April 19, 2002
SECAUCUS, N.J. - Bright lights, big city ahead for UNLV women's basketball senior forward Linda Fr?hlich. The 6-foot-2 forward from Oldendorf, Germany, was selected in the second round of the 2002 WNBA Draft Friday afternoon as the 26th overall pick by the New York Liberty.
Fr?hlich, UNLV's all-time leading scorer and women's all-time leading rebounder, becomes the first player in school history to be drafted into the world's premier women's professional basketball league. She is only the second Lady Rebel to compete in the WNBA. UNLV alumna Pauline Jordan (1987-90), a 1990 Naismith All-American, played with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2000 and the Phoenix Mercury in 1998.
"What Linda has accomplished today has opened the doors for all the players that come after her," said UNLV coach Regina Miller, who accompanied Fr?hlich to the draft. "Throughout her collegiate career, she has brought tremendous recognition to our program on the national and international level. It (the draft) has been a very special day and an experience second to none."
The three-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Year was the Liberty's first pick of the draft, followed by Tracy Gahan from Iowa State at 46th and Deedee Warley from Maryland at 62nd. New York acquired the 26th pick from the Houston Comets in a trade for Rebecca Lobo (Connecticut '95). The current Liberty roster includes all-stars Becky Hammon (Colorado State '99), Camille Cooper (Purdue '01) and Teresa Weatherspoon (Louisiana Tech '88).
"First of all, I am speechless," Fr?hlich said. "The draft has been an indescribable experience. I am so grateful that I can be a part of such a great city and great basketball franchise. God has brought me here (to New York) and it is definitely a blessing. I am excited to meet my new coaches and team members at the Liberty and to join great players such as Becky and Teresa."
The WNBA will begin its sixth season next month over the Memorial Day weekend. New York will open the regular season against the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, May 25 at noon (PST) in Los Angeles. The game will be nationally-televised on NBC. Last season, the Liberty (21-11) finished second in the Eastern Conference and made the 2001 WNBA Playoffs.
League training camps will open on Monday, April 29 at each team's training facilities, while preseason competition starts on May 9. Schedules and times can be found on www.wnba.com.
