Press Release :: Women's Basketball Coaches Association

For Immediate Release
March 22, 2006
Contact: Summer Thagard
WBCA Manager of Communications
770.279.8027 ext. 112
WBCA ANNOUNCES ADDITIONS TO ALL-STAR CHALLENGE FEATURING NATION'S TOP SENIOR COLLEGIATE PLAYERS
ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has announced the additions to the All-Star Challenge line-up after selecting the NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA Player of the Year. Washburn University's Jennifer Harris (NCAA DII), Randolph-Macon College Megan Silva (NCAA DIII) and Oklahoma City University's Mariam Sy have all been added to the roster of the 2006 WBCA All-Star Challenge Game. On Saturday, April 1, the top 20 senior collegiate players in women's basketball not playing in the NCAA® Women's Final Four® will showcase their talents at Matthews Arena on Northeastern University's campus.

This capstone event is part of the 25th Annual WBCA National Convention, which takes place in Boston, at the site of this year's NCAA Women's Final Four. The WBCA All-Star Challenge game will be the second of a doubleheader event featured during the "WBCA Night of All-Stars." Fans will have an opportunity to watch and collect autographs from the future WNBA stars, as well as see the WBCA High School All-America Game, presented by Nike, which tips-off at 4:30 p.m. (ET).

The WBCA All-Star Challenge features 17 of the top senior NCAA Division I players, voted on by Division I WBCA-member head coaches. The remaining three players are the top senior vote getters in the State Farm/WBCA Player of the Year ballots. They are selected from the NCAA Division II, III and NAIA levels.

The 2006 roster includes:

Name Institution Position
La’Tangela Atkinson North Carolina Guard/Forward
Seimone Augustus LSU Guard/Forward
Sherill Baker Georgia Guard/Forward
Nikki Blue UCLA Guard
Lindsay Bowen Michigan State Guard
Monique Currie Duke Guard/Forward
Megan Duffy Notre Dame Guard
Candice Dupree Temple Forward
Erin Grant Texas Tech Guard
Alexis Kendrick Georgia Guard
Cappie Pondexter Rutgers Guard
Liz Shimek Michigan State Forward
Ann Strother Connecticut Guard/Forward
Barbara Turner Connecticut Forward
Mistie Williams Duke Forward
Sophia Young Baylor Forward
Shanna Zolman Tennessee Guard/Forward
Jennifer Harris Washburn Guard/Forward
Megan Silva Randolph-Macon Guard
Mariam Sy Oklahoma City Center

The All-Star Challenge roster may alter if any of the aforementioned players' teams are participating in the NCAA® Women's Final Four.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma City University's Mariam Sy will be unable to participate in the All-Star Challenge because of an ACL tear, but will remain on the roster as the NAIA top senior vote getter.

The WBCA All-Star Challenge participants will be signing autographs along with the WNBA's Swin Cash (Detroit Shock) and Lindsay Whalen (Connecticut Sun) beginning at 4:00 p.m. (ET). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. (ET).

Past stars of the All-Star Challenge include: Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury); Alana Beard (Washington Mystics); Cheryl Ford (Detroit Shock); Chantelle Anderson (San Antonio Silver Stars); Marie Ferdinand (San Antonio Silver Stars); Chamique Holdsclaw (Los Angeles Sparks); Ticha Penicherio (Sacramento Monarchs); Coco Miller (Washington Mystics) and Murriel Page (Los Angeles Sparks), and many more stars of the WNBA.

Reserved seats are available for $15 and $25 and can be purchased by calling 617-373-4700 or visiting www.wbca.org.

Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport of women's basketball and to foster and promote the development of the game of basketball as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit www.WBCA.org.



--WBCA--