Two Former University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Among Four Added to Lynx Training Camp Roster
Published on April 22, 2010 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Minnesota Lynx News Release
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Lynx today announced the addition of four players to the team's 2010 training camp roster, including former University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Ashley Ellis-Milan and Brittany McCoy. Vanessa Gidden, a 2007 Hofstra graduate, and former George Washington star Jessica Adair were also signed to training camp contracts. Today's signings complete Minnesota's 16-player training camp roster.
The Lynx will open training camp on Sunday, April 25 with the team's first practice from 3 - 5 p.m. in the Lynx practice facility. Media availability is scheduled to begin at approximately 4:30 p.m. Select players and coaches will be available upon the conclusion of practice for interviews. The Lynx will open the season on the road at Tulsa on Saturday, May 15 before returning to Target Center for the team's Home Opener on Sunday, May 16 vs. Washington.
Ellis-Milan, a 6-2 forward/center from St. Paul, Minn., averaged 10.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.01 steals per game in 127 career games, 123 starts, as a Golden Gopher. A two-year captain (2008-09, 2009-10), Ellis totaled 20 career point/rebound double-doubles and finished her career fifth on the University of Minnesota's all-time rebounding list (860 career rebounds). In 2008-09, Ellis-Milan averaged 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on her way to earning All-Big Ten Third Team honors from the conference coaches and media. She was also a 2008 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection her sophomore year. Ellis-Milan averaged 9.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 2009-10, her senior year.
A 2005 graduate of St. Paul Central High School, Ellis-Milan was a 2004 and 2005 Minnesota Ms. Basketball finalist, earning 2005 Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year and 2005 Associated Press All-State First Team honors her senior year. She led the Minutemen to a third-place finish in the 2005 Minnesota Class 4A State Tournament and the St. Paul City Conference title with a 27-3 record in 2005. She averaged 21.3 points and 11.2 rebounds as a senior.
McCoy, a 5-10 guard from Lincolnwood, Ill., started all 127 games of her career as a Golden Gopher, setting the school record for most consecutive starts. Minnesota's Defensive Player of the Year and 2010 Golden Gopher MVP, McCoy earned 2010 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors from the conference coaches and media after averaging 7.0 points, 5.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game as a senior. McCoy completed her Golden Gopher career third on the school's assists chart, and became the first player to record triple-digit assist totals all four years. Her 5.1 assists per game her senior year ranked second in the Big Ten. McCoy tallied career averages of 7.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Undrafted in 2007 out of Hofstra, Gidden, a 6-3 forward, eventually signed a training camp contract with the Connecticut Sun, appearing in one preseason game, recording one rebound and one block in 11 minutes of action. She was waived on May 10, 2007. Gidden averaged 12.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game over her four-year collegiate career. Gidden, a Stamford, Conn., native, earned All-Colonial Athletic Association Second Team honors her senior year after averaging 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Gidden played in Romania this past winter, averaging 20.0 points and 10.9 rebounds per game in 13 contests for Sepsi Sf. Gheorghe.
Adair, a 6-4 center out of George Washington University, was originally drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the 34th overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft. The Mercury waived her on May 13, 2009. A Washington, D.C. native, Adair averaged 12.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game over her four-year career at George Washington. A three-time All-Atlantic First Team selection, Adair completed her career ranked 11th on GW's career scoring list (1,475 points), seventh in career rebounds (770 rebounds) and fifth in career blocks (161 blocks). She led the Colonials in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg), blocks (1.7 bpg), steals (1.1 spg) and field goal percentage (.584) her senior year.
2010 Minnesota Lynx Training Camp Roster
No.
Player
Pos
Ht
Birthdate
College Year
Yrs
1
Jessica Adair
C
6-4
12/19/86
George Washington '09
R
21
Nicky Anosike*
C/F
6-3
02/27/86
Tennessee '08
2
33
Seimone Augustus
G/F
6-0
04/30/84
LSU '06
4
32
Rebekkah Brunson*
F
6-3
12/11/81
Georgetown '04
6
34
Ashley Ellis-Milan
F/C
6-2
03/21/87
Minnesota '10
R
43
Vanessa Gidden
F
6-3
07/01/85
Hofstra '07
R
9
Quanitra Hollingsworth*
C
6-5
11/15/88
Virginia Commonwealth '09
1
24
Charde Houston*
F
6-0
04/10/86
Connecticut '08
2
99
Hamchétou Maïga-Ba*
F
6-2
04/25/78
Old Dominion '02
8
44
Gabriella Marginean
F
6-1
02/12/87
Drexel '10
R
20
Núria MartÃnez
G
5-9
02/29/84
Spain
2
8
Rashanda McCants
F/G
6-1
11/17/86
North Carolina '09
1
12
Brittany McCoy
G
5-10
11/26/87
Minnesota '10
R
13
Lindsay Whalen*
G
5-9
05/09/82
Minnesota '04
6
11
Candice Wiggins
G
5-11
02/14/87
Stanford '08
2
22
Monica Wright
G/F
5-11
07/15/88
Virginia '10
R
* Will miss the start of training camp due to overseas commitments
Head Coach: Cheryl Reeve (La Salle)
Assistant Coach: Jim Petersen (Minnesota)
Athletic Trainers: Chuck Barta (Wisconsin-La Crosse); Keith Uzpen (Minnesota State-Mankato)
Numerical Roster
No. Player No. Player No. Player
1 Jessica Adair 13 Lindsay Whalen 32 Rebekkah Brunson
8 Rashanda McCants 20 Núria MartÃnez 33 Seimone Augustus
9 Quanitra Holllingsworth 21 Nicky Anosike 34 Ashley Ellis-Milan
11 Candice Wiggins 22 Monica Wright 43 Vanessa Gidden
12 Brittany McCoy 24 Charde Houston 44 Gabriella Marginean
99 Hamchétou Maïga-Ba
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- Two Former University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Among Four Added to Lynx Training Camp Roster - Minnesota Lynx
- Game Time Changed For Preseason Road Game - Indiana Fever
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