By Shane Donaldson
Associate Athletic Director, Communication and New Media

KINGSTON, R.I. - When Katie Liggio says basketball was a family affair while she was growing up in Colts Neck, N.J., she is not speaking in hyperbole.

Liggio is one of three sisters in Division I basketball this year. Her older sister Christina is heading into her second season at Navy, where she played in all 31 games last year as a true freshman. Twin sister Tessa is a point guard at Bucknell.

And it all started with their mother, Jenny, who was a 1,000-point scorer during her own Division I career. Jenny Liggio began her career at Monmouth before transferring to Rider after two seasons. Eventually she played professionally for the Perik Jumpers in the Netherlands.

"She had me and my sisters playing when we were growing up," said Katie Liggio, who also has a brother, Matt, playing football at Division III Susquehanna. "I played soccer and basketball for a long time. I made the decision in middle school to focus on basketball. We all fell in love with it. That's when the game really took off for me."

Jenny Liggio also coached her daughters with the Shoreshots Girls program in New Jersey.

"During the recruiting process, she understood everything that was going on," Katie said. "She was the assistant coach on my AAU team, so she was involved. She gave me advice, especially with training. She is the one who taught me how to shoot. When it came to understanding the game, she was very helpful, and I am very thankful for that."

It certainly paid off. Playing together at the backcourt for Red Bank Catholic last season, Katie and Tessa led their team to a state championship, both earning First Team All-Shore Conference honors.

"I took it for granted a lot of times. Now that we are at two separate colleges, I know I am going to miss her," Liggio said of playing with her twin. "We kept each other accountable. She was a point guard and I am more of a shooting guard. She always knew where to find me on the court in high school when we played together."

As a senior, Liggio broke RBC's all-time 3-point record and became just the 16th player in school history to score 1,000 points. Despite committing to Rhode Island, she found her future in a bit of uncertainty last winter.

A knee injury suffered in the semifinals of the state playoffs ended her season early. However, in a touching moment, Liggio was able to take the court in the closing seconds of the title game, dribbling out the clock before celebrating.

Still, her world was in a state of flux. Rhode Island had a new head coach in Colleen Mullen, with former coach Tammi Reiss taking the job at Florida. After ACL surgery, it was pretty clear Liggio would not be able to play in 2026-27.

"When I had to tell the coaches for the first time that I was injured and that I had to have surgery, they were just so supportive," Liggio said. "They let me know they were there for me. Obviously, it can be scary knowing that you won't be able to play, but having their support was very, very comforting.

"This coaching staff, they are so invested in you. When the coaches came here, they had to meet all these new people, but they still showed trust in me. They felt I could come in here and make a difference. They always talk about pouring into each other, pouring into your teammates. They really poured into me. They believe that I'll be able to grow here, and I was really happy with that."

Seeing the number of former UAlbany players and coaches who joined Mullen in the transition to Rhode Island spoke volumes to Liggio.

"When I saw how many of the players were coming over from Albany, it kind of told me that the coaches are really good," Liggio said. "If that many players want to stay with the coaches, it makes you feel better, especially when you are seeing a coaching change. All of the coaches are so upbeat and positive."

For now, Liggio chooses to stay positive about her own situation. The current rehabilitation timeline has her being cleared for basketball activity in January, making it unlikely she will play this season. However, with the new five-year eligibility rules, it is possible for her to come back without impacting her remaining seasons.

"What I am here to do this year is to pour into my teammates and let them know I am here for them," Liggio said. "I may not be on the court with them, but in practice I can be the one lifting them up if they are having a bad day. They are all so hard working. They have been so nice to me about my situation. When I am doing my extra work on the side, everyone comes over the give words of encouragement. You can tell this group is very family oriented. Nobody leaves anybody out, and that is something I am really happy for.

"I do think there is a silver lining to this injury. I'll be able to watch for a year, whether it is games or practices, and I'll use that time to learn a lot. Especially as a freshman in a new place and learning a new system, I think it'll wind up being really good for me to watch and really absorb the game from a new perspective. I'll have a better understanding through watching, so next year I'll be that much better when I am out there again."

 

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Catch up on the previous Summer Sessions features, written by Shane Donaldson:

Summer Sessions: Anaïs Levasseur 

Summer Sessions: Amori Jarrett

Summer Sessions: Lauren Bousquet

Summer Sessions: Alex Newson

Summer Sessions: Queen Ikhiuwu

Summer Sessions: Martina Borrellas

Summer Sessions: Delanie Hill

Summer Sessions: Sophia Vital

Summer Sessions: Amaya Stewart