Drury University Athletics

AT DRURY
2020-21
Named a Third Team All-GLVC selection, her second career all-conference award...played in all 26 games, averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals...enters next season ranked 7th on Drury's all-time list for three-pointers made with 197...ended the '21 season ranked 8th all-time in assists with 313...put in a season-high 18 points in the NCAA-II Midwest Regional championship vs. Ashland on March 15...pulled down a career-high seven rebounds on Feb. 13 at Southern Indiana...added a season-high six assists vs. Ashland on March 15...named to GLVC All-Academic team.

2019-20
Played in 28 games as a junior…averaged 7.3 points and 1.1 steals in 15.9 minutes per games…shot .420 from three-point range hitting 47 of 112 from long-range…had a career-high 20 points at Rockhurst on Feb. 13…scored in double-figures nine games…named to GLVC All-Academic team for the third time in her career.

2018-19
Named 2nd Team All-GLVC...played in all 36 games and was Drury's third-leading scorer averaging 10.2 points as a sophomore...shot .383 from the field and .340 from three-point range...went 33 for 42 from the free throw line...collected 71 steals for the year...named to All-Thanksgiving Classic team and averaged 13 points, went 6 for 13 from three-point range, and averaged 5 assists in two games...scored a career-high 19 points against McKendree on March 8 in the quarterfinals of the GLVC tournament...had a career-high 6 rebounds at Maryville on Feb. 23...put up a career-high 10 assists twice (vs. Concordia (Ore.) on Dec. 17, and vs. Kentucky Wesleyan on March 15 in the first round of the NCAA-II tournament)...named to GLVC All-Academic Team for the second time in her career. 

2017-18
Played in 32 of Drury’s 34 games as a freshman…scored 216 points to average 6.8 per game…was third on the team with a .355 mark from three-point range…scored a season-high 18 points on 7 of 12  shooting at Missouri S&T Feb. 3…had four double-figure scoring games…recorded 68 assists and had a season-high six vs. Rockhurst on Feb. 22…had a season-high five rebounds vs. Missouri S&T on Jan. 13…named to the GLVC All-Academic Team.

HIGH SCHOOL 
Averaged 12.9 points and 4.3 assists in her senior season for West Plains...Finished her career with 1,253 points and 413 assists having played on the varsity squad since her freshman year...Was an Academic All-State honoree...Helped the Zizzers to a district title in her senior year....Named to MBCA Missouri Challenge All-Star game as a senior... Was an All-Ozarks Conference selection in all four years of her career and was a first team pick twice....Named All-State by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association as a junior...Helped lead the Zizzers to two Ozark Conference titles and averaged 15.3 points, 3.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game in her junior year.

PERSONAL
Daughter of Pat and Jeff Richards...Major is Biology.

PAYTON'S FAVORITES
Favorite class: Abnormal Psychology
Hobbies: playing piano and making music
Favorite website or app: Snapchat
Athlete you most admire: Sue Bird
Person that most inspires you: Mom and Dad
Best moment you've had as an athlete: Winning Regional Championship last year

PAYTON RICHARD'S DRURY CAREER HIGHS
Points: 20 at Rockhurst (2/13/20)
Rebounds: 6, 2x, vs. Kentucky Wesleyan (3/15/19), 6 at Maryville (2/23/19)
Steals: 6 vs. Missouri S&T (12/1/18)
Assists: 10, 2x, vs. Kentucky Wesleyan (3/15/19), 10 vs. Concordia (12/1718)
Blocks: 2 at Maryville (2/10/18)