Sports stats



WNBA Women's National Basketball Association

WNBA To Honor Cokie Roberts with Inspiration Award

July 15, 2009 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


NEW YORK, July 15, 2009 - Cokie Roberts, political commentator for ABC News, senior news analyst for NPR News, and bestselling author, will be the recipient of the 2009 WNBA Inspiration Award, WNBA President Donna Orender announced today.

The WNBA Inspiration Award, which recognizes an individual who inspires others through her commitment and dedication to work, family, and community, will be presented at the league's fourth annual WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon. The Luncheon, presented by Meredith Corporation and OfficeMax, will be held on Wednesday, July 29 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, a Starwood Hotels & Resorts property, with more than 300 prominent attendees from the worlds of entertainment, sports, business, and politics.

"This award celebrates inspirational and motivational women who are role models and ignite the dreams and aspirations of women, men and young people," said WNBA President Donna Orender. "Every aspect of Cokie's life - from being an Emmy-award winning journalist to best-selling author to being a proud mother and grandmother - has impacted the lives of millions. The WNBA is proud to recognize her for all her accomplishments."

"Really? Me? The least athletic person on earth? I am thrilled and honored to be with the WNBA," said Cokie Roberts. "What terrific work you've been doing for women and girls. And what great games you play."

Additional WNBA events will take place throughout the week in the Chicago area. As part of Toyota Project Rebound, the WNBA and the Chicago Sky will unveil a renovated basketball court at the Hirsch High School on Thursday, July 30. Players will be on hand to host a special basketball clinic, which will include conditioning, dribbling, passing, and shooting activities for local students. Also, the WNBA, Pitney Bowes and the Chicago Sky will host a Fast Break To Reading Timeout for kids participating in the Chicago Public Libraries Summer Reading Program at the National Urban League Conference.

In addition, the Chicago Sky will take on hometown favorite Candace Parker and the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, July 29 at the UIC Pavillion at 7:00 p.m. For ticket information, please visit www.wnba.com

At the league's inaugural luncheon in 2006, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright addressed a group of inspiring women as the WNBA All-Decade team - whose contributions and sacrifices over ten years had done so much to seed the success of women in sports and inspire dreams - was honored and recognized. Other past honorees include former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Good Morning America's Robin Roberts, whose incredible hard work and diligence led to their many achievements.

About Cokie Roberts: Cokie Roberts is a political commentator for ABC News, providing analysis for all network news programming. From 1996 to 2002, she and Sam Donaldson coanchored the weekly ABC interview program This Week. Roberts also serves as senior news analyst for National Public Radio. In her more than forty years in broadcasting, she has won countless awards, including three Emmys. She is a member of the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, and was cited by the American Women in Radio and Television as one of the 50 greatest women in the history of broadcasting.

In addition to her appearances on the airwaves, Roberts, along with her husband, Steven V. Roberts, writes a weekly column syndicated in newspapers around the country by United Media. The Roberts are also contributing editors to USA Weekend Magazine, and together they wrote From this Day Forward, an account of their more-than-forty-year marriage and other marriages in American history. The book immediately went on to The New York Times bestseller list, following Cokie Roberts's number one bestseller, We Are Our Mothers' Daughters, an account of women's roles and relationships throughout American history. Robert's histories of women in America's founding era - Founding Mothers (2004), and Ladies of Liberty (2008) - also became instant bestsellers. Cokie Roberts holds more than twenty honorary degrees and serves on the boards of several non-profit institutions and on the President's Commission on Service and Civic Participation. This year, the Library of Congress named her a "Living Legend," one of the very few Americans to have attained that honor. She is the mother of two and grandmother of six.

About OfficeMax: OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) is a leader in both business-to- business office products solutions and retail office products. The OfficeMax mission is simple. We help our customers do their best work. The company provides office supplies and paper, in-store print and document services through OfficeMax ImPress®, technology products and solutions, and furniture to consumers and to large, medium and small businesses. OfficeMax customers are served by more than 30,000 associates through direct sales, catalogs, e-commerce and more than 1,000 stores. To find the nearest OfficeMax, call 1-877-OFFICEMAX. For more information, visit http://www.officemax.com/.

About Meredith Corporation Meredith Corporation (www.meredith.com) is one of America's premier media and marketing companies. Meredith combines well-known national brands - including Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle, American Baby, Fitness and More - with local television brands in fast growing markets. Meredith is the industry leader in creating content in key consumer interest areas such as home, family, health and wellness and self-development. Meredith then uses multiple distribution platforms - including print, television, online, mobile and video - to give consumers content they desire and to deliver the messages of its marketing partners. Additionally, Meredith uses its many assets to create powerful custom marketing solutions for many of the nation's top brands and companies. The goals of these programs are to increase consumer loyalty and produce repeated consumer interaction. In the last two years, Meredith has significantly added to its capabilities in this area through the acquisition of cutting-edge companies in areas such as online, word-of-mouth and database marketing. Meredith employs approximately 3,600 people throughout the United States, and fiscal 2007 annual revenues were $1.6 billion.

About the 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. Comprised of 13 teams, the WNBA is the most successful women's professional team sports league in the world. The 2009 WNBA season tipped off June 6 on ABC. 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.

Check out the Women's National Basketball Association Statistics



Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 15, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central