By: Émilie Leger
GoRhody.com staff

Mayé Touré, a senior from Athis-Mois, just outside of Paris. A French and Senegalese woman, sister, daughter, friend, and teammate. A student-athlete at an American institution studying Finance. Not just number 20 on the URI Women's Basketball team.
 
Touré's first year on the team was the 2020-21 season, Adeniyi Amadou and Tammi Reiss' sophomore coaching year. She averaged 0.7 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 4.5 minutes per game. Her second year, the 2021-22 season, she averaged 2.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 9.3 minutes per game.
 
"I didn't play much in my first two years, but I wouldn't change those years for anything. If I had to do it again, I would, because those were the years [that] I grew up the most."
 
The 2020-21 season boasted six French natives: Lya Farcy from Paris, Johanna Muzet from Lyon, Marie-Paule Foppossi from Strasbourg, Mayé Touré from Athis-Mois, Haby Niang from Les Lilas, and Emmanuelle Tahane from Bondy. Touré is the only remaining player on URI's current roster from the 2020-21 season's team.
 
"It's not every day that you have such disciplined examples in front of you who work hard and who want to bring you to the top. I took it as if it were my chance, I was patient and the whole time [Marie-Paul Foppossi and Emmanuelle Tahane] were there, I took advantage of that to learn."
 
Marie-Paule Foppossi and Emmanuelle Tahane, both French natives, led the team when Touré arrived in the 2020-21 season, acting as role models for the freshman. Though she hadn't played with them in France prior to coming to Rhode Island, she was familiar with them as players. Today Touré says they've taken on a familial role as her big sisters, constantly guiding her.
 
Foppossi and Tahane both left following the 2021-22 season, they currently reside in France. Foppossi plays with Tarbes Gespe Bigorre in Ligue Féminine de Basketball (Women's Basketball League). Tahane plays for Saint-Amand in the France – Coupe de France (French Cup league).
 
At first, coming to the states was not an option for Touré. Prior to arriving in Rhode Island to play basketball, she had never been exposed to the American lifestyle. Along with Coach Amadou and the other French players, when they finished high school and the baccalauréat, they all had the same decision to make; was it going to be school, basketball, or leaving home to pursue both?
 
"This experience for me is very positive, perhaps one of the best decisions of my life that I made to come here."
 
But how does the transition look for a French student athlete submerging themselves in the American culture for the first time?
 
Since a young age, Touré always wanted to learn the English language. Through watching films and YouTube in English, to playing alongside foreign teammates while in France, she was well prepared. For her, school was a question or organization as her freshman year posed a bit of a challenge. Since then, she has found her rhythm.
 
"I used to watch videos on YouTube, so I knew what [American Culture] was going to be like and I wasn't disappointed."
 
Basketball is what earned her the opportunity to come and play in the United States. French basketball is what she knew. American basketball is what she had to learn.
 
"The structure, how basketball works here and in France, it's not the same. Mentally, I find that the game is tougher and a little more physical here. In France, it is a very intellectual game. There are more rights to [use] contact too, so it's a bit tougher defensively. I find there are positive points on both sides."
 
There are six French natives on the women's team, Dutat, Debroise, Komara, Magassa, Sene, and Touré. Before coming to URI, Touré played with four of them.
 


 
"It's a very positive thing for me, because even though I'm far from home, it feels like home, so I'm really happy. Now, they're like my sisters, and it's cool to be able to share our culture with the rest of the team."
 
French culture for her is art, cuisine, diversity, and history. To share French culture, they teach their teammates French words and introduce them to various French dishes.
 
Tartiflette takes Touré's number one for favorite French dish.
 
Being this far from home is never easy, but it helps when you can surround yourself with a part of your home, your native country. Touré keeps in touch with her roots by her style of dress, cooking traditional dishes, speaking with her family daily, and keeping up with what's happening in France.
 
She integrates both cultures into her daily life.
 
After Touré's first two years in Rhody, she returned back to France with the honor of representing her native country in the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA), also known as the International Basketball Federation.
 
FIBA is the world governing body for basketball. Established in 1932, FIBA now includes 212 National Basketball Federations worldwide. Most notably, FIBA's unique 3x3 style of play is one of the most played team sports in the world. Teams range from U14 to U20 for men's and women's leagues. The non-profit organization is responsible for overseeing international competitions such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup for both men's and women's leagues, as well as the Olympic Basketball Tournaments. FIBA's mission is to unify the community while developing and promoting the game of basketball itself. 
 
Touré represented France in the FIBA U20 Women's European Championship, hosted in Hungary in July of 2022. She led her team in defensive rebounding, averaging 5.3 per game, and 6.6 total rebounds per game. France placed fourth after a loss against Italy, who clenched the final spot on the podium. Spain and Czech Republic took home gold and silver.
 
"I found [my time in FIBA] came at a good moment, between the time when I was making the transition where I was the youngest on the team who was not playing much, and the year after where I was going to have a more important role. To play during the summer freed me a lot, it showed me how effective I was on the court and the things I needed to use when I came back here [Rhode Island]."
 
The different perspectives that FIBA coaches provided Touré aided her hard work, intensity, and love for the game. The season succeeding her summer at FIBA was a big rebuilding year for the incoming junior. The 2022-23 season, Touré led the Rams in scoring during non-conference competition, tallying 13.6 points per game. The forward nearly tripled her playing time in just two years, earning 26.0 minutes per game as well as tallying an average of 6.4 total rebounds.
 
"There are different aspects that you learn in the United States and others that you learn in France. To be a complete player, you need to combine the two cultures."
 
Touré was named Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team as well as Atlantic 10 Most Improved Player of the Year, 2022-23.
 
But the improvements weren't only visible on the court. In addition to her own player development, she grew even more as an individual.
 
"It taught me to be a leader a bit more as I was a captain too. As a person it made me grow. I had a little bit of trouble expressing myself before, I was a bit shy and quiet, and after [FIBA], I was more at ease to express what I thought, and I understood that just because I was young didn't mean that what I thought and wanted to say didn't have meaning. It was important."
 
This season, Touré serves as a captain, a pure example of growth, trust, and patience.
 
A big reason for her choosing URI was Associate Head Coach, French native, Adeniyi Amadou. He has played a large role in her development as a player and individual. Touré says Coach A has become a member of her family in a way, acting as a wise elder who assures she is in the best condition, while also holding her accountable.
 
"[He] doesn't let me be mediocre and doesn't accept the minimum. Sometimes he even wants more for me than I want for myself. He has a lot of demands and expectations of me because he believes in me, he's given me a lot over the last few years."
 
A big part of the results is in trusting the process, coaches, team, and culture. The women's basketball team is filled with like-minded people, those looking to grow and become the best versions of themselves.
 
"When I leave, I would like to be remembered as someone who was really willing to do anything for my team to attain the best results possible, and as a good teammate who tried to help everyone progress in their own way."