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WNBA Chicago Sky

Sky Adds Three Players in 2015 WNBA Draft

April 16, 2015 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


CHICAGO - The Chicago Sky has selected forward Cheyenne Parker from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) with the 5th overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm. Head Coach and General Manager Pokey Chatman rounded out the 2015 Draft selecting Betnijah Laney from Rutgers University (17th overall) and Aleighsa Welch from the University of South Carolina (22nd overall) in the second round.

"We can't be more excited about the three that we chose, especially with that last pick with Aleighsa Welch," said Sky Head Coach and General Manager Pokey Chatman. "We think she is an incredible player. Laney is extremely versatile. She's the type of player that can step out and guard a two, three, or some of the smaller fours. And Parker, at 6'4, is a nice body with good hands who can face up, pound it in the paint and will be a true compliment to what we already have."

The 6-foot-4 Parker will add depth and athleticism to Chicago's frontcourt. During the 2014-15 season, Parker recorded ten 20-plus point games and 13 double-doubles. The versatile forward also set MTSU's season blocks mark and notched the first triple-double in school history with 18 points, 17 rebounds and 11 blocks against UTEP on January 31, 2015. For the season she ranked among the top 20 players in Division I NCAA women's basketball for offensive boards (1st), triple-doubles (2nd), blocks (6th), field goal percentage (7th), rebounds (16th), and double-doubles (20th) throughout the 2014-15 season. Parker also led Conference USA in blocked shots and was second in field goal percentage at 58.8 percent.

Prior to attending MTSU, Parker completed three seasons at High Point University. As a junior, in 2012-13, she broke her own conference record for blocked shots on her way to being named Big South's Defensive Player of the Year for second-consecutive season. She averaged 17.9 ppg and 13.2 rpg while collecting 23 double-doubles, becoming only the fifth Big South player to top the 1,000 plateau for both points and rebounds.

In the second round, the Sky selected Betnijah Laney, a 6-foot guard/forward who finished a successful career at Rutgers University being named 2015 AP All-American honorable mention and First Team All-Big Ten. During the 2014-15 season, Laney averaged 15.9 ppg and 10.7 rpg, including 20 double-doubles. With a 24-rebound performance against North Carolina, Laney set a Rutgers Athletic Center record as she surpassed Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and former WNBA All-Star Sue Wicks (21). Laney concluded her career at Rutgers with 1,401 career points (14th all-time) and 912 rebounds (6th all-time), becoming just the fourth player in school history to gather over 1,400 points and 900 rebounds in a career. She is also the seventh Scarlet Knight to earn All-America accolades from the AP.

The Sky closed out the draft selecting Aleighsa Welch, a 2015 All-SEC First Team selection and SEC Tournament MVP that led Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks to the Final Four. The 6-foot forward earned AP All-America honorable mention in her junior and senior seasons. In 2015, Welch was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She averaged 9.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists on the year and recorded five double-doubles. Welch shot 55.8 percent from the field and her .577 field goal percentage ranks second all-time in school history. She finished as the program's top career offensive rebounder and one of just four Gamecocks all-time to record at least 1,000 points and 900 rebounds in her career.

Parker, Laney, and Welch will join the Chicago Sky when training camp opens on May 17, 2015.

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