SAN FRANCISCO - The 2018 WNBA season officially tips off tonight and 16 former players from Pac-12 institutions will represent their universities on opening-day rosters.
Former UCLA Bruin Noelle Quinn is the most veteran former Pac-12 standout in the WNBA as she enters her 12th season in the league, this year sporting the Seattle Storm jersey for the second-straight year. Current ARIZONA STATE assistant coach and alum Briann January will be back near her old stomping grounds at ASU as she heads into her 10th season as a member of the Phoenix Mercury. January’s new teammate on the Mercury, former UTAH Ute Leilani Mitchell, also marks her 10th season in the league when the season opens today.
Former WASHINGTON Husky and the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer Kelsey Plum starts her second season in the WNBA with the league’s newest team the Las Vegas Aces when she returns from playing overseas, while recent draftees Jordin Canada (UCLA), Monique Billings (UCLA) and Marie Gülich (OREGON STATE) look to make their professional debuts with the Storm, Atlanta Dream and Mercury, respectively. The trio were named to the All-Pac-12 team in 2018 and led their squads to the NCAA Tournament.
Nine Pac-12 institutions will be represented in the WNBA this season. STANFORD leads the way with three alums, including Chiney Ogwumike who is looking to bounce back from injuries on the Connecticut Sun roster, and sister Nneka Ogwumike with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Tonight’s season opener features the Dallas Wings traveling to face the Mercury. The Chicago Sky visits the Indiana Fever on Saturday May 19, and the weekend wraps up with a full slate of games on Sunday, May 20, including the Sun and Sparks.
For more information on the 2018 WNBA season, links to all the teams websites and this season’s schedule, visit wnba.com.
PLAYER | PAC-12 SCHOOL | WNBA TEAM |
Monique Billings | UCLA | Atlanta Dream |
Layshia Clarendon | California | Atlanta Dream |
Chiney Ogwumike | Stanford | Connecticut Sun |
Erica McCall | Stanford | Indiana Fever |
Kelsey Plum | Washington | Las Vegas Aces |
Nneka Ogwumike | Stanford | Los Angeles Sparks |
Sydney Wiese | Oregon State | Los Angeles Sparks |
Temi Fagbenle | USC | Minnesota Lynx |
Brittany Boyd | California | New York Liberty |
Ify Ibekwe | Arizona | New York Liberty |
Marie Gülich | Oregon State | Phoenix Mercury |
Briann January | Arizona State | Phoenix Mercury |
Leilani Mitchell | Utah | Phoenix Mercury |
Jordin Canada | UCLA | Seattle Storm |
Noelle Quinn | UCLA | Seattle Storm |
Sami Whitcomb | Washington | Seattle Storm |