Charlotte Sting weekly
May 15, 2006 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Charlotte Sting News Release
THE WEEK AHEAD
Saturday, May 20 - vs. Sky - 6:00 p.m.
Radio: WNMX 106.1 FM
The Sting open their 10th anniversary season on Saturday as they host the league's newest team, the Chicago Sky. The game marks the Sting's first-ever regular season game at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Chicago is coached by former NBA MVP and Charlotte Hornets Head Coach Dave Cowens. Their roster includes Expansion Draft selections Stacey Dales, Jia Perkins and Elaine Powell as well as rookie Candice Dupree.
PRESEASON RESULTS
The Sting finished the 2006 preseason with a 1-3 record. Charlotte's lone win came in their final preseason game as they posted a 71-70 victory over Silver Stars in San Antonio on Friday, May 12. Kelly Mazzante and LaToya Bond posted 14 points in the win while Monique Currie added 13 and Yelena Leuchanka recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
ROOKIES SHINE
Sting rookies Monique Currie, Tye'sha Fluker, LaToya Bond and Yelena Leuchanka have been impressive in the preseason tallying 165 points in the team's four games. The four accounted for 62.5 percent of the Sting's point total in preseason play.
STING IN THE MEDIA
- Sting forward Tangela Smith will chat live on CharlotteSting.com on Wednesday, May 17 at 2 p.m.
- The Charlotte Sting preseason radio special, "The Charlotte Sting at 10" will air on Thursday, May 18 on WNMX 106.1 FM at 7 p.m.
OPENING NIGHT
The Sting will celebrate the opening of their 2006 season on Saturday night as they host the Chicago Sky. All fans in attendance will receive 10th Anniversary t-shirts, courtesy of Lowe's Home Improvement. The Sting will also honor their inaugural season ticket holders by including them in various aspects of the game presentation as well as awarding them with their own personalized Sting jersey.
FROM THE RAFTERS
The Sting will also honor Andrea Stinson on opening night as they retire her number 32 jersey in a ceremony at halftime. One of the original members of the team, she became synonymous with the Charlotte Sting as she started every game in the first eight years of the team's history. During her career in her hometown, she averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals. Her name is found throughout the Charlotte Sting record books as she is the franchise's all-time leader with 3,329 points, 1,302 field goals made, 254 games played and started, 2,882 field goals attempted, 520 free throws made, 706 free throws attempted, 1,115 rebounds and 339 steals. A three-time WNBA All-Star (2000, 2001, 2002), Stinson is a nominee for the WNBA's All-Decade Team.
NEW WEBSITE
The Charlotte Sting have recently re-launched their official website, CharlotteSting.com. Designed to be the ultimate source for Sting information, the site features a new user-friendly look as well as several new features and interactive elements including Tye'sha Fluker's rookie diary and a blog written by Sting radio announcer Sam Smith.
MUGGSY IN CHARGE
Muggsy Bogues begins his first full season as head coach of the Charlotte Sting after taking over the team with 10 games left in the 2005 season. In those 10 games, Bogues led the Sting to a 3-7 record equaling the team's win total in the previous 24 games. He also implemented an uptempo style of player reminiscent of his days of an NBA point guard. The team averaged 66.9 points over those 10 games compared to 59.4 in the first 24.
A NEW HOME
After spending their first nine seasons playing in the Charlotte Coliseum, the Sting will begin play in a new home on Saturday as they move Uptown to Charlotte Bobcats Arena. This marks the sixth straight season, the Sting have opened their season in the Queen City. Charlotte begins the season with four straight home games, making it the longest homestand of the season.
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