Eleven Former C-USA Players Open WNBA Play this Week

Teana McKiver

K.B. Sharp (Cincinnati) and Teana McKiver (Tulane) will launch their professional careers when their respective WNBA teams begin play this week. Sharp, the 26th overall draft pick by New York, will make her debut when the Liberty host the Cleveland Rockers on Saturday, May 31 at 1 p.m. (EST). McKiver, who signed as a free agent with Charlotte, will begin her professional career when the Sting host the Washington Mystics on Friday, May 23 at 7 p.m (EST).

Last season, Sharp led Cincinnati in assists (5.94 pg) and ranked third in scoring (13.6 pg) and rebounding (5.7 pg). She became UC’s all-time leader in assists (623), games played (126) and minutes played (4,339) this year while earning first team All-Conference USA honors. She also ranks second on C-USA all-time assists ladder. Sharp, a 5-9 guard from Columbus Ohio, is one of fewer than 15 women in Division I history to tally over 1,000 career points, 600 assists and 450 rebounds. She becomes the second Bearcat to play in the WNBA and is the highest-picked Cincinnati player in league history. In 2000, former Bearcat Madinah Slaise was chosen in the second round with the 28th overall selection by the Detroit Shock.

McKiver, who earned her second consecutive second-team All-Conference accolade this past season, led the Green Wave in scoring (12.8) and ranked second on the team with 7.1 rebounds per game. She finished second in the league with 2.8 blocks per game, while also ranking third in field goal percentage (.611). This season, she also became the 15th player in school history to score 1,000th points. A transfer from East Carolina, she was also named the league's Sixth Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2001.

Sharp and McKiver join nine other former C-USA All-League performers who play in the WNBA: Barbara Farris (Tulane)-Detroit Shock, Grace Daley (Tulane)-Phoenix Mercury, Tamika Whitmore (Memphis)-New York Liberty, Latasha Byears (DePaul)- Los Angeles Sparks, Janell Burse (Tulane)-Minnesota Lynx, LaTonya Johnson (Memphis)- San Antonio Silver Stars, Amanda Lassiter (Houston)-Seattle Storm, Mfon Udoka (DePaul)- Houston Comets and Deanna Jackson (UAB)-Cleveland Rockers.