Chris Roupas (born September 19, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6 ft 5 in, 220 pound shooting guard, he played for Aiolos in Athens, Greece during the 1982–83 season.
Biography and career
Born in York, Pennsylvania, Roupas lettered his freshman and sophomore seasons for Head Coach Ron Trimmer in the Penn State Commonwealth Campus League at the Penn State York Campus in 1975 through 1977. At University Park, injuries at the start of his junior and senior years limited his playing. Not to be deterred from his injuries, Roupas helped the team out as a manager, record keeper, and practice body during his rehabilitation. Upon graduation in 1981, Roupas made a United States All-Star team composed of Greek-Americans sponsored by AHEPA. That team toured Greece in June 1982 where Roupas was spotted by Greek basketball coaches and asked to come back the following season and play professionally. Roupas is the first Penn State Nittany Lions Basketball Player to play professional basketball in Greece.
Penn State University
In the 1975–76 Commonwealth Campus League Season at the Penn State York Campus, Roupas played in 12 games, averaging 3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2 assists at the small forward position while averaging ten minutes of action in each game as a freshman. In the 1976–77 season, Roupas played in all 18 games, averaging 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. His most memorable three games first came on December 18, 1976, in his sophomore season, when Roupas came off the bench in the second half to hit 7 of 9 from the field and score fourteen points in just twelve minutes against Schuylkill to help preserve a 98–84 victory for the Nittany Lions. His next memorable game came on January 22, 1977, where in his first start against Allentown for the Penn State York Campus, Roupas scored 12 points in a 96–64 win for the Lions. Roupas continued his fine play the following week on January 29, 1977, when he scored 8 points coming off the bench at Delaware to help the Lions come from being down 9 points at the half to win 90–82 in front of a tough Delaware crowd. Despite limited action, Roupas had outstanding offensive statistics in his sophomore season with 108 points, making 45 out of 78 attempts from the field for 57.7%, and 18 out of 25 attempts from the free throw line for 72%. Roupas also was fourth on the team in rebounding with 72 rebounds. Trimmer called Roupas his most improved player from the year before with Roupas having the ability to provide instant offense when inserted into a game. Now as an alumnus, Roupas stays very active with the Penn State basketball alumni, Penn State's Coaches Versus Cancer, and with the Penn State Nittany Lion Hoops Club which helps to promote, support, and encourage participation in the Penn State men's basketball program. Roupas also serves on the Board of Directors for Penn State's Kappa Delta Rho fraternity which is one of the largest fraternity houses at Penn State's University Park. .