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Mountaineers In The Pros
WVU IS RAPIDLY GAINING A REPUTATION FOR SENDING ITS OWN PLAYERS ON TO THE WNBA AND PROFESSIONAL RANKS OVERSEAS. SINCE 2004, 10 FORMER MOUNTAINEERS HAVE HAD LINKS TO THE WNBA.
Guard KATE BULGER (2001-04) became the first WVU player drafted in the WNBA as she went as the final pick (No. 38) in the third round to the Minnesota Lynx in 2004. Center YELENA LEUCHANKA (2004-06) played three seasons in the WNBA with three different franchises as a free agent: the Charlotte Sting in 2006, the Washington Mystics in 2007 and the Atlanta Dream in 2010. OLAYINKA SANNI (2005-08), an All-American center drafted in the second round as the No. 18 overall pick of the 2008 WNBA draft by the Detroit Shock, won the WNBA Championship her rookie season. After two seasons with Detroit, she played the 2011 season with the Phoenix Mercury. She also plays overseas.
All-American point guard YOLANDA PAIGE became the first player out of WVU to make a WNBA roster as she was drafted by the Indiana Fever in the second round of the 2005 WNBA Draft with the 16th overall pick.
MOUNTAINEERS COACH PLITZUWEIT SAYS… “OUR COACHING STAFF IS COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT. OUR GOAL IS FOR EACH ONE OF OUR PLAYERS TO LEAVE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY AS THE MOST CONFIDENT VERSION OF THEMSELVES THAT THEY CAN BE. IN ADDITION, OUR POSITIONLESS STYLE IN THE PROS OF PLAY AND THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN OUR TRAINING TRANSLATES DIRECTLY TO THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL.”
Center ASYA BUSSIE (2010-14) was selected in the second round by the Minnesota Lynx as the No. 15 overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft. Bussie became WVU’s second-highest WNBA Draft pick in program history. The Randallstown, Md., native was a two-time All-American Honorable Mention selection by the Associated Press and the WBCA. Forward TEANA MULDROW (2013-18) was the third straight Mountaineer taken in the draft when she was selected 29th overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2018 WNBA Draft. West Virginia’s all-time leader in games played, Muldrow departed Morgantown ranked in the top-10 all-time in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, among other categories. Additionally, she earned AP All-America Honorable Mention following a stellar senior campaign in 2017-18.
Guard TYNICE MARTIN (2016-20) was taken with the 36th overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2020 WNBA Draft. The two-time, All-Big 12 First Teamer finished her career as the No. 4 scorer in program history, with 1,980 career points. Martin’s career numbers also put her in the top five in field goals made, 3-point field goals made and free-throw percentage. Guard KYSRE GONDREZICK (2018-21) became the most recent Mountaineer to join the W’s ranks. In the 2021 WNBA Draft, the Benton Harbor, Michigan, native became the highest drafted player in program history when the Indiana Fever selected her with the fourth overall pick in the first round. Gondrezick put together one of the best senior campaigns in Mountaineer history, scoring 546 points and dishing out 125 assists. At season’s end, she collected a pair of All-America Honorable Mention honors from the Associated Press and the WBCA.
Guard BRIA HOLMES (2013-16) became the first WVU player to be selected in the first round in program history with her 11th overall section by the Atlanta Dream in the 2016 WNBA Draft. Holmes finished third on MOUNTAINEERS WVU’s all-time scoring list with 2,001 career points and earned All-America Honorable Mention from the Associated Press and WBCA, as well as Senior CLASS Award Second Team All-America accolades. IN THE PROS
AFTER HELPING THE DETROIT SHOCK TO THE 2008 WNBA CHAMPIONSHIP IN HER ROOKIE SEASON, FORMER MOUNTAINEER OLAYINKA SANNI AND HER TEAMMATES CELEBRATED WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AT THE WHITE HOUSE .
