Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
STANFORD, Calif. – The WNBA's 20th season tips off on Saturday, May 14 with five games and three Stanford alumnae represent the Cardinal on the opening-day rosters of the league's 12 franchises.
Stanford in the WNBA
Jayne Appel-Marinelli • Center • San Antonio Stars
A 2010 WNBA All-Star and first-round pick of the Stars that same year, Appel begins her seventh season in the league. She has started 91 of 92 regular-season games in which she's played over the past three seasons and has posted career averages of 4.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 19.9 minutes.
Chiney Ogwumike • Forward • Connecticut Sun
Chiney Ogwumike, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft and 2014 WNBA Rookie of the Year, missed the 2015 WNBA campaign while recovering from knee surgery. In her debut season she led all rookies in rebounding (8.5 rpg) and double-doubles (13), ranked second in scoring (15.5 ppg), and third in steals (1.2 spg) for the Connecticut Sun.
Nneka Ogwumike • Forward • Los Angeles Sparks
A three-time WNBA All-Star, Nneka Ogwumike averaged 16.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23 regular-season outings in 2015. She scored 11.7 points and grabbed 4.3 rebounds in the Los Angeles Sparks' in its three-game playoff series with the Minnesota Lynx in September. The 2012 WNBA Rookie of the Year and 2014 All-WNBA Second Team honoree owns career regular-season averages of 15.1 points on 53.6 percent shooting along with 7.4 rebounds.