. Their approach reminded her of Austin Prep.
“We have goals and we work to achieve them,” Tiffany said.
She also considered Providence, Siena, and Boston College. Niagara stood out because she could envision contributing to its future.
“To know that when I go to that school next year, I’m gonna be a part of something stronger than myself, bigger than myself, and I really think that was the deciding factor for me,” she said.
Faith Gave Tiffany Another Reason to Feel at Home
Tiffany also wanted college to support the faith she had strengthened at Austin Prep.
From their earliest conversations, Stroud recognized that Tiffany wanted a Catholic school community where she could deepen her relationship with God while pursuing her academic and athletic goals.
Tiffany came to see her beliefs as a steady source of strength through challenges in basketball and her personal life.
“I always knew that, you know, God has a plan for me,” she said.
Niagara’s Catholic and Vincentian identity offered continuity with that experience. Its emphasis on educating the whole person and serving others aligned with Tiffany’s hopes for college.
Making Others Better Has Always Been Part of Tiffany’s Game
The youngest of four children, Tiffany traces her love of playing point guard to workouts with her father, Steve. Passing during family drills helped her discover the satisfaction of creating opportunities for someone else.
“And then the more I played, the better I got, and the better I got, the more I loved it,” she said.
Their shared love of basketball gives her commitment an additional connection. One of Steve’s favorite players, Calvin Murphy, became an NBA star and Basketball Hall of Famer after playing at Niagara. Now, his daughter will wear the Purple Eagles uniform as she pursues the Division I dream they shared.
“He wanted that for me too,” Tiffany said.
At Austin Prep, that approach has produced 978 career points and 693 assists. Tiffany enters her senior season just 22 points from the 1,000-point milestone, while her assist total underscores the opportunities she creates for teammates. She hopes to bring that same combination of scoring and playmaking to Niagara.
“I have to earn everything,” she said.
Tiffany Has Her Sights Set on Professional Basketball
Tiffany sees Niagara as the next step toward playing professionally, whether in the WNBA or overseas.
“I know I want to play basketball for as long as I can,” she said.
She believes players at every level can bring more attention to women’s basketball.
“Everybody, every woman who plays basketball is a part of that change,” Tiffany said.
Tiffany is considering studying finance or business, possibly with an English minor. She enjoys math, reading, and writing, particularly articles about people’s lives. Recently, she was drawn to a story about WNBA star Maya Moore putting her career on hold to help someone else.
Tiffany hopes to make a difference herself, potentially starting a business that provides guidance and encouragement to young athletes.
For now, Tiffany has earned her opportunity to play Division I basketball. Next, she wants to see how far she can take it.
