April 9, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Four ACC players were selected in the first round of the 2008 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft on Wednesday, April 10. The Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, owned by Washington Mystics President and Managing Partner Sheila Johnson and located in Palm Harbor, Fla., served as host for this year's WNBA Draft, where a foursome of ACC student-athletes were tabbed in the first 14 picks. In all, eight ACC players were selected.

Maryland senior Crystal Langhorne was the first ACC player to be called upon in the 2008 WNBA Draft, earning the sixth pick of the 14-selection first round. Joining Langhorne in the first round was teammate Laura Harper and a pair of North Carolina veterans, LaToya Pringle and Erlana Larkins.

Langhorne, who became the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in field goal percentage three-straight years, was selected by the Washington Mystics. Maryland's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Langhorne was the 2008 ACC Player of the Year and was a first-team All-ACC pick for the third-straight year, becoming one of only 10 players in league history to earn first team all-conference nods three times. In addition, the Willingboro, N.J., native led her Terrapin team this season with 17.3 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game, ranking third in each category.

Laura Harper, who was picked No. 10 to the Sacramento Monarchs, boasts the third-best shooting percentage in the nation. The 2006 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player, Harper capped her Maryland career with her best season in 2008, becoming the program's all-time leading shot blocker. She scored her 1,000th-career point and leaves College Park ranked 14th all-time in scoring, 1,407 points, after recording her first-career 500-point season. She also ranks fourth all-time in the program with 873 career boards. Harper was named an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American and third-team All-ACC this season.

As the third ACC player selected in the three-round WNBA Draft on Wednesday, LaToya Pringle, who was named to the State Farm Honorable Mention All-America list last week, was picked by the Phoenix Mercury at No. 13. Pringle, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds as a senior. Her 95 blocks on the year gave her 336 for her career, a new school record and the second-highest career total in ACC history. Pringle was a first-team All-ACC selection and was named to the ACC and New Orleans Region All-Tournament teams.

Larkins, who led North Carolina to a 33-3 record, a perfect run through the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and a fourth-straight ACC Tournament title this season, was selected as No. 14 in the 2008 Draft to the New York Liberty. The Riviera Beach, Fla., product averaged 13.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest this season in leading the Tar Heels to the Elite Eight.

Three additional ACC players were picked in the second round of the 2008 WNBA Draft. Georgia Tech's Chioma Nnamaka was the 21st selection to the San Antonio Silver Stars, while NC State's Khadijah Whittington and Duke's Wanisha Smith rounded out ACC's representation in the second round. Whittington was pick No. 26 to the Indiana Fever and Blue Devil standout Smith was selected one pick later to the New York Liberty, joining Larkins.

The third round saw one final ACC selection as the Los Angeles Sparks took Virginia's Sharnee' Zoll at No. 29. The Marlboro, N.J., native wrapped up her Cavalier career by becoming the ACC's all-time assists leader and led her Cavaliers to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Zoll broke the 16-year-old record held by former UVa great Dawn Staley (729 career assists) and finished her tenure with 785. A four-year starter, Zoll will leave Virginia as one of the most decorated guards in Cavalier history. In addition to owning the career assists record, she ranks in the all-time top 10 in career steals (234; No. 5) and was a three-time all-conference selection.

The WNBA will tip off its 12th season of play on Saturday, May 17, as 12 of the league's 14 teams square off on opening day. Earlier this year, the WNBA and ESPN announced an eight-year extension of their agreement to have ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 televise WNBA games through the 2016 season.

2008 ACC WNBA Draftees

Crystal Langhorne First Round (6) Washington	Laura Harper First Round (10) Sacramento	LaToya Pringle First Round (13) Phoenix	Erlana Larkins First Round (14) New York
Chioma Nnamaka Second Round (21) San Antonio	Khadijah Whittington Second Round (26) Indiana	Wanisha Smith Second Round (27) New York	Sharnee' Zoll Third Round (29) Los Angeles