The Stars at the Sun

WNBA vs. USA Basketball: The Stars at the Sun will showcase the world’s best female basketball players  on Saturday, July 10. The event will mark the second straight year that the WNBA’s midseason showcase has been played before a sold-out crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Serving as head coach of the WNBA stars will be Brian Agler of the Seattle Storm, who earned the honor by virtue of his team having the best winning percentage through games of July 1. Nancy Darsch, the lead assistant under Agler with the Storm, will serve in the same capacity with the WNBA team during The Stars at the Sun.

The USA Basketball Women’s National Team is coached by Geno Auriemma, University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball Coach. His assistants are Doug Bruno (head coach, DePaul University), Jennifer Gillom (head coach, Los Angeles Sparks) and Marynell Meadors (head coach, Atlanta Dream).

Pregame Challenge:

The top WNBA players will participate in the Three-Point Contest and the Skills Challenge as part of the 2010 WNBA vs. USA Basketball: The Stars at the Sun Pregame Challenge. The Pregame Challenge will take place prior to The Stars at the Sun game and will be streamed live on WNBA.com beginning at approximately 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 10.

Six of the league’s elite shooters will compete over two rounds in the Three-Point Contest, including Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Swin Cash (Seattle Storm), Katie Douglas (Indiana Fever), Monique Currie (Washington Mystics),Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx).

Players will have one minute to make as many three-pointers as they can from five shooting stations behind the arc. Each spot consists of five basketballs – four WNBA balls worth one point apiece and one “Money Ball” worth two points. The top three scorers will advance to the final round.

The Skills Challenge will feature six players competing to make a series of baskets while navigating an obstacle course. Lindsey Harding (Washington Mystics), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Cappie Pondexter (New York Liberty), Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx), Iziane Castro Marques (Atlanta Dream), and Renee Montgomery (Connecticut Sun) will participate in the event.

Rosters:

WNBA

Player	Team
Jayne Appel	San Antonio Silver Stars
Rebekkah Brunson	Minnesota Lynx
Lindsey Whalen	San Antonio Silver Stars
Iziane Castro Marques	Atlanta Dream
Katie Douglas	Indiana Fever
Lauren Jackson	Seattle Storm
Crystal Langhorne	Washington Mystics
Sancho Lyttle	Atlanta Dream
Michelle Snow	San Antonio Silver Stars
Penny Taylor	Phoenix Mercury
Sophia Young	San Antonio Silver Stars

USA BASKETBALL
Player	Team
Sue Bird	Seattle Storm
Swin Cash	Seattle Storm
Tamika Catchings	Indiana Fever
Tina Charles	Connecticut Sun
Candice Dupree	Phoenix Mercury
Sylvia Fowles	Chicago Sky
Angel McCoughtry	Atlanta Dream
Maya Moore	University of Connecticut
Renee Montgomery	Connecticut Sun
Cappie Pondexter	New York Liberty
Diana Taurasi	Phoenix Mercury

More info at WNBA.com. ESPN will televise the game Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, with coverage presented by adidas.

Five things to watch Saturday at Stars at the Sun

Happy Birthday WNBA!

Thirteen years ago this week, the Women’s National Basketball Association began its very first season.

On June 21, 1997, the inaugural season began when the Los Angles Sparks hosted the New York Liberty with 14,284 in attendance.  New York defeated Los Angeles Sparks 67-57- and the game was nationally televised on NBC.

The WNBA wasn’t expected to last. Yet, here it is, 13 years after the NBA Board of Governors approved the concept, in the midst of  its 13th season. Talented players such as Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, and Cynthia Cooper helped bring the merits of the WNBA to the attention of the world and they earned it enormous respect on once exclusively male-dominated courts.

The league started out with eight teams but  doubled in size by the early 2000s.  In 2006, it became the first team-oriented women’s professional sports league to survive ten consecutive seasons. Players and coaches credit the growing success of the league to the increasing talent pool of players that come in every year.

Like most professional women’s sports leagues, the WNBA is unable to rake in nearly as much dough as its male counterpart. According to WNBA.com, the gender breakdown of their TV audience is about 50/50 but obviously interest in the league still needs to grow.  Injuries and restrictive rules have hampered this season somewhat but for those that love the game, there’s still a lot of great action on court. Be sure to tune in or attend a game!

Happy Birthday WNBA – here’s to another year!

WNBA and 2010 Lilith Tour unite to celebrate female artists and athletes all summer long

The WNBA has finally done something right on the marketing side and we’re excited to share the following news:

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the 2010 Lilith Tour — one of the highest-grossing touring festivals in the world — will join forces to celebrate female artists and athletes all summer long through special ticket promotions, appearances, and community activations.

As part of the partnership, the WNBA and Lilith will provide special ticket promotions and packages for fans to purchase in select WNBA markets, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, New York, Hartford, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Additional information on packages, tour dates, and promotions will be found on WNBA.com, Lilithfair.com and team websites.

“WNBA games and the Lilith Tour are the premier summer entertainment experiences by and for women, making this partnership a perfect match,” said WNBA Vice President of Marketing Hilary Shaev. “Our partnership with the Lilith Tour is a great opportunity to showcase our respective properties to each other’s audiences through national promotions and community activation.”

WNBA athletes and artists are also tentatively scheduled to make appearances at select games and concerts this summer and blog about their experiences. These memorable moments will be captured and promoted via the league and Lilith’s websites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. The WNBA and Lilith are also working together to promote awareness on important issues including staying fit, breast health and greening initiatives through various activations.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the WNBA,” says Seth Freed, Sr. Director of Sponsorships for Lilith. “It’s the perfect alignment of two brands with a strong focus on delivering great entertainment, while at the same time engaging the local communities in charitable and greening initiatives.”

Lilith 2010 will feature Sheryl Crow, the Indigo Girls, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, and Martina McBride, among others, and will take place from Sunday, June 27 to Monday, Aug. 16. The tour will make stops in select WNBA markets, including:

Saturday, July 3 Seattle

Saturday, July 10 Los Angeles

Saturday, July 17 Chicago

Sunday, July 18 Minneapolis

Tuesday, July 20 Indianapolis

Saturday, July 31 New York

Sunday, Aug. 1 Connecticut

Tuesday, Aug. 3 Washington, D.C.

Sunday, Aug. 8 Atlanta

Saturday, Aug. 14 Austin, Texas (*WNBA team is in San Antonio)

About Lilith 2010:
The original Lilith Fair ran from 1997-1999. With over 1.5 million fans in attendance and more than $10 million raised for national and local women’s charities, it was one of the highest grossing touring festivals in the world. Co-founded by Grammy-award winning artist Sarah McLachlan, Lilith Fair was a celebration of women in music, featuring artists like Sheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera, Erykah Badu, The Dixie Chicks, The Pretenders, Queen Latifah, Indigo Girls, and Tegan and Sara. Nearly 11 years later, Lilith returns and continues to break down boundaries by uniting iconic and up-and-coming female artists across all genres into one musical community of support and celebration. Once again led by McLachlan, the 11-artist line-up per city will constantly rotate among more than 80 confirmed acts, including Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, Erykah Badu, Emmylou Harris, Tegan & Sara, Loretta Lynn, Metric, Rihanna, Court Yard Hounds, Gossip and more. The philanthropic spirit of the original Lilith Fair remains in tact, with $2 from every ticket sold going to charity: $1 to a local women’s charity in each tour market, $1 to the Lilith i4c Campaign, a for-profit venture that will help fund Lilith’s future non-profit initiatives. Lilith 2010 is The Celebration Of Women In Music. http://www.lilithfair.com

About WNBA

The WNBA is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity.  Now in its 14^th season, the WNBA features 12 teams and is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world.  Following a 2009 campaign that saw regular season attendance increase for the third consecutive year and increased viewership on ESPN2 for the second straight summer, the 2010 season tipped off with tremendous momentum on May 15.

Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.

Miley Cyrus rocks the WNBA

When you think WNBA you might not immediately think “Hannah Montana” star Miley Cyrus but the league is using her song “Can’t Be Tamed” as a promotional theme for a new TV spot. What do you think?

Player goes from intern to tryout with WNBA’s Sun

Since I’m originally from Connecticut, women’s hoops is a big deal (have you heard of a li’l school called UConn?). Well, I still read the Hartford Courant with some regularity and loved the story I read today about a University of Vermont student who spent last summer interning for the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and this year is trying out for the team.

According to the article:

May Kotsopoulos was  a guard on the Catamounts team that lost to UConn in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.  After her junior year at Vermont, Kotsopoulos began an internship with the Sun marketing and communications department.

The job gave her full access to the players and coaches and lasted through last season’s All-Star Game at the Mohegan Sun Arena, where she mingled with Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and the other All-Stars.

“It gave me a chance to learn the other side of the world of sports,” Kotsopoulos said. “And it was inspiring as a player.”

But after a senior season that saw Vermont win the America East tournament and a first-round NCAA game against Wisconsin, Kotsopoulos, the conference’s leading scorer (17.1), is back with the Sun and trying to make the team.

Kotsopoulos was a shutdown defender who helped Vermont defeat Hartford in the America East title game. She also has defended many of the best players in America, such as Angel McCoughtry, the No.1 pick in the 2009 draft, and UConn’s Kalana Greene and Maya Moore, since Vermont also played UConn in the regular season in 2009-10.

Kotsopoulos faces long odds, as do all of the free agents the Sun signed after the April 8 draft. The Sun turned their roster over in the offseason after not making the playoffs for the first time, and the result is a tight 11-player roster, as long as everyone stays healthy.

“The reality is that most of the other players here are not going to make this team,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “They knew that coming here. In order for one of these kids to make it, they are going to have to beat out a veteran or a draft pick. It’s just the way it is.”

This does not phase Kotsopoulos. The free agents, who also include Sacred Heart center Kaitlin Sowinski, know these next few weeks are more about preparing for the step that comes later, playing professionally in Europe this autumn and winter.

Participating in a WNBA training camp gives players experience that will help their job search. And Kotsopoulos, a native of Waterloo, Ontario, already knows where she is likely headed.

“I’m not absolutely sure about everything yet, but it looks like I’m going to get a chance to play for the Greek national team in the world championship this year [September in the Czech Republic],” she said.

“And once that’s over, if I decide and if I am offered the chance, I’ll play for a team in the Greek professional league this season. If the opportunity is not right, then I won’t.”

Thibault said he admires Kotsopoulos’ play and pointed out that free agent guard Kristi Cirone made the Sun and played in four games last season while Anete Jekabsone-Zogota was still in Europe.

But guard is a deep position on this team with Kara Lawson, Renee Montgomery, Tan White, Jekabsone-Zogota and draft pick Allison Hightower of LSU in the rotation.

Whatever happens May, good luck with your career both on and off the court.

WNBA playoffs begin tonight

Detroit opens it’s title defense vs. the Dream tonight. The WNBA Eastern Conference Semifinal series pits the second-seeded Atlanta team against the third-seeded Shock.

The Dream, in just their second year of existence, are making their first-ever appearance in the playoffs after posting an 18-16 record in the regular season, something that was thought to be impossible after they posted just four wins in their entire inaugural campaign.

The 1-2 opening round format, in which the lower seed plays at home first, could be a huge factor here. If veteran-laden Detroit is able to capture the opener at home, where it has won six straight, it could give them the mental edge over an Atlanta team getting a taste of the playoffs for the first time ever as a group.

Some fast facts about the first-round Shock-Dream matchup:

• Detroit snapped a three-game skid to Atlanta in their last meeting on August 27.
• The Shock lead the all-time series, 4-3.
• Atlanta is making its first trip to the playoffs, while Detroit is making its seventh straight and eighth overall.
• Erika de Souza posted three double-doubles vs. Detroit this season.
• Shavonte Zellous averaged 16.8 PPG vs. Atlanta this season.
• Detroit has won three straight opening-round series.

The second match up of the night features Los Angeles vs. Seattle in the Western Conference semifinal. The Sparks have been a thorn in Seattle’s side for years now. L.A. eliminated Seattle in a series that went the distance last season as well as in 2006. And with Tina Thompson now added to the mix, Candace Parker at full strength, Lisa Leslie motivated to win a title in her final season, the Sparks should present problems for the Storm once again in 2009.

Some fast facts about the first-round Storm-Sparks matchup:

• The Storm (74.82) and Sparks (74.50) are 11th and 12th in the league in points per game.
• Leslie has played in just one of the four games against the Storm this season. Parker has played in only two.
• Seattle was the two seed in 2004 when they won their only trophy.
• Lennox was part of that Storm championship team. Only Jackson and Bird remain off that roster.
• Leslie has spent her entire 13-year career with the Sparks. During that time, she’s made seven All-Star appearances and has won two titles.
• Milton-Jones and Leslie are the only two current Sparks from their 2002 championship team. Leslie has remained with the club over the years, while Milton-Jones left three seasons (2005-07) to play in Washington.

Be sure to catch both games tonight on ESPN2!

Naperville basketball court named after Candace Parker

How’d you like a neighborhood basketball court named after you? That’s exactly what happened to WNBA star Candace Parker last week. The Naperville Park District honored their fave local player by dedicating a newly renovated basketball court in her honor.

Spring-Field Park is where Candace practiced basketball growing up so  when she cut the ribbon on Candace Parker Court, she recalled her childhood.

“This is where I pretty much first picked up a basketball,” said Parker,  “The first time I was on the court I was 5, had these huge braids and played with my big brothers. The park meant so much to our family.”

A plaque implanted in the sidewalk leading to the court notes that it was “the place where, for many years, Parker practiced and honed her craft under the guidance of her father.” Larry Parker was a former college basketball player who helped his daughter shape her game through countless hours of play.

“I am so excited to welcome Candace back to Naperville and present her with a Key to the City,” Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel said. “Candace is one of our hometown heroes and a positive role model for future generations of Naperville athletes. This is a fitting tribute for an outstanding individual. She truly has the key to our hearts in Naperville.”

Parker’s prowess on the basketball court has earned her numerous distinctions, from her high school prep career at Naperville Central High School where her contributions drove the Redhawks to consecutive state titles, as a member of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols where she led in scoring and rebounds during her final season, and as the top pick of the 2008 WNBA draft, going to the Los Angeles Sparks, her current team.

Most recently, Parker led the U.S. women’s basketball team to the gold medal during the Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China.

Parker said she never imagined evolving into a role model for female athletes during her days playing in Naperville, but believes she has plenty of company.

“My generation was probably the first that had a few female athletes to really look up to, but today there are countless female athletes for young girls to look up to,” she said.

WNBA All Star voting underway

The Beijing Olympics replaced the WNBA All-Star game last season, but online voting for the 2009 All-Star game begins this week.

Balloting will determine the starting lineups for the league’s premier event, which will be hosted by the Connecticut Sun on Saturday, July 25 and televised nationally on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Fans worldwide will have the opportunity to select their favorite players as starters for the ninth All-Star Game by voting in person at WNBA arenas or online beginning June 15 at WNBA.com.

The 65 players included on the 2009 All-Star ballot represent all 13 WNBA teams. Voters will  select two guards, two forwards and one center from each conference. A write-in option is also available, allowing fans to choose players not listed on the ballot.

The WNBA All-Star Balloting Program will be conducted from June 14 through July 7.  Following the completion of fan voting, starting line-ups will be announced on July 14 during the nationally-televised Sun vs. Los Angeles Sparks game on ESPN2.  WNBA head coaches will then select the remaining All-Stars from their respective conferences, with the reserves announced on July 20.

The Western Conference dominated play by winning six straight before MVP Katie Douglas led the Eastern Conference to a 98-82 victory in the 2006 All-Star Game. The East followed that up with another victory in 2007, when Cheryl Ford poured in 16 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to earn MVP honors.

You can vote daily for your favorite players to be named to the team here and be eligible to win a trip for two to Mohegan Sun for the All-Star Game.

Weekend Sports June 11-14

Looking for sports to watch this weekend? Here are some choices:

Tennis
June 8-14, Aegon Championships, London, UK
June 8-14, Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Germany

Golf
June 11-14, PGA St. Jude Classic, Memphis, Tenn.
June 11-14,  McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola

Track & Field
June 10-13,  NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships

BMX
June 13-14, The ABA First State Nationals,  Milford, Delaware.

FRIDAY JUNE 12

NHL
STANLEY CUP FINAL Game 7
Pittsburgh v. Detroit, 8 pm

WNBA (All Access)
Los Angeles Sparks v. Indiana Fever, 7 p.m.
Seattle Storm v. Minnesota Lynx, 8 p.m.
Atlanta Dream v. Chicago Sky, 8:30
Phoenix Mercury v. Sacramento Monarchs, 10 pm

MLB
Minnesota v. Cubs, 2:20pm
Detroit v. Pittsburgh, 7:05pm
Red Sox v. Phillies, 7:05pm
Braves v. Orioles, 7:05pm
Mets v. Yankees, 7:05pm
Cardinals v. Cleveland, 7:05pm
Florida v. Blue Jays, 7:07pm
Nationals v. Rays, 7:38pm
Dodgers v. Texas, 8:05pm
White Sox v. Milwaukee, 8:05pm
Cincinnati v. Kansas City, 8:10pm
Seattle v. Colorado, 9:10pm
Houston v. Arizona, 9:40pm
San Diego v. Angels, 10:05pm
Oakland v. San Francisco, 10:15pm

NPF
Pride v. Bandits 7:05pm

SATURDAY JUNE 13

NBA
Lakers @ Magic 8:00pm (Championship Game?)

NPF
Pride v. Bandits 7:05pm

WNBA (All Access)
New York Liberty @ San Antonio 8:00pm
Sacramento Monarchs @ Phoenix Mercury 10:00pm

WPS
Chicago Red Stars @ Washington Freedom 4:30pm
Los Angeles Sol @ Sky Blue FC 7:00pm (NBCU)

MLB
Twins v. Cubs,  1:05 pm
Marlins v. Blue Jays, 1:07 pm
White Sox v. Brewers, 4:05 pm
Mets v Yankees, 4:10 pm
Cardinals v. Indians, 4:10 pm
Nationals v.  Rays, 6:08 pm
Braves v. Orioles, 7:05 pm
Red Sox v. Phillies, 7:05 pm
Tigers v. Pirates, 7:05 pm
Reds v. Royals, 7:10 pm
Dodgers v.  Rangers, 8:05 pm
Astros v. D-backs, 8:10 pm
Mariners Rockies, 8:10 pm
Padres v. Angels, 9:05 pm
Athletics v. Giants, 10:05 pm

SUNDAY JUNE 14

NPF
Pride v. Bandits 3:05pm

WNBA (All Access)
Atlanta Dream  @ Connecticut Sun 3:00pm
Seattle Storm @ Chicago Sky 6:00pm

WPS
Saint Louis Athletica @ Boston Breakers 6:00 pm

MLB
Mets v.Yankees, 1:05 pm
Marlins v. Blue Jays, 1:07 pm
Braves v. Orioles, 1:35 pm
Red Sox v. Phillies, 1:35 pm
Tigers v. Pirates, 1:35 pm
Nationals v. Rays, 1:38 pm
White Sox v.Brewers, 2:05 p.m.
Reds v. Royals 2:10 pm
Twins v. Cubs 2:20 pm
Dodgers v. Rangers, 3:05 pm
Mariners v. Rockies, 3:10 pm
Padres v. Angels, 3:35 pm
Athletics Giants 4:05 pm
Astros v.  D-Backs, 4:10 pm
Cardinals v. Indians 8:05 pm

WNBA design contest brings fans creativity to the court

Get out your Crayolas and Sharpies. The WNBA wants to make someone a design superstar.

For the second consecutive season, adidas is giving WNBA fans the opportunity to combine their passion for the game with their creativity to design a shooting shirt that will be worn on court during the 2009 WNBA All-Star Game on July 25 in Connecticut.

Fans can log onto WNBA.com/idesign from June 8 to July 5, 2009 and submit their designs. The winning design, as determined by a panel of WNBA and adidas representatives, will be manufactured by adidas, the Official Outfitter of the WNBA, and worn on court by all players participating in the 2009 WNBA All-Star Game. Fans can also rate and comment on each submitted design online.

The winner will receive a trip for two to the 2009 WNBA All-Star Game and will be acknowledged during the game. The winning shirt will be sold on nbastore.com, at the NBA Store on 5th Avenue in New York City, and in-arena at the Mohegan Sun Arena during the All-Star game.

Last year’s winner, Meghan Farley, designed a creative shooting shirt incorporating each WNBA team logo united within a silhouette of the WNBA logo. Her shirt, which all players wore on court during the 2008 WNBA Finals, was sold online at wnbastore.com and was the top-selling item during its first on-sale date.

For more information, log onto www.wnba.com/idesign.

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