Around The WNBA - 2/9/12

Storm Signs Veteran Center Ann Wauters
Wauters, 31, last played in the WNBA in 2009 before taking the last two seasons off. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft by the Cleveland Rockers, she has also played for the New York Liberty and the San Antonio Silver Stars during her seven-year WNBA career. An All-Star in 2005, she holds career averages of 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and is closing in on 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in the WNBA. She posted career highs of 14.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in 2008, helping lead San Antonio to the WNBA Finals.

Dream Guard Shalee Lehning Retires
Lehning, a 5-9 guard, played three seasons in the WNBA and helped the Dream to three consecutive playoff appearances. She was originally drafted by the Dream in the second round of the 2009 WNBA Draft with the No. 25 overall pick. As a rookie, Lehning started 20 of 34 games and finished in the top ten in the league in assists. The following season, she started 33 games and averaged a career-best 4.8 assists per game. Lehning appeared in 18 games for the Dream in 2011 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in a game against the Connecticut Sun on July 31. In her WNBA career, Lehning averaged 3.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

Sky Signs Ruth Riley
Riley has the experience and drive to get the Sky into the post season and beyond. In her 11-year WNBA career, Riley has led her team to the playoffs 10 times and averaged 6.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. Prior to being selected fifth overall by the Miami Sol in the 2001 WNBA Draft, Riley was a standout at University of Notre Dame, leading her team to the 2001 National Championship. Riley’s efforts earned her the 2001 Naismith Award as well as being named the 2001 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

Fever Re-Signs Erin Phillips To A Multi-Year Deal
Expected to represent her native Australia in the upcoming 2012 Olympics in London, Phillips averaged 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists through 31 games with Indiana last summer. Her 15-foot jumper as time expired sent the Fever to a thrilling playoff victory against the New York Liberty, helping Indiana reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in five years.

Sparks Acquire Marissca Coleman From Washington
The move reunites Coleman with Sparks guard Kristi Toliver, her teammate at Maryland for four seasons. As freshmen in 2005-06, the duo helped lead the Terrapins to an NCAA Championship. Toliver was selected No. 3 overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by Chicago, one spot behind Coleman. A three-time AP All-American, Coleman is the only player in Atlantic Coast Conference history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals and 100 blocks.

Lynx Re-Sign Jessica Adair and and Veteran Taj McWilliams-Franklin
Adair played a key role in Minnesota's championship run last year, appearing in 31 regular season games averaging 4.3 points, 2.9 rebounds while shooting .485 percent from the floor. The 6-4 center scored in double-figures twice, including a 10-point, 13-rebound performance Sept. 11 at Phoenix. Minnesota went 16-1 when she logged double-digit minutes. Adair upped her averages to 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game in eight playoff contests in 2011.

Mercury Acquires Guard Alexis Hornbuckle
Originally selected fourth overall by Detroit in the 2008 draft after winning back-to-back NCAA national championships at the University of Tennessee (2007, 2008), Hornbuckle is the only player to win a NCAA title and WNBA title in the same year.

Mystics Acquire Noelle Quinn From Sparks
A 6-0 standout from UCLA, Quinn was selected by the Minnesota Lynx in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2007 WNBA Draft. She spent two seasons with the Lynx where she averaged 3.2 points and 3.4 assists per game. During her rookie season, Quinn dished a career high 14 assists. For the last three seasons, Quinn has been a member of the Sparks and helped lead them to consecutive playoff appearances in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Quinn led the WNBA in assists per turnover ratio (2.7). She posted career highs in points (10.2), rebounds (4.0), games started (34) and minutes (32.5) in 2010.

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