1.
Women's National Basketball Association
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The Womens National Basketball Association is a professional womens basketball league in the United States. It is currently composed of twelve teams, the league was founded on April 24,1996 as the womens counterpart to the National Basketball Association, and league play started in 1997. The regular season is played from June to September with the All Star game being played midway through the season in July, many WNBA teams have direct NBA counterparts and play in the same arena. The four aforementioned franchises, along with the Atlanta Dream and the Los Angeles Sparks, are all independently owned. The creation of the WNBA was officially approved by the NBA Board of Governors on April 24,1996, and announced at a conference with Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie. The new WNBA had to compete with the recently-formed American Basketball League, while not the first major womens professional basketball league in the United States, the WNBA is the only league to receive full backing of the NBA. The WNBA logo, Logo Woman, paralleled the NBA logo and was selected out of 50 different designs. On the heels of a gold medal run by the 1996 USA Basketball Womens National Team at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The first WNBA game featured the New York Liberty facing the Los Angeles Sparks in Los Angeles, the game was televised nationally in the United States on the NBC television network. Penny Toler scored the leagues first point, the WNBA centered its marketing campaign, dubbed We Got Next, around stars Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes. In the leagues first season, Leslies Los Angeles Sparks underperformed, the WNBAs true star in 1997 was WNBA MVP Cynthia Cooper, Swoopes teammate on the Houston Comets. The Comets defeated Lobos New York Liberty in the first WNBA Championship game, the initial We Got Next advertisement ran before each WNBA season until it was replaced with the We Got Game campaign. Two teams were added in 1998 and two more in 1999, bringing the number of teams in the league up to twelve and we expect to keep growing the league. In 1999, the chief competition, the American Basketball League. When a lockout resulted in an abbreviated NBA season, the WNBA saw faltering TV viewership, on May 23,2000, the Houston Comets became the first WNBA team to be invited to the White House Rose Garden. Before this invitation, only mens sports teams had traveled to the White House, at the end of the 2000 season, the Houston Comets won their fourth championship, capturing every title since the leagues inception. Led by the Big Three of Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson, and four-time Finals MVP Cynthia Cooper, under head coach Van Chancellor, the team posted a 98–24 record through their first four seasons. After 2000, Cooper retired from the league and the Comets dynasty came to an end, the top contender in the 2001 season was the Los Angeles Sparks
2.
George Washington Colonials
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The George Washington Colonials are the athletic teams of George Washington University of Washington, D. C. The Colonials compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference for most sports, smith Center, which is also shared with other GW Colonials athletic programs. The team competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference and it qualified for the NCAA Division I Mens Basketball Tournament in 2014 for the first time since 2007 and won the NIT Tournament Championship in 2016. The Colonials head coach is Maurice Joseph, the GW Colonials baseball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of George Washington University. The team is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Associations Division I, the team plays its home games at Tucker Field in Barcroft Park, Arlington, Virginia. The Colonials are coached by Gregg Ritchie, George Washingtons first baseball team was fielded in 1891. The GW Colonials mens soccer competes in NCAA Division 1 Mens Soccer in the A10 along with 13 other teams. The program began in 1967 and has earned two A10 Championships in 2002 and 2004 and two regular-season A10 titles in 1992 and 2011, the team made it to the NCAA Tournament 3 times, including the Round of Sweet 16 in 1989. The GW Colonials mens soccer team has won the DC College Cup twice in 2007 and 2008, the cup is a competition between four Washington DC Universities including George Mason University, American University, and Howard University. The womens gymnastics team is coached by Margie Foster Cunningham, in the 2013-2014 season, the Colonials were led by senior captains, Taylor Henderson, Kayla Carto, and Betsy Zander. The gymnastics team competes as a member of the East Atlantic Gymnastics League Mens rowing is sanctioned by the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, not by the NCAA, the mens and womens water polo teams compete as members of the Southern-East Division of the Collegiate Water Polo Association. George Washington Universitys football program ran from 1881 to 1966, the final George Washington game came on Thanksgiving Day,1966, when the team lost to Villanova, 16–7. GW ended the season with a 4–6 record and Jim Camp was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year, on January 19,1967, the Board of Trustees voted to end the football program. Poor game attendance and the expense of the program contributed to the decision. A former GW player, Harry Ledford, believed that most people were unwilling to commute into Washington, D. C. which did not have a rail at the time. Additionally, Maryland and Virginia were nationally competitive teams that drew potential spectators away from GW
3.
Indiana State Sycamores
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The Indiana State Sycamores are the NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic teams of Indiana State University. Since the 1977–78 academic year, Indiana State has been a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, past conference memberships include the Indiana College Athletic League, the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference, the Indiana Collegiate Conference and the Midwestern Conference. The womens teams were Gateway members from the leagues 1982 founding until its absorption by the MVC, in 1986, a year after the Gateway took on football as its only mens sport, the Sycamores football team joined that conference. During the 1950s and 1960s, the tree itself was used as Indiana States mascot. This change paid homage to the fact that ISU was the State university of a named after Indians. A member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Indiana State University sponsors six mens and eight teams in NCAA sanctioned sports with womens swimming and diving to be added. Indiana States softball team has appeared in two Womens College World Series in 1974 and 1976, notes As of January 1,2016, Indiana State has won one NCAA team championship. Kurt Thomas led the mens team to the 1977 NCAA National Championship. In 1973 and 1979, the finished in third place in the NCAA Championships. In 1971, Coach Grete Treiber led the ISU womens gymnastics team to a national runner-up finish at the AIAW National Championships, in 1964, Coach Roger Counsil led the ISU mens freshman gymnastics team to a national runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. The team was the NCAA Division I national runner-up in 1979, the mens basketball team won the 1950 NAIA National Championship and finished as national runner-up in 1946 and 1948. The 1950 team placed eight players on the 1951 Pan-American Games gold medal-winning team, head Coach John Longfellow also served as co-head coach of the Pan-American Games team. Indiana State has won 29 NCAA Individual Championships, holli Hyche -7 Kurt Thomas -5 Kylie Hutson -4 ^ Indoor,149 - NCAA Record † Outdoor, 14’7. 11 titles in baseball and mens basketball,30 titles in baseball, mens basketball, mens cross-country, mens golf, football, mens swimming, mens track & field and wrestling. Andi Myers—Gateway Basketball Coach of the Year 57 titles in baseball, mens and womens basketball, mens and womens tennis, mens and womens track & field, of particular note, the Runnin Sycamores have won 32 titles in the past 26 seasons. * Note – All of the above information is from the media guides available at www. gosycamores. com or from the Indiana State archives. Indiana State University has hosted twelve NCAA Division I cross country championships at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, ISU will also host the 2017 NCAA Great Lakes Regionals in cross country. Indiana State University hosted the 10th NCAA Wrestling Championships in 1937, the university also hosted the 1975 NCAA Gymnastics National Championships
4.
Charlotte Sting
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The Charlotte Sting was a Womens National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the leagues eight original teams. The team folded on January 3,2007, the Sting was originally the sister organization of the Charlotte Hornets, until that NBA team relocated to New Orleans in 2002. Robert L. Uniforms, 1997–2003, on the road, teal with white and purple trim, at home, white with teal and purple trim. Sting logo mascot on the shorts, similar to the Charlotte Hornets 2004–2006, on the road, orange with blue trim, at home, white with orange trim. Sting logo mascot on the shorts, similar to the Charlotte Bobcats, the Charlotte Sting was one of the eight original WNBA franchises that began play in 1997. The Sting were then the team to the Charlotte Hornets. The Sting finished their first season with a 15-13 record and qualified for the first WNBA playoffs, the 1998 Sting finished the season with an 18-12 record. In the playoffs, the Sting once again lost the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Houston Comets, and their record, however, fell to 15-17 in 1999. It was still enough to them for the playoffs, where they defeated the Detroit Shock in the opening round 60-54. In the Conference Finals, the Sting fell to the New York Liberty 2 games to 1, the 2000 season was very disappointing for the Sting, with a final record of 8-24. They missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the 2001 Sting lost 10 of their first 11 games. But the team lost only 4 games after that, finishing with an 18-14 record, although they had barely qualified for the playoffs as the #4 seed, no one wanted to face them. In the first round, the Sting upset first the #1 seeded Cleveland Rockers and then the #2 New York Liberty, for the first time in franchise history, the Sting found themselves in the WNBA Finals. But the magic ended there for the Sting, as they were swept by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2 games, the Sting posted a solid 18-14 record in the 2002 season, but were swept by the Washington Mystics in the first round of the playoffs. After the 2001–2002 NBA season, the Charlotte Hornets relocated to New Orleans for a number of reasons, the Sting did not accompany the Hornets out to New Orleans. For one season, the Sting had no brother team, the NBA immediately announced after the Hornets moved that a new team would begin play in Charlotte starting in the 2004–2005 season. Shortly after, the owner of new franchise was announced as Robert L. Johnson. Johnson also bought the Sting to play as the team of the new Charlotte Bobcats
5.
Cleveland Rockers
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The Cleveland Rockers was a Womens National Basketball Association team based in Cleveland, Ohio, that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the eight franchises of the WNBA. The owner was Gordon Gund, who at the time owned the NBAs Cleveland Cavaliers. In October 2003, Gund announced that his Gund Arena Company would no longer operate the Rockers, the team folded after the 2003 season as the league was not able to find new ownership for the team. The city of Cleveland was granted one of the original 8 franchises of the WNBA, the Cleveland Rockers got their nickname from Clevelands Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1997, they started with such players like Isabelle Fijalkowski and former Harlem Globetrotters member Lynette Woodard, the Rockers finished 15-13 in the first WNBA season ever, missing the playoffs in 1997. In 1998, the Rockers went 20-10 and won the Eastern Conference title, however, the Rockers lost to the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA semi-finals. The Rockers had their best regular season in 2001, going 22-10 and winning the Eastern Conference and their relentless defense allowed just 55.9 points per game that year, a record that still stands. But the Rockers would be upended by the Charlotte Sting in the 1st round, the 2002 Rockers fell by 12 games over the previous years mark, posting a 10-22 record. In 2003, the Rockers would go 17-17, good enough for the #4 seed in the East, however, they would fall in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Detroit Shock,2003 was the Rockers last playoff appearance. This is also the team in the WNBA to qualify for the playoffs in their last season of play. After the 2002 season, the Gunds decided to buy the Rockers from the WNBA, however, despite fielding competitive teams and having decent attendance for most games, the Gund family decided they did not wish to operate the Rockers after the 2003 season. No local ownership was found for the team, forcing the Rockers to fold, the Rockers ceased operation after 7 seasons, posting an all-time record of 108-112. This wouldnt happen again until 2008 when the Houston Comets ceased operations because of lack of ownership, Lynette Woodard Head Coaches, Linda Hill-MacDonald Dan Hughes
6.
Detroit Shock
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The Detroit Shock was a Womens National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003,2006, and 2008 WNBA champions, debuting in 1998, it was one of the leagues first expansion franchises. It was also the first WNBA expansion franchise to win a WNBA Championship, the team was the sister team of the Detroit Pistons and from 2002 to the 2009 season was coached by Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer. On October 20,2009, it was announced that the Shock would be moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma to play in the new downtown arena, former mens college coach Nolan Richardson was named the teams new head coach. The Shock roster and history was retained along with the Shock name, but the colors were changed to black, red. The franchise is known as Dallas Wings. The Shock were one of the first WNBA expansion teams and began play in 1998, the Detroit Shock - named after the Shock absorber, a car piece like the Pistons - quickly brought in a blend of rookies and veterans. The Shocks first coach was hall of famer Nancy Lieberman, the Shock would start out their inaugural season 0-4, but would put together an amazing expansion season, and finish 17-13, missing out on the postseason by one game. In 1999, the Shock finished 15-17, in a three way tie for the playoffs with the Orlando Miracle and the Charlotte Sting, the Shock and Sting played a one-game playoff, which the Shock would lose 60-54. In 2000, the Shock would finish with a 14-18 record and this time, the Shock would lose the tiebreaker and not qualify, losing to the Washington Mystics. Lieberman was fired after the season and replaced by Greg Williams, after the season in the 2001 WNBA Draft, the Shock would draft Deanna Nolan with the #6 pick. She would later develop into the team star, the 2001 Shock would finish the season with a 10-22 record, this time tying three teams for last place in the Eastern Conference. The 2002 Shock started the season 0-10, at which point Williams was fired and replaced by former Detroit Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer. After massive changes to the roster, Laimbeer predicted before the 2003 season that the Shock would be league champions, the Shock would tear up the East in the regular season, posting a 25-9 record and winning the #1 seed by 7 games. In the playoffs, the Shock would defeat the Cleveland Rockers 2-1 for their first playoff win in franchise history. In the Conference Finals, the Shock swept the Connecticut Sun 2-0 to reach the WNBA Finals, despite the achievements, the Shock were viewed as huge underdogs to the two time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks, who were looking for a three-peat. The Shock would emerge victorious in the series, winning a thrilling Game Three 83-78 and that game would draw the largest crowd ever in WNBA history. Detroit, much like the 1991 Minnesota Twins in baseball, became the first team in WNBA history to make it from last place one season to WNBA champions the next season
7.
Minnesota Lynx
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The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Womens National Basketball Association. The team was founded prior to the 1999 season, the team is owned by Glen Taylor, who also owns the Lynx NBA counterpart, the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lynx have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in eight of their eighteen years in Minnesota, the team won the WNBA title in 2011,2013, and 2015. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as Katie Smith, explosive small-forward Seimone Augustus, native Minnesotan Lindsay Whalen, on April 22,1998, the WNBA announced they would add two expansion teams for the 1999 season. The team was named the Minnesota Lynx on December 5,1998. The Lynx started their season in 1999 with 12,122 fans in attendance to watch the first regular-season game against the Detroit Shock at Target Center. The Lynx defeated Detroit 68-51 in the franchises first game and they finished their first season 15–17 overall and held the same record in 2000. In 2001, the Lynx took a turn for the worse as they posted a 12–20 record, the Lynx first head coach Brian Agler was released during the 2002 season after compiling a 47–67 record in three-plus seasons. Heidi VanDerveer became the head coach for the remainder of the season. The team finished the 2002 season with a 10–22 record, worst in franchise history, in 2003, the Lynx hired Suzie McConnell Serio as head coach. She led the team to finish with a franchise-best 18–16 record and they matched both of these feats in the 2004 season. The 2005 season was one of transition for the franchise, leading scorer Katie Smith was dealt to Detroit in July and the team stumbled down the stretch, missing the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Lynx began the 2006 season as the youngest team in the WNBA, on May 31, the team set the WNBA single game scoring record, routing the Los Angeles Sparks by a score of 114–71. That victory however, was a bright spot in a frustrating season. With her team floundering to an 8–15 record, head coach Suzie McConnell Serio resigned on July 23 and she was replaced by assistant Carolyn Jenkins, who piloted the squad to a 2–9 finish. The teams 24 losses set a franchise record, following the season, Augustus was named the 2006 WNBA Rookie of the Year. The 22-year-old was the player in team history to win the award. On December 13,2006, the Lynx named veteran NBA assistant Don Zierden their fifth head coach and his staff included Carolyn Jenkins former Lynx player Teresa Edwards
8.
WNBA Coach of the Year Award
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The Womens National Basketball Associations Coach of the Year is an annual Womens National Basketball Association award given since the leagues inaugural season. The winner is selected at the end of regular season by a panel of sportswriters from the United States, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is five points, each second-place vote is worth three points, and each third-place vote is worth one point. The person with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, six coaches have won the award and later proceeded to win the WNBA Finals, Van Chancellor, Bill Laimbeer, John Whisenant, Brian Agler, Cheryl Reeve, and Sandy Brondello. Thibault to be named 2008 WNBA Coach of the Year
9.
2011 WNBA Finals
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The 2011 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2011 season of the Womens National Basketball Association, and the conclusion of the seasons playoffs. The Minnesota Lynx, champions of the Western Conference, swept the champions of the Eastern Conference, the WNBA Finals was under a 2–2–1 rotation. The Lynx held home-court advantage as they had a regular season record than the Dream. The 2011 Finals marked the first time the teams met in the championship round, the Lynx made their first ever appearance in the Finals while the Dream were making their second consecutive appearance, after appearing in the 2010 championship series. Prior to 2011 the Minnesota franchise had not won a playoff series and they had not qualified for the postseason since 2004. Only four players had experience, Rebekkah Brunson, Alexis Hornbuckle, Taj McWilliams-Franklin. To advance to the Finals, the Lynx defeated Diana Taurasi, Atlanta won its second straight Eastern Conference championship by defeating the top-seeded Indiana Fever 2–1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. This was the first time in WNBA history that both Finals teams were coached by women, Minnesotas Cheryl Reeve had been involved with the WNBA since 2001, she won championships with the Detroit Shock in 2006 and 2008 as an assistant to Bill Laimbeer. This was the second consecutive Finals series to feature the most recent Coach of the Year, Atlantas Marynell Meadors, the 2009 Coach of the Year, was one of the leagues original eight head coaches, leading the Charlotte Sting to a 15–13 record in their inaugural season. The 2011 WNBA Finals were the first since 2005 to feature two teams that have not previously won a WNBA championship, the Lynx won the opening game of the series 88-74, using a 13-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter to break open a close game. They then won their home game 101-95 behind 36 points from Seimone Augustus. Dream forward Angel McCoughtry scored 35 points in Game 1 and 38 in Game 2, matching and surpassing her finals scoring record from 2010. In Game 3, the Lynx trailed the Dream at halftime again, the Dream closed to within one point in the fourth quarter, but never retook the lead, the Lynx won the game 73-67, clinching their first title. The Lynx won the season series, Again, the Dream advanced to the WNBA Finals for the second straight year by overcoming not having homecourt advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Atlanta Dream faced adversity early in the due to Sancho Lyttles overseas commitments. To the advantage of the Dream, the group of players returned from the teams 2010 run to the Finals. The addition of former draft pick Lindsey Harding as starting point guard helped the team even further. After starting the season with a dreadful 3–9 record, the Dream caught fire to go 17–5 to finish the season and entered the playoffs with the same momentum
10.
2013 WNBA Finals
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The 2013 WNBA Finals was the playoff series for the 2013 season of the Womens National Basketball Association, and the conclusion of the seasons playoffs. The Minnesota Lynx, champions of the Western Conference, defeated the Atlanta Dream, the WNBA Finals were under a 2–2–1 rotation. The Lynx held home-court advantage as they had a regular season record than the Dream. The meeting is a rematch of the 2011 WNBA Finals, in which the Lynx defeated the Dream in three games, the Lynx won the first game of the series 84-59, and the second 88-63. They finished the sweep with an 86-77 win in Atlanta, becoming the second WNBA team to sweep through the playoffs since the finals format was adopted. The Atlanta Dream finished 17-17, good for second place in the Eastern Conference, the Dream featured Angel McCoughtry, who won her second consecutive scoring title in 2013, as well as Brazilian center Erika de Souza. However, the Dream played the Finals without Sancho Lyttle, who had gone down with an injury during the season, the Minnesota Lynx finished with the best record in the WNBA for the third straight year. The Lynx swept both fourth-seeded Seattle and pre-season favorites Phoenix to win their third consecutive Western Conference crown, the Lynx returned their core nucleus of Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Maya Moore, and Lindsay Whalen, all of whom played on the Lynxs 2011 championship team. The season series was tied, 1-1, All times are in Eastern Daylight Time, the Minnesota Lynx came out determined not to lose game one at home as they had in the 2012 WNBA Finals. Maya Moore led the Lynx with 23 points, and Monica Wright added 20 off the bench as the Lynx cruised past the dream 84-59, Angel McCoughtry led the Dream with 17 points. The Lynx came out on fire in Game 2, opening up an 11-point lead after the first quarter that they would never relinquish, Seimone Augustus led the Lynx in scoring with 20 points, and all five starters finished the game in double figures. Angel McCoughtry was hampered by trouble throughout the night. The Lynx opened up an 8-point lead at the end of the first quarter, Maya Moore of the Lynx was named WNBA Finals MVP
11.
WNBA All-Star Game
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Since 2004, the game is not held in years when the Summer Olympics take place. Each conference is represented by a team of 12 players who are currently having the best seasons performance-wise around the league, the starters are determined by fans voting through internet ballots. The rest of the players are selected by league personnel including head coaches as well as media personalities, at the end of the game, an all-star game Most Valuable Player is named, as decided by a panel of media members. In 2004, the game was not played in its format due to the WNBA players competing in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. That year, the USA national team defeated a team of WNBA All-Stars 74-58 at Radio City Music Hall and this game is not considered to be an All-Star Game. No game was played in 2008 due to the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, the 2010 game also matched Team USA against a WNBA All-Star team, with Team USA winning 99–72 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Much like the 2004 game, this matchup is not considered to be an All-Star Game. No game was played in 2012 due to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, no game was played in 2016 due to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Western Conference leads the overall series 9-4, seven current WNBA cities have yet to host the All-Star Game, Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Dallas. List of WNBA All-Stars Womens National Basketball Association NBA All-Star Game
12.
2013 WNBA All-Star Game
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The 2013 WNBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on July 27,2013 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, the current home of the Connecticut Sun. This was the 11th edition of the WNBA All-Star Game, and was played during the 2013 WNBA season and this was the third time the event had been held in Connecticut, the others being the 2005 and 2009 games. Starters for the game were selected by fan voting, fans were able to select three frontcourt players and two guards. Chicago Sky rookie Elena Delle Donne led voting with 35,646 votes, coaches were determined by the previous years conference championships. Lin Dunn, coach of the defending WNBA and East champion Indiana Fever coached the Eastern Conference, while Cheryl Reeve, coach of the defending West champion Minnesota Lynx and it was the first time coaching the All-Star Game for both coaches. Delle Donne was unable to due to a concussion, and was replaced in the starting lineup by Tina Charles of Connecticut. Forward Candice Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks was the top vote getter in the West, starting guards for the West were Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury. Griner was unable to due to a knee injury, and was replaced in the starting lineup by Rebekkah Brunson of the Lynx. Reserves included Lindsay Whalen of the Lynx, Kristi Toliver and Nneka Ogwumike of the Sparks, Glory Johnson of the Tulsa Shock, veteran forward Tina Thompson of the Seattle Storm was named as an injury replacement for Griner, marking her record ninth appearance in an All-Star Game. The West jumped out to a lead, but saw it evaporate by halftime. Candice Parker then took over, finishing with an All-Star record 23 points, as the West defeated the East 102-98
13.
2014 WNBA All-Star Game
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The 2014 WNBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on July 19,2014 at the venue then known as US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, the current home of the Phoenix Mercury. This was the 12th edition of the WNBA All-Star Game, and was played during the 2014 WNBA season and this was the second time the event had been held in Phoenix, the other being the 2000 game. Starters for the game were selected by fan voting and announced on July 8,2014, fans were able to select three frontcourt players and two guards. The leading vote-getter was Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx with 28,389 votes, Shoni Schimmel won the MVP of the All-Star game and led the Eastern Conference to a 125-124 victory over the Western Conference. Under All-Star Game rules, the coaches came from the previous years conference champions, cheryl Reeve, coach of the defending WNBA and West champion Lynx, coached the Western Conference for the second straight year. Williams successor in Atlanta, Michael Cooper, was selected as the East coach based on the Dreams conference-leading 11–4 record through games on June 29, starting guards for the East were Dream rookie Shoni Schimmel and Cappie Pondexter of the New York Liberty. Schimmels selection marked the third consecutive All-Star Game in which at least one rookie had been voted in as a starter, following Moore in 2011 and Delle Donne, reserves for both conferences were announced on July 15 during the Los Angeles Sparks–Indiana Fever game, televised by ESPN2. Along with Moore, frontcourt starters for the West were Candace Parker of the Sparks, starting guards for the West were Diana Taurasi of the Mercury and Skylar Diggins of the Shock. Notably, Chiney and Nneka Oguwmike became the first set of sisters ever selected to the same All-Star Game, two initially chosen players were unable to play in the game. East starter Delle Donne was ruled out due to a flare-up of Lyme disease, Delle Donne was replaced on the roster by Ivory Latta of the Washington Mystics, and Augustus by Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm. Delle Donnes place in the East starting lineup was taken by Souza, the game was marked by records and milestones, Tamika Catchings was selected for the ninth time, tying her with Tina Thompson for the most selections. Catchings also took possession of the record for most All-Star Game appearances. This was the first All-Star Game to go to overtime, three players broke the previous All-Star Game scoring record of 23 points set last year by Candace Parker. Shoni Schimmel scored 23 points after the break, finishing with 29, Skylar Diggins had 27. Brittney Griners 17 points included the third dunk in All-Star Game history and this gave her four dunks in her two WNBA seasons, at game time, all other WNBA players in history had six. The game was close throughout, but the East took a fourth-quarter lead, the West took a 7-point lead with 1,59 to play, but the East scored the games final 8 points, capped by a Catchings layup with 6.9 seconds left. Catchings then sealed the East win by knocking the ball away from Diggins. MVP honors went to Schimmel, a rookie who at the time was not starting for the Atlanta Dream and had voted in as a starter mainly because of her huge following among her fellow Native Americans
14.
2006 WNBA Finals
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The 2006 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2006 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the seasons playoffs. The Detroit Shock, second-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Sacramento Monarchs, second-seeded champions of the Western Conference, the Shock made their second appearance in the Finals in four years. The Monarchs appeared in the Finals for the second time after having won the title in 2005. Going into the series, the Shock had won one championship, the Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won. The Shocks 23-11 record gave them home advantage over Sacramento. The Shock and the Monarchs split the season series, All times listed below are Eastern Daylight Time. Kara Lawson led an attack with 22 points as the Monarchs posted an impressive 95-71 victory over the Detroit Shock in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. Sacramento, which set a WNBA Finals record for points, field goals and 3-pointers, Cheryl Ford scored 25 points and Katie Smith added 21 for Detroit, which is seeking its second title in four years. The Shock certainly will not get there committing a Finals-record 24 turnovers as they did in Game 1, Sacramento officially took charge of the contest with an 8-0 run during the third quarter that turned a 13-point lead into a 61-40 bulge with 6,09 to play. Nicole Powell ignited the surge with a 3-pointer and Griffith made a pair of baskets before Ticha Penicheiro capped the run with a free throw. The Shock got within 76-62 midway through the quarter. Lawson finished 6-of-8 from the arc, setting a Finals record for made 3-pointers, Powell connected on 4-of-7 attempts as Sacramento finished 10-of-19 from long range. Swin Cash collected 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Detroit, trailing by nine at the half and 54-48 entering the final period, the Shock were on the verge of being one game away from a Finals loss. However, after scoring the last three points of the quarter, Detroit ran off the first eight points of the frame. A jumper by Nolan capped the spurt and gave the Shock the lead for good, 56-54, after Detroit maintained the edge over the next five minutes, Katie Smith made it 67-58 on a 3-pointer with 2,57 to go. Yolanda Griffith scored 15 points, and Nicole Powell added 14, capturing its 11th consecutive home playoff victory, Sacramento improved its home record in the postseason to 12–2, the best mark in league history. On the way to claiming their first title last season, the Monarchs stole home-court advantage from the Connecticut Sun, so far, that has been the same blueprint Sacramento has used to take control of this series. After setting a Finals record for points in a 95–71 victory in the opener in Detroit on Wednesday, rookie Scholanda Dorrell sank a pair of three-pointers during the burst
15.
2008 WNBA Finals
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The 2008 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2008 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the seasons playoffs. The Detroit Shock, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference and this was Detroits third title in six years. 2008 marked the first time since switching to a format that the Finals series was swept. The Shock made their appearance in the Finals in six years. The Silver Stars appeared in the Finals for the first time in franchise history, going into the series, the Shock had won two championships, tied with the Los Angeles Sparks for second most in WNBA history. The now defunct Houston Comets hold the record four championships won. The Silver Stars 24–10 record gave them home advantage over Detroit. It did not matter, however, as the Shock swept the series, the San Antonio Silver Stars won both games in the regular season series, All times listed below are Eastern Daylight Time. The Silver Stars defense was able to hold Deanna Nolan to just 10 points in forty minutes of play, but they had no answer for Katie Smith or Taj McWilliams-Franklin. The Silver Stars, who lost to an Eastern Conference team for the first time all season after 14 wins, were led by Sophia Youngs 21 points and 16 from Ann Wauters, the Silver Stars went cold, shooting 4-of-16 in the second quarter. San Antonio played without key reserves Helen Darling and Edwige Lawson-Wade, Darling strained her right calf and Lawson-Wade sprained her right ankle during Saturdays Game 2 victory over Los Angeles in the Western Conference semifinals. Detroit, already without All-Star forward Cheryl Ford, missed Plenette Pierson for the time in the last five games because of a labrum tear in her right shoulder. Katie Smith scored 22 points and the Shock built a big lead in the first quarter, then hung on to beat the San Antonio Silver Stars 69-61 and go up 2-0. Deanna Nolan and Kara Braxton added 12 points each for the Shock, Detroit made nine of its first 10 shots and San Antonio missed its first seven attempts, allowing the Shock to build a 10-0 lead. The Silver Stars didnt score from the floor until 5,57 into the game, Plenette Pierson, wearing a protective wrap on her shoulder after missing Game 1 with an injury, answered with a reverse layup for her only points of the night. Smith followed with two free throws that gave Detroit a 48-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Shock expanded the lead to 66-55 with 2,15 to play after Smith hit a 10-foot jumper, Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored on a 17-footer and Braxton made a layup. Detroit became the team in league history to win a third championship. Only the Houston Comets, who won the first four, have more, Los Angeles is the only other team with more than one
16.
Basketball
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Basketball is a non-contact team sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of five players each. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate and it is a violation to lift, or drag, ones pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling. The game has many techniques for displaying skill—ball-handling, shooting, passing, dribbling, dunking, shot-blocking. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coachs game plan, Basketball is one of the worlds most popular and widely viewed sports. Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague, the FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for teams, like EuroBasket. The FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup features the top womens basketball teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Womens Basketball Premier League, in early December 1891, Canadian Dr. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot elevated track. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball and these laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith, dribbling was not part of the original game except for the bounce pass to teammates. Passing the ball was the means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a part of the game around the 1950s
17.
Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
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Washington Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. Washington Township was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 17,1836, the Township officially moved to the newly created Camden County on March 13,1844. Monroe Township was created on March 3,1859, from part of the township, additional transfers to Gloucester Township were made in 1926 and 1931. The township was named for George Washington, one of more than ten communities statewide named for the first president and it is one of five municipalities in the state of New Jersey with the name Washington Township. Another municipality, Washington Borough, is surrounded by Washington Township. In 2008, CNN/Money and Money Magazine ranked Washington Township 58th on its list of the 100 Best Cities to Live in the United States, the oldest community in Washington Township, Grenloch Terrace, was a thriving Lenape Native American village called Tetamekon. Sewell is named after General William Joyce Sewell, who was elected to the United States Senate in 1881 and 1895, and served as President of the New Jersey Senate in 1876,1879 and 1880. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had an area of 21.600 square miles. Turnersville is a community and census-designated place located within Washington Township. As of the census of 2010, there were 48,559 people,17,287 households, the population density was 2,271.0 per square mile. There were 17,810 housing units at a density of 833.0 per square mile. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3. 65% of the population,19. 3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8. 3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the family size was 3.23. In the township, the population was out with 24. 0% under the age of 18,9. 1% from 18 to 24,23. 5% from 25 to 44,31. 0% from 45 to 64. The median age was 40.6 years, for every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 89.0 males, the Census Bureaus 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $79,017 and the median family income was $94,585. Males had an income of $62,702 versus $46,628 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,038, about 2. 6% of families and 3. 9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5. 3% of those under age 18 and 5. 4% of those age 65 or over
18.
Rhodes Scholarship
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The Rhodes Scholarship, named for the British mining magnate and South African politician Cecil John Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford. It is widely considered to be one of the worlds most prestigious scholarships, established in 1902, it was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, inspiring the creation of a great many other awards in other countries. With the scholarships, he aimed at making Oxford University the educational centre of the English-speaking race, since its creation, controversy has surrounded both its former exclusion of women, and Rhodes Anglo-supremacist beliefs and legacy of colonialism. As of 2016, there have been 7,776 scholars since the programmes inception, more than 4,700 are still living. The Rhodes Scholarships are administered and awarded by the Rhodes Trust, which was established in 1902 under the terms and conditions of the will of Cecil John Rhodes, Rhodes motivation in establishing the scholarship is reflected in his will. Stead noted that it him to the world as the first distinguished British statesman whose Imperialism was that of Race, with the scholarships, he aimed at making Oxford University the educational centre of the English-speaking race. With this motivation in mind, the legacy originally provided for scholarships for the British colonies and these three were chosen because it was thought that a good understanding between England, Germany and the United States of America will secure the peace of the world. In 1925, the Commonwealth Fund Fellowships were established to reciprocate the Rhodes Scholarships by enabling British graduates to study in the United States and it also cooperates with universities in China, BLCC for example. BLCC offers high-level scholarships for students who aim to study Chinese in Beijing. In 1953, the Parliament of the United Kingdom created the Marshall Scholarship as an alternative to the Rhodes Scholarship that would serve as a living gift to the United States. For at least its first 75 years, Rhodes Scholars usually studied for a second Bachelor of Arts degree, while that remains an option, more recent scholars usually study for an advanced degree. In recognition of the centenary of the foundation of the Rhodes Trust in 2003 and these were John Brademas, Bob Hawke, Rex Nettleford and David R. Woods. During the centenary celebrations, the foundation of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation was also marked, Cecil Rhodes wished current scholars and Rhodes alumni to have opportunities of meeting and discussing their experiences and prospects. Each countrys scholarship varies in its selectivity, in the United States, in 2014, there were 857 university-endorsed applicants for the Americans Rhodes scholarship, of whom 3. 7% were ultimately elected. In Canada between 1997-2002, there were an average of 234 university-endorsed applicants annually for 11 scholarships, for a rate of 4. 7%. An early change was the elimination of the scholarships for Germany during the First, no German scholars were chosen from 1914 to 1929, nor from 1940 to 1969. Rhodess bequest was whittled down considerably in the first decades after his death, a change occurred in 1929, when an Act of Parliament established a fund separate from the original proceeds of Rhodess will and made it possible to expand the number of scholarships. Between 1993 and 1995, scholarships were extended to countries in the European Community
19.
La Salle University
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La Salle University is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Named for St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the university was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the university offers traditional, online, and hybrid courses and programs. The university is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church through the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, La Salle College was founded in March 1863 as an all-male college by Brother Teliow and Archbishop James Wood of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It was first located at St. Michaels Parish on N. 2nd Street in the Olde Kensington section of Philadelphia, La Salle soon moved to the building vacated by St. Josephs College at 1234 Filbert Street in Center City, Philadelphia. Due to space constraints, in 1930 La Salle moved to its current campus at the intersection of 20th Street, the new location had a suburban feel with ample land, but was linked to the city by trolleys and the newly constructed Broad Street Subway. The 1930s proved to be a decade for La Salle. The main academic building on campus, College Hall was unable to be finished due to a lack of funds, the colleges closing was prevented by a 75th Anniversary Fund Drive in 1938, spearheaded by Philadelphia businessman John McCarthy. Funds raised from this also enabled La Salle to purchase a tract of land to the east of 19th Street. Several new buildings were constructed in the 1940s and 1950s, including a new library, student union, and it was also during this time that the first student residence halls were constructed at La Salle, mostly on land purchased from the former Belfield Country Club. Additional student housing was provided by purchasing or renting local homes, such as the known as The Mansion, on David. During the 1960s, the school section moved out due to the lack of space after many years of sharing the same campus with the College. La Salle admitted women to its classes in 1970, becoming a fully co-educational institution. A year later, La Salle opened Olney Hall, its academic building. It was also during this era, in 1984, that La Salle was granted University status, in 2007, La Salle acquired the former Germantown Hospital, now West Campus, and constructed The Shoppes at La Salle shopping center across the street in 2008. The construction of the Shoppes at La Salle and addition of The Fresh Grocer ended a decades-long food desert in Germantown, in October 2015, La Salle inaugurated its first lay person and first woman president, Dr. Colleen Hanycz, former president of Brescia University College. In 2015, Hanycz led consolidation and prioritization efforts, ultimately firing a dozen prominent staff members and administrators. The university even cut six undergraduate majors, which were mostly in the language department. However, just a year after her arrival, the stated that it would decrease tuition by 29 percent
20.
Indiana State Sycamores women's basketball
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The Indiana State Sycamores basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Missouri Valley Conference. The Sycamores share a rivalry with the Ball State Cardinals. The Sycamores also own an 11-9 series lead over the Purdue Boilermakers, from 2007-2012, Wells was an assistant head coach at Lamar University, he was also an assistant at Div II Missouri Western for five seasons. In 1971, womens basketball became a sport at Indiana State University. In 1982, the sport was elevated to status, which meant more money was available. Under Coach Edith Godleski, Indiana State qualified for its first WNIT Tournament game in 1976, the Sycamores were a charter member of the Gateway Conference in 1983, maintaining membership until the Gateway merged with the Missouri Valley Conference in 1992. In 1989, Indiana State won its first Conference championship and they won Missouri Valley titles in 2003 and 2006
21.
Anne Donovan
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Anne Theresa Donovan is an American womens basketball player and coach. From 2013 to 2015, she was the coach of the Connecticut Sun. In her playing career, Donovan won a championship with Old Dominion University. She was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, as a professional basketball coach, she guided the Seattle Storm to their first title in 2004, becoming the first woman to coach of a WNBA Championship team. She is the person to have both played for a national womens college title and coached a team to a professional title. She then went back to college to Seton Hall for two seasons before resigning to take the Connecticut Sun head coaching job for two seasons, Donovan was also the coach of the Olympic gold medal-winning 2008 United States Womens Basketball team. Donovan attended Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, New Jersey,66 at that time, Donovan led her high school team to consecutive undefeated seasons, including two state championships. She averaged 25 points per game and 17 rebounds her senior year, Donovan, now 68, was the most recruited female player in the nation going into college. Only two years earlier, Annes talented sister Mary received only a handful of offers before going to Penn State, in 1979, Anne would receive offers from more than 250 schools, including a recruiting pitch from Penn States Joe Paterno. Despite the personal plea, she chose to follow Nancy Lieberman to ODU, at Old Dominion University, the center led the Lady Monarchs to the 1979–80 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women basketball championship. She was the first female Naismith College Player of the Year in 1983, Donovan also won the 1983 Honda Sports Award and WBCA Player of the Year award for basketball. She set ODU career marks for points, rebounds, and blocked shots, and seasonal marks for most games played, most minutes played, most field goals and she averaged a double-double for her entire career, with 20 points and 14½ rebounds per game. Donovans 50 points in a game against Norfolk State on December 11,1980 is still a school record. While at ODU, Donovan helped the Lady Monarchs win the 1980 AIAW national title with a 37–1 record and she has ten blocks and seventeen rebounds in their win over Tennessee. In 1981, ODU finished third in the AIAW National Tournament, the first two NCAA Womens Final Fours were hosted by ODU at Scope in Norfolk, Va. In 1982, Old Dominion lost to Kansas St. in the East Regional Semifinals, in Donovans senior year, the Lady Monarchs advanced to the 1983 Final Four in their home town, but lost 71-55 in the National Semifinals to their then archrivals from Louisiana Tech. As there were few opportunities for women basketball players in the U. S. Donovan played pro ball in Shizuoka, Japan and Modena. Her coaching career moved to the pro ranks via a stint with the American Basketball Leagues Philadelphia Rage in 1997–98
22.
WNBA Finals
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The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Womens National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the leagues postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002, starting 2016 Verizon is the official sponsor. The series is played between the winners of the playoff semifinals, at the conclusion of the championship round, the winner of the WNBA Finals is presented the championship trophy. The WNBA Finals has been played at the conclusion of every WNBA season in history, since 2005, the winner of the WNBA Finals has been determined through a 2–2–1 format. The first, second, and fifth games of the series are played at the arena of the team who earned home court advantage by having the record during the regular season. The WNBA Finals were originally a single game to decide the WNBA champion. However, in 1998, after the addition of two teams, the WNBA Finals were turned into a best-of-three games series, in 2005, the WNBA Finals adopted a best-of-five format. This finale series was known as the WNBA Championship from 1997 to 2001, in 2001, the #4 seed Charlotte Sting was the lowest seed ever to make the WNBA Finals. The 2003 Finals was best known for rekindling a heated rivalry between the two head coaches, Los Angeles Sparks head coach Michael Cooper and former Detroit Shock head coach Bill Laimbeer. Both coaches were fierce NBA competitors who played in the NBA Finals against each other in 1988 and 1989,2006 marked the first time that a #1 seed did not participate in the WNBA Finals. Detroit and Sacramento were both #2 seeds, the New York Liberty have the most Finals appearances without winning a championship. The Minnesota Lynx are the 6th team to win multiple championships,2006 marked the first time that the team with the best point-differential in the regular-season did not win the WNBA Finals or even advance to the WNBA finals. The Connecticut Sun had the best point differential in 06 but was ousted by the Shock in the Eastern Conference Finals, the 2007 game-five win by the Phoenix Mercury marked the first time in WNBA history that a team won the Finals while playing on their opponents home court. In 2008 the San Antonio Silver Stars became the first team in the history of the WNBA Finals to be swept in a five-game series losing to the Detroit Shock, the 2009 Finals series saw around a 60% increase in viewership from the previous seasons series. The 2011 WNBA Finals was the first coached by two women, in 2014, the Chicago Sky became the first team to appear in the WNBA Finals with a sub-.500 record. In 2016, the Los Angeles Sparks won by one point despite an announcement by the WNBA that officials missed an earlier shot-clock violation at 1,14. Statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual game wins, teams in red have folded and can no longer reach the WNBA Finals
23.
Seattle Storm
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The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Womens National Basketball Association. The team was founded before the 2000 season began, the team is owned by Force 10 Hoops LLC, which is composed of three Seattle businesswomen, Dawn Trudeau, Lisa Brummel, and Ginny Gilder. The Storm has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in twelve of its seventeen years in Seattle, in 2004 and 2010, the Storm went to the WNBA Finals, they won each time, beating Connecticut in 2004 and Atlanta in 2010. The Storm was the team of the Seattle SuperSonics until February 28,2008. The Storms predecessor was the Seattle Reign, a member of the American Basketball League, operating from 1996 through December 1998. Luckier than most localities that had an ABL team, Seattle was quickly awarded a WNBA franchise, the Seattle Storm would tip off their first season in typical expansion fashion. Coached by Lin Dunn and led by guard Edna Campbell and Czech center Kamila Vodichkova, the low record, however, allowed the Storm to draft 19-year-old Australian standout Lauren Jackson. Though Seattle did not make the playoffs in the 2001 season, in the 2002 draft, the Storm drafted UConn star Sue Bird, filling the Storms gap at the point guard position. With Birds playmaking ability and Jacksons scoring and rebounding, the made the playoffs for the first time in 2002. Coach Anne Donovan was hired for the 2003 campaign, in Donovans first year, Jackson would win the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, but the team had a disappointing season, and the Storm missed the playoffs. The 2004 Storm posted a then franchise-best 20–14 record, in the playoffs, the Storm made quick work of the Minnesota Lynx, sweeping them in the first round. The Storm then squared off against an up-and-coming Sacramento Monarchs team in the West Finals, the Storm would emerge victorious, winning the series 2–1. In the WNBA Finals, the Storm would finish off the season as champions, betty Lennox was named MVP of the Finals. The win made Anne Donovan the first female coach in WNBA history to win the WNBA Championship. Key players from the Storms championship season were not on the team in 2005, Vodichkova, Tully Bevilaqua, and Sheri Sam moved on to other teams. In addition, the injury of Australian star and new acquisition Jessica Bibby hampered the teams 2005 season. While they matched their 2004 record and made the playoffs, the Storms title defense was stopped in the first round by the Houston Comets,2 games to 1, in 2006, the Storm would finish 18–16, good enough to make the playoffs. The Storm put up a fight in the first round against the Sparks
24.
Tulsa Shock
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The Tulsa Shock were a professional basketball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, playing in the Western Conference in the Womens National Basketball Association. The team was founded in Detroit, Michigan before the 1998 WNBA season began, the team was owned by Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC, which is led by Bill Cameron and David Box. On July 20,2015, Cameron announced that the franchise would move to Arlington, the Shock qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in their final year in Tulsa in 2015. In 2003,2006,2007, and 2008, the Shock went to the WNBA Finals, they won in 2003,2006 and 2008, beating Los Angeles, Sacramento and they lost in 2007 to Phoenix. The Shock were one of the first WNBA expansion teams and began play in 1998, the Shock quickly brought in a blend of rookies and veterans. The team only qualified for the once in its first five years of existence. The Shock went through two coaches before hiring former Detroit Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer, there were rumors the Shock would fold after the teams awful 2002 season. Laimbeer convinced the owners to keep the team for another year, after massive changes to the roster, Laimbeer predicted before the 2003 season that the Shock would be league champions, and his prediction would unbelievably come true. The Shock finished with a 25-9 record and winning the one seed by seven games. In the playoffs, the Shock defeated the Cleveland Rockers and the Connecticut Sun to reach the WNBA Finals, despite the achievements, the Shock were viewed as huge underdogs to the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks. The Shock emerged victorious in the series, winning a game three which drew the largest crowd in WNBA history. Detroit became the first team in history to go from last place one season to WNBA champions the very next season. After coming up short in 2004 and 2005, the 2006 Shock finished 23-11 record, the Shock defeated the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun to advance to the Finals again, where they faced the defending champion Sacramento Monarchs. The Shock won the series 3-2, and claimed their second WNBA title, in 2007, the Shock again advanced to the Finals but were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury in five games. The 2008 Shock posted a 22-12 regular season record, the best record in the East yet again, in the Finals, the Shock faced the San Antonio Silver Stars, who had not lost to an Eastern Conference team all season. Surprisingly, Detroit swept San Antonio, capturing their third championship in franchise history, the Shock were named favorites for 2009, but they had a rough road getting there. Bill Laimbeer resigned as coach early in the season. However, interim coach Rick Mahorn and the Shock bounced back in the half of 2009
25.
Candice Wiggins
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Candice Dana Wiggins is an American retired professional basketball player. Wiggins played college basketball at Stanford University, where she graduated as the leading scorer in Stanford. Wiggins has won a WNBA championship and WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, Candice Wiggins was born in Baltimore, Maryland where her father, Alan Wiggins played Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles. When Wiggins was 3, she was hit by a car and she still has the scar under that eye. When Wiggins was in the first grade, she scored 30 points against 4th graders in basketball, by the time she was in 5th grade, she had to play on the boys teams so she could play at a competitive level. When her father Alan retired, he and his wife Angela, daughters Cassandra and Candice, Wiggins father died of AIDS soon after their move, when Wiggins was only 4 years old. No one would talk about it, Wiggins recalls, a young girl wants to know about her Dad dying of AIDS. But it was taboo, she said, to date, the organization has raised over $9 million for vaccine development, care services, and youth education. Wiggins attended La Jolla Country Day School in La Jolla, California for high school and she was a four-year letter-winner in both volleyball and basketball. In all four years of school she was named CIF Division IV Player of the year for basketball. Wiggins was a McDonalds All-American as a Senior and she also led La Jolla Country Day to the state championship game in each of her four seasons, winning it twice. She also captained the United States Junior National Team that won gold, many high school recruiting services listed her as the best shooting guard in the nation and a top 5 player in the Class of 2004. Wiggins chose Stanford over Duke, while UCLA came in third and USC, Tennessee, Connecticut, and Texas rounded out her final 8. 2004 USA Junior National Team Captain 2004 Californias Ms. As a freshman on the team, Wiggins led Stanford to a 32–3 record. She averaged 17.5 points per game and was named both the Pac-10 Conference Freshman of the Year and Player of The Year and this was the first time in the conference history that a freshman won the Player of the Year Award. Wiggins, along with Georgias Tasha Humphrey, was named National Co-Freshman of the Year and she made second team All-American and was a Kodak All-American, the only freshman on either list. During her sophomore year, Wiggins led Stanford to a 26–8 record and she averaged 21.8 points per game and made 90 three-pointers over the course of the season. She was again named Pac-10 Player of The Year and Second team All-American, as a junior, Wiggins led Stanford to a 29–5 record and a No.2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Cardinal were upset in Round 2 by Florida State, 68–61
26.
Seimone Augustus
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Seimone Delicia Augustus is an American professional womens basketball player with the Minnesota Lynx of the Womens National Basketball Association, Dynamo Kursk and the U. S. national team. Augustus was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she is the daughter of Seymore, before her freshman year in high school, Augustus was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated for Women, with a headline that asked, Is She the Next Michael Jordan. Augustus played for Capitol High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and she participated in the 2002 WBCA High School All-America Game where she scored fourteen points, and earned MVP honors. The Lady Tigers however, never advanced beyond the semi-final round and she averaged 19.3 points,5.2 rebounds and 2 assists per game in her collegiate career. During her final year, she won the Lowes Senior CLASS Award, Augustus graduated from Louisiana State University in 2006. Her uniform number was retired by LSU on January 9,2010, Augustus had also played with future WNBA teammate Sylvia Fowles during her collegiate career at LSU. Source Augustus was drafted No.1 overall in 2006 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx, selected as a reserve for the 2006 WNBA All Star Game at Madison Square Garden, Augustus led the West squad with 16 points and won the Skills Competition the previous evening. Augustus finished 2006 second to the Mercurys Diana Taurasi in scoring at 21.9 points per game, only one player, scored more points in a single season. In addition, she finished fifth in free throw percentage, on August 20, Augustus was named the 2006 WNBA Rookie of the Year. The former LSU star improved to a career-high 22.6 points per game in 2007, an All Star for the second straight year, Augustus finished second to Seattles Lauren Jackson in scoring average and played in all 34 games. The Lynx however, finished 10–24 tied with Los Angeles Sparks for the leagues worst record, in June 2009, Seimone suffered a season-ending injury, a torn ACL, against the Phoenix Mercury. Augustuss return in 2010 was derailed by medical issues as well, as she was forced to undergo surgery to remove fibroid tumors, Augustus had attempted to postpone surgery until after the season, but the pain was too difficult to play through. Despite the setback, Augustus returned to play the final 25 games of the season, Augustus was finally back to full strength in 2011, and a part of a potent Lynx team that included a supporting cast of Lindsay Whalen, Rebekkah Brunson and newly acquired rookie Maya Moore. Augustus led the team in scoring and served as the lead defender as the Lynx rolled to a league best 27-7 record. Augustus also made her first all-star game since 2007 and she finished eighth in MVP voting, and was named Second Team All-WNBA for the third time in her career, and the first since 2007. Augustus elevated her game in the playoffs and she led the Lynx in scoring in five of their eight games, and scored the second-highest number of points in WNBA Finals history –36 – in game two of the 2011 WNBA Finals. The Lynx swept the Atlanta Dream in the round, with Augustus being unanimously named Finals MVP. The Lynx were not a flash in the pan, they would return to the finals the two seasons, losing to the Indiana Fever in 2012, and defeating Atlanta again in 2013
27.
Maya Moore
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Maya April Moore is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Womens National Basketball Association. Moore was the winner of the 2006 and 2007 Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Moore played forward for the UConn womens basketball team, and won back to back national championships in 2009 and 2010. She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to the national championship. On May 18,2011, Moore became the first female player to sign with Jordan Brand. Moore was the first overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft, since 2011, Moore has continued to excel, both with the Lynx and with overseas teams in Europe and China. Moore has won three WNBA championships, WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, WNBA Finals MVP Award, WNBA All-Star Game MVP and she has also been selected to four WNBA All-Star teams and three All-WNBA teams. In 2012, she won both the Spanish league title and EuroLeague title playing for Ros Casares Valencia, from 2013 to 2015, Moore also won the Chinese league title every year. Maya April Moore was born on June 11,1989 in Jefferson City and she is the daughter of Kathryn Moore. Moore had her first exposure to basketball at the age of three when her mother mounted a hoop on the door of their apartment. She attended Moreau Heights Elementary School as a child, Moore attended Collins Hill High School in Gwinnett County, near Suwanee, Georgia. Moore was a starter at Collins Hill High School, where she had a 125-3 record with the Eagles. Moore was named to the USA Today Freshman and Sophomore All-America Teams, during her junior year in 2005–06, averaged 23.2 points,11.3 rebounds,4.6 assists and 5.4 steals as a junior at Collins Hill. Moore was named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year and she was only the second junior to win the Naismith award Her first dunk was one-handed off an alley-oop pass in warm-ups at a dunk contest in Charlotte, NC in December 2005. As a senior, she averaged 25.5 points,12.1 rebounds,4.0 assists and 4.3 steals, in the title game of the T-Mobile Invitational in Seattle, she scored 48 points in a win over St. Elizabeth. Moore helped lead her high school to four state championships appearances. Moore is a three-time Georgia 5A Player of the Year and 2007 Miss Georgia Basketball, Moore finished as Collins High Schools all-time leader in points rebounds, assists and steals. In addition to basketball, she participated in track and field. Moore finished as the first-place runner-up in the jump at the 2005 Georgia State 5A Championships
28.
Atlanta Dream
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The Atlanta Dream is a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Womens National Basketball Association. The team was founded before the 2008 WNBA season began, the team is owned by Dream Too LLC, which is composed of two Atlanta businesswomen, Mary Brock, and Kelly Loeffler. Like some other WNBA teams, the Dream is not affiliated with an NBA counterpart, the Dream has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in seven of its nine years in Atlanta and has reached the WNBA Finals three times. In 2010, the Dream went to the WNBA Finals but fell short to Seattle and they lost to the Minnesota Lynx in the 2011 and 2013 WNBA Finals. They have been in the finals for three of four years, but havent won a game in them, going 0-9. Even before the success of the United States womens basketball team in the 1996 Olympic Games, plans were made to place a womens pro team in Atlanta as early as 1995. Eight of the 12 Olympians would play on ABL teams when the league play in October 1996. The Atlanta Glory played at Forbes Arena and would last two seasons before folding before the start of the 1998–99 season, which would be the ABLs final. Atlanta had been mentioned as a future city for WNBA expansion. An organizing committee with Atlanta businessmen and politicians began the effort to attract an expansion team. The inability of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA to draw crowds was a concern of the WNBA, Philips Arena, the Gwinnett Arena and Alexander Memorial Coliseum were candidates for venues. By May 2007, the committee had over 1,000 pledges for season tickets, by July the committee had 1,200 commitments. The next step was to find an owner for the team, on October 16,2007 word broke that Ron Terwilliger, an Atlanta businessman and CEO of a national real estate company would be the future owner of an Atlanta franchise. The next day, at a conference at Atlantas Centennial Olympic Park. On November 27,2007 Atlanta named Marynell Meadors the first head coach/general manager in franchise history, for Meadors, a coach with extensive experience at the college level, this was her second role as a coach/general manager in the WNBA. Meadors had been one of the WNBAs first eight coaches as the head manager of the Charlotte Sting when that team began in 1997. Afterwards, Meadors had served as a director for the Miami Sol and had been an assistant coach under Richie Adubato. Former NBA player Dennis Rodman volunteered his name as head coach for the Dream, Terwilliger declined, stating that he wanted someone with more coaching experience and he felt that the head coach should be a woman, as the WNBA was a womens league
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Indiana Fever
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The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Womens National Basketball Association. The team was founded before the inaugural 2000 season began, the team is owned by Herb Simon, who also owns the Fevers NBA counterpart, the Indiana Pacers, and Simon Malls. The Fever has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in thirteen of its seventeen years in Indiana, the franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as Tennessee standout Tamika Catchings, hometown favorite Katie Douglas, and Australian defensive specialist Tully Bevilaqua. In 2009, the Fever went to the WNBA Finals but fell short to Phoenix, on October 21,2012, the Fever won the WNBA Championship with a win over the Minnesota Lynx. Tamika Catchings was named the series MVP, the Indiana Fever team began in 2000, when the state was granted an expansion franchise to coincide with the opening of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. In their first two seasons, they were coached by womens basketball legends Anne Donovan and Nell Fortner, led by center Kara Wolters, in their inaugural campaign the team posted a record of 9–23. The Fever drafted University of Tennessee star Tamika Catchings in the 2001 WNBA Draft, the Fever went into the year with high expectations of a playoff berth, but Catchings tore her ACL during a college game and missed the entire WNBA season. The Fever posted a 10–22 record in 2001, after missing the entire 2001 season, the 2002 season proved to be the breakout season for Tamika Catchings and the Fever. Catchings came out strong and became one of the most versatile players in the WNBA and her team competed well all year and would post a respectable 16–16 record, tying for the final playoff spot with the Orlando Miracle. Indiana would win the tiebreaker and earn their first playoff appearance in franchise history and they drew the #1 seed in the playoffs, the Liberty, with the Fever losing two games to one. The 2002–2003 offseason brought a lot of change for the Fever, the team added Olympian Natalie Williams and Charlotte Sting star Kelly Miller before the 2003 season. During the offseason the original coach and GM Nell Fortner would resign, Kelly Krauskopf would replace Fortner as GM and immediately hire Brian Winters to be the head coach. On May 29,2003 the Fever registered their first sellout of 18,345, the team would do better under the new coaching, but missed the playoffs, posting a 16–18 record. The 2004 campaign was similar to 2003s. The Fever finished with a 15–19 record and they missed the playoffs by one game in the Eastern Conference. In 2005, the Fever had their best season since joining the league, posting a 21–13 record, in the first round, the Fever swept the New York Liberty two games to none, earning their first playoff series victory in franchise history. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Fever faced the heavily favored Connecticut Sun, Game 1 came down to the final seconds when Katie Douglas hit a crucial three to win the game for the Sun. Game 2 went into overtime, with the Sun winning, thus sweeping the Fever two games to none, in the 2005–2006 offseason, the Fever acquired All-Star Anna DeForge from the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Kelly Miller
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Rebekkah Brunson
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Rebekkah Brunson is an American basketball forward for the Minnesota Lynx of the Womens National Basketball Association. She played for the Georgetown University womens basketball team in college, Brunson was born in Washington, D. C. and attended Oxon Hill High School in Maryland. Brunson graduated from Georgetown in 2004 as its womens basketball programs all-time leading rebounder and she also played on the U. S. team in the 2003 Pan American Games. Source The Sacramento Monarchs chose Brunson in the 1st round of the 2004 WNBA Draft as the tenth overall pick and she played in Sacramento for six seasons and contributed to the Monarchs 2005 WNBA Championship victory. She led the league in rebounds per game and total offensive rebounds for the 2007 regular season. After the Monarchs suspended operations in the fall of 2009, the Minnesota Lynx acquired Brunson in a dispersal draft. In 2011, Brunson tied a WNBA record with six consecutive double-doubles, and was named WNBA Player of the Month for June and she was later named to the 2011 WNBA All-Star game, and started in place of an injured Candace Parker. Brunson led the Lynx in field goal percentage and rebounds in a year where the team had the best record in the WNBA and she was honored with her first appearance on the WNBA All-Defensive First Team, she had earned second-team honors three previous times. The Lynx would go on to win the 2011 WNBA Championship, Brunson won her third league title in 2013. Brunson again made the All-Star Game, starting in place of the injured Brittney Griner, Brunson set the career mark for rebounds in the Finals, with 130, breaking the record held by former teammate Taj McWilliams-Franklin. She also broke McWilliams-Franklins record for Finals games played, with 19 and she then played for USK Prague, with which she won the Czech League title and reached the Womens Euroleague Top 16. She playing with Dynamo Kursk, along with Lynx teammate Seimone Augustus from 2013 to 2016, Brunson was named to the team representing the USA at the 2003 Pan American Games. The team lost the game to Cuba, then rebounded to win their next five games. They then faced Cuba for the medal, falling short 75–64 to take home the silver medal. Brunson shot 57% from the field, and ended up as the scorer as well as the leading rebounder for the USA team. Brunson was one of 21 finalists for the 2012 U. S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team Roster, Brunson established and manages the 32 Foundation, which sponsors academic and athletic opportunities for youth in the metropolitan DC area. Lynx look to keep ‘Special Season’ going as second half begins
31.
Lindsay Whalen
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Lindsay Marie Whalen Greve is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Womens National Basketball Association, and for AGÜ Spor of Eurobasket. She began her pro career as a point guard for the Connecticut Sun, Whalen has won World and Olympic titles with the United States womens national basketball team, as well as three WNBA titles with the Lynx. At Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, Minnesota, Whalen was a four-time All-Missota Conference pick and she was also a four-time honorable mention All-State selection. She averaged 22.8 points,5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists as a junior, Whalen won a state title and placed 13th nationally with her club team, the Minnesota Jaguars. She was also an All-Conference selection in tennis and track, the University of Minnesota womens basketball program rose to national prominence during Whalens college career. The average attendance at basketball games grew from 1,087 during her freshman season to 9,866 her senior year. She became Minnesotas all-time leading scorer on January 25,2004 against Michigan State, Whalen finished her career with 2,285 points, fifth best in Big Ten Conference history. Whalen holds Minnesota career records in points, scoring average, games in double figures, free throws made, Whalen shares Minnesotas single-game record for free throw percentage and is the only four-time team MVP in school history. She was a two-time Wade Trophy Finalist and a two-time Naismith Award Finalist, as a senior, Whalen was a Kodak All-American First Team, made the USBWA All-American Second Team, USBWA All-American Second Team and AP All-American Second Team. The program had been to the tournament just once before her arrival, in the postseason, Whalen was named NCAA Mideast Region MVP for the 2004 NCAA tournament and was a unanimous selection for All-Big Ten First Team in 2004,2003 and 2002. She was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten, won the 2004 and 2002 Fast Break Club Award, as a junior, she was a Kodak All-American First Team, USBWA All-American First Team and an AP All-American Second Team. Whalens jersey number 13 was retired by the University of Minnesota during a ceremony in January 2005 at Williams Arena, source Whalen was selected the first round of the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun. Until 2005 when Minnesota teammate Janel McCarville was selected at number 1, Connecticut picked Whalen before Minnesota could, and the Storm had two more pieces to their eventual championship team. In her rookie season, she was selected to play in the historic WNBA vs. USA Basketball game at Radio City Music Hall and she led the Sun to the WNBA Finals in her first and second seasons, playing while injured in the 2005 Finals. The Sun lost both years in the Finals to the Seattle Storm and Sacramento Monarchs respectively, in the 2008 season, Whalen led a young team to second place in the Eastern Conference. She was the MVP runner-up to Candace Parker and she was selected to the First Team All-WNBA for the first time in her career. In the playoffs, the Sun could not hold off the New York Liberty as they fell 2–1, Whalen led the league in assists with 5.4 per game. On January 12,2010, Whalen was traded to her native team and she signed a multi-year contract extension with the Minnesota Lynx prior to the teams August 12,2010 matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks
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San Antonio Stars
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The San Antonio Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Womens National Basketball Association. The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the leagues inaugural 1997 season began, the team is owned by Peter Holt, who also owns the Stars NBA counterpart, the San Antonio Spurs. The Stars have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in seven of their fourteen years in San Antonio, in 2008, the Silver Stars went to the WNBA Finals but they were swept by Detroit. In January 2014 the team dropped the silver from San Antonio Silver Stars, due to renovations at AT&T Center, the Stars played at Freeman Coliseum for the 2015 season. For the 2016 season, the Stars have moved back to the AT&T Center after the renovations to the arena were completed, one of the eight original WNBA teams, the Utah Starzz never met the same success as their counterpart in the NBA, the Utah Jazz. They held the distinction of having the worst record in the WNBA in 1997 and were the first team to select in the 1998 WNBA Draft, with their selection, they picked 7 ft.2 in. Center Margo Dydek, who became the tallest player in WNBA history. Unfortunately, the pickup of Dydek did little to help their cause, the Starzz finally posted a winning record in 2000, but did not make the playoffs. In 2001, the Utah Starzz made it to the playoffs for the first time, in 2002, the Starzz made it to the playoffs again, and this time beat the Houston Comets in the Western Conference Semifinals 2 games to 1. Their playoff run ended in the Western Finals, however, as they were swept aside by the eventual champs, the Los Angeles Sparks. When the NBA divested itself of all of its WNBA franchises at the end of the 2002 season, the Starzz then looked for local Utah potential buyers, but none were found, leaving the franchise with the choices of either being sold to out-of-town investor or folding. The Starzz avoided being folded when the franchise was sold to Peter Holt and relocated to San Antonio, the teams name was changed to the San Antonio Silver Stars and would change its team colors to the silver and black motif used by the Spurs. After losing seasons in 2003 and 2004, the team traded away star Margo Dydek. From 1997–2002, the Utah Starzz had a record of 87–99, from 2003–2006, the San Antonio Silver Stars record was 41–88. The 2007 season brought a lot of change for the Silver Stars, the new-look Silver Stars became an instant contender in the Western Conference. On August 4,2007 the Silver Stars clinched their first playoff berth since the franchise relocated to San Antonio in 2003, in the first round, the Silver Stars were matched up against the Sacramento Monarchs. After losing game 1 in Sacramento, the Silver Stars would win games 2 and 3 to advance to the Western Finals, the Silver Stars faced off against a strong Phoenix Mercury team, which had the number 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Silver Stars would lose Game 1 at home 102–100 on a call by ref Lisa Mattingly
