Phoenix Mercury select Kentucky senior 53rd overall.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 25, 2000) — Senior Shantia Owens waspicked 53rd overall in the fourth round of the WNBADraft by the Phoenix Mercury today before beingtraded to the 2000 expansion Miami Sol franchise fora fourth round draft pick in 2001.

Owens, a 6-4 center from Newark, N.J., was theWildcats’ starting center from 1998-00 aftertransferring from Trinity Valley Community College inAthens, Texas. She averaged 8.8 points and 7.0rebounds per game in two years at Kentucky, leadingthe Cats in rebounds per game and blocks per gameboth seasons.

In her senior season, Owens averaged 9.6 points pergame and led the Cats’ in rebounding, averaging 7.6rebounds per game. She ranked seventh overall in theSoutheastern Conference in rebounding and secondoverall in blocks with 43. Owens, who helped leadKentucky to its second straight winning season, isthe first Wildcat to be drafted in the WNBA since itsinception in 1997.

“I’m just so excited,” Owens said. “I can’t believe thisis really happening. I’m just going to go down thereand work as hard as I can to make the team andrepresent Kentucky well. Miami is a new team andthey are doing a lot of great things down there. I’mjust proud for a chance to be part of the WNBA.”

Four other Wildcats were not selected in the team of64, but have been invited to various WNBA tryouts.Senior guard Erica Jackson (Lexington, Ky.) willtryout with the Miami Sol on May 3 while seniorguards Tiffany Wait (Hot Springs, Ark.) and NatalieMartinez (Albuquerque, N.M.) will tryout with theOrlando Miracle on April 29. Former Wildcat JayeBarnes (1997-99) will attend a tryout for the SeattleStorm later this month.