Five C-USA Players Selected in WNBA Draft

CHICAGO - Conference USA had five players selected in the 2000 WNBA Draft, which concluded Tuesday afternoon in New York. C-USA Player of the Year Grace Daley of Tulane was the fifth overall selection of the first round after being chosen by the Minnesota Lynx with the first of two first round picks. Jameka Jones of UNC Charlotte became the first pick of the expansion Miami Sol when she was taken with the third pick of the second round and the 19th overall selection. Madinah Slaise of Cincinnati was chosen in the second round with the 28th pick overall by the Detroit Shock followed by Louisville's Jill Morton who was selected in the third round of the draft by the Charlotte Sting with the 34th selection. Marquette's Abbie Willenborg was was tabbed by the defending champion Houston Comets with the 64th overall pick and the 16th selection of the fourth round.

Daley, C-USA's second all-time leading scorer (2,249 points), was the second collegiate senior drafted and became just the second player in school history to be selected by a women's professional basketball league. A consensus All-American and three-time All-C-USA choice after establishing new league career records in steals (289), free throws made (578) and free throws attempted (744), Daley is the all-time leading scorer.

Jones enhanced her chances of being drafted with her outstanding C-USA tournament performance, where she averaged 26.7 points in three games and help lead UNCC to its first ever berth in the semifinals while being selected to the all-tournament team. Jones will become just the second player from UNCC to play in the WNBA, joining Markita Alridge of the Washington Mystics.

Slaise became the first UC women's basketball player to be chosen in the WNBA draft after an outstanding senior season and stellar career. She finished her senior campaign as the nation's fourth-leading scorer (21. 8 ppg.), including five games of 30 points or more. The Lima, Ohio native completed her Bearcat career as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 1,849 points.

Morton, an AP honorable mention All-America, led U of L in scoring this past season (17.4 ppg.) and was the nation's top three-point shooter, hitting on 54 percent of her attempts from behind the arc. She also led the Cardinals in free throw percentage and finished eighth nationally, converting on 88 percent from the charity stripe.

Willenborg, a three-time All-C-USA selection, finished as the league's third all-time leading scorer with 1,818 career points and is the first Marquette women's basketball player drafted in an American women's basketball professional league. She finished her career as the school's all-time leader in points (1,818), rebounds (1,167), free throws made (435), and free throws attempted (635).