Towson, Md. – India Johnston leads the Towson University women's basketball team in scoring and last week became the 20^th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points. Kayla Morris ranks seventh nationally in blocks shots per game, but the play of Semaya Turner has also helped Laura Harper's team start Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play with three victories in five games.

The senior forward averages a modest 5.4 points per game but is second on the squad in rebounding (5.5) and leads the team in "dirty work" – performing important but often unglamorous tasks that contribute significantly to a team's success. These hustle plays rarely show up prominently in the box score but are essential – things like aggressively pursuing rebounds on both ends of the floor, setting hard screens to free up teammates for open shots, playing fundamental defense and sacrificing her body to recover 50/50 balls and secure extra possessions.

"It is my last year, and I want to win a championship and will do literally whatever it takes," Turner said. "That is how I grew up playing – not backing down to anybody. All I see is an orange ball. There is nothing else to it, I just want the ball, and I want us to win."

"I don't think there are words to describe her value," added Harper. "You cannot look at the stat sheet and necessarily see that. She is our heartbeat, she is our energy, she is our captain. She is the one with the resilience about the next play."

Turner's resilience was tested two seasons ago. After earning All-Rookie honors in the Northeast Conference (NEC) at St. Francis in 2022-23, she played a total of 51 minutes for Towson in 2023-24.

"I had to do a lot of self-reflecting after my first season here and find what I needed to do best to help this team win," Turner reflected. "That summer, I came back with a totally different mindset. I needed to finish better around the rim and rebound; the things Coach Harper recruited me to do."

Harper noticed. Turner worked her way into the starting lineup in 2024-25 – averaging 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

This season, Turner came off the bench for the first 10 games before the coaching staff inserted, she and Morris into the starting lineup. The Tigers responded with five consecutive victories.

In the first five conference games, Turner is averaging team-best 8.6 rebounds per game – pulling down at least 10 boards three times, including a season-high 12 rebounds versus Stony Brook. She had her third career double-double (first at Towson) against Monmouth (10 pts, 11 rebounds).

"Kayla and I talked a lot, and we have chips on our shoulders because in previous years, there have been teams that beat us on our home court or teams we should not have lost to, and we don't want that to happen this season," said Turner, who will graduate in May with a Criminal Justice degree. "All the seniors are trying to hunt a championship, and I feel like now we are playing consistent basketball."
 
 "We are still trying to find out what is the best version of our team," Harper said. "But that best version is with Semaya Turner on the floor. She provides a level of toughness that coaches dream of. She is our enforcer, and we are extremely lucky to have her."