WNBA Welcomes Trio From National Championship Team
Irish players picked in each of the three rounds.

May 1, 2001

Three senior members of Notre Dame’s NCAA national champion women’sbasketball team were selected in each of the first three rounds of theWomen’s National Basketball Association draft.

Two-time All-America center and national player of the year Ruth Riley went in thefirst round and with the fifth overall pick to the Miami Sol whilefifth-year All-America point guard Niele Ivey was the 19th overallselection, as the second-round pick of the Indiana Fever. Senior forwardand BIG EAST most improved player Kelly Siemon was selected with the finalpick of the third round by the Los Angeles Sparks.

Notre Dame was one of five schools with three players selected inthe 64-player draft while BIG EAST Conference schools produced 11 totaldraft selections (more than any other conference).

Three former Irish players are veterans of the WNBA: current Irishassistant coach Coquese Washington (’92, Houston Comets) and ’97 graduatesBeth (Morgan) Cunningham (Washington Mystics) and Katryna Gaither (UtahStarzz).