Sting make roster moves

July 6, 2005 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Charlotte Sting News Release


The Charlotte Sting signed free agents Caity Matter and Ayana Walker, it was announced today by General Manager and Head Coach Trudi Lacey. In conjunction with those additions, the Sting waived Tynesha Lewis and Jessica Moore and placed Kelly Mazzante on the Injured List with tendinitis in her right knee.

"These moves will address the areas of shooting and rebounding, which are still a concern for us," said Lacey. "We felt it was important to make these moves now so that we can increase our productivity following the All-Star break. Caity Matter is an excellent three-point shooter and played well for us in training camp while Ayana Walker is a young, veteran player who will add rebounding and depth to our bench."

Matter, a 5-7 guard, signed as a free agent with Charlotte on April 19, 2005, and participated in training camp before being released on May 20. A 2005 graduate of Ohio State, Matter finished her collegiate career ranked first in the school's record books for three-pointers made, attempted and percentage. She also ranks first among Ohio State career leaders with a .855 free throw shooting percentage. In four years as a Buckeye, Matter averaged 13.2 points while shooting .473 (520-1099) from the field and .411 (270-657) from three-point range. As a senior, Matter was named an All-American Honorable Mention and captured the ESPN/Midas Three-Point Shootout. In 2003, she was the recipient of the Edward S. Steitz Award as the best three-point shooter in the country.

Walker, a 6-3 forward, spent the last three-plus seasons with the Detroit Shock after being drafted by Detroit in the second round (20th overall) of the 2002 WNBA Draft. Prior to being waived on July 3, Walker averaged 4.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists while starting 11 of 12 games. For her career, Walker has posted 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 96 games and won a WNBA Championship with the Shock in 2003. A 2002 graduate of Louisiana Tech, Walker posted 13.5 points and 9.2 rebounds as a senior and was named an All-American Honorable Mention. She has also experienced international success, participating on various USA Basketball Teams and being named the 2001 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.

Lewis, a 5-10 guard, was signed as a free agent by Charlotte on June 2, 2003. In 2005, Lewis posted 4.7 points and 2.0 rebounds and appeared in 10 games. Originally selected by the Houston Comets in the second round (21st overall) of the 2001 WNBA Draft, Lewis has averaged 4.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 113 games over her five-year career. Lewis, a 2001 graduate of North Carolina State University, posted 13.3 points and 5.4 rebounds as a senior and was a four-time All-ACC selection.

Moore, a 6-3 forward/center, was selected by Charlotte in the second round (24th overall) of the WNBA Draft on April 16, 2005. Moore appeared in six games with the Sting, averaging 0.5 points and 0.8 rebounds. A 2005 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Moore averaged 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while helping lead the Huskies to three NCAA Championships.

The Charlotte Sting host the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday, July 7, at 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased at the Charlotte Coliseum Box Office, all TicketMaster locations, by calling 1-877-WNBA-TIX or by logging onto www.charlottesting.com. Fans can also download a schedule and obtain further ticket information at www.charlottesting.com.

The Charlotte Bobcats Organization includes the Charlotte Bobcats (NBA), the Charlotte Sting (WNBA), and the New Charlotte Arena, opening in the fall of 2005.



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