Big Changes in WNBA!
by
Mystics4Ever
February 9, 2003 (Posted March 10, 2003)

There have been many big changes in the WNBA during the offseason, but luckily the biggest news for the Mystics is that Marianne Stanley just signed a two-year contract to remain as head coach. Stanley led the Mystics to their first playoff victory last year, taking the team to the Eastern Conference finals. She is the sixth head coach in the Mystics' six-year history, and this is only the second time a coach has retained the job during the offseason. No Mystics coach so far has made it through two full seasons, but hopefully Stanley is here to stay.

The Minnesota Lynx recently announced the hiring of former WNBA point guard and gold medal Olympian Suzie McConnell Serio as their new head coach with a multi-year contract. She played three seasons (1998-2000) with the Cleveland Rockers and has been head coach of the girls' basketball team at Oakland Catholic High School in Pittsburg, PA, for 13 years, with an overall record of 305-67. Under McConnell Serio, Oakland Catholic won two state championships (in 2001 and 1993) and was runner-up in 2002 and 2000, in addition to winning four consecutive district championships (1999-2002). She will complete the 2002-03 season at Oakland Catholic before joining the Lynx. McConnell Serio, 36, is married and has four children.

Anne Donovan, the 6'8" former Olympian who coached the Charlotte Sting during the past two seasons, has been signed as head coach of the Seattle Storm, replacing Lin Dunn who resigned in September. Donovan's contract with the Sting expired after last season.

The Utah Starzz, one of the WNBA's original eight franchises in 1997, is now in San Antonio, Texas, and will be known as the San Antonio Silver Stars. The new name comes from the Texas "Lone Star" and the silver color of the NBA San Antonio Spurs. Candi Harvey, who spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Utah Starzz, will coach the San Antonio Silver Stars. Tami Reiss, who previously played for the Starzz and was an assistant coach there for the past two seasons, will be an assistant coach with the Silver Stars.

Another exciting change is that Connecticut has been awarded a WNBA team for the 2003 season! The Orlando Miracle team moved to Connecticut and will now be known as the Connecticut Sun. Last October, the NBA Board of Governors voted to restructure the WNBA to allow individual team ownership and non-NBA owners, and to allow teams to be located in non-NBA markets. The Connecticut Sun will be owned and operated by the Mohegan Sun (which becomes the first non-NBA owner of a WNBA team), will be the first independently owned and operated WNBA team, and will also become the first WNBA team to make its home in a non-NBA market. The Mohegan Sun is a huge gaming and entertainment facility in Southeastern Connecticut and is owned by the Mohegan Tribe. The Sun will play its home games at Mohegan Sun Arena, a state-of-the-art facility with a seating capacity of 10,000, located in Uncasville, CT. At least one game will be played at the Hartford Civic Center. No head coach has been chosen yet for the Sun. Hopefully, all those great UCONN womens' basketball fans will turn out to support the Sun and make this franchise a huge success!

Unfortunately, both the Eastern and Western WNBA conferences have lost a team entirely since last season, leaving only 7 teams in each conference. Both the Miami Sol and the Portland Fire teams are now defunct. The players from Miami and Portland will be distributed in a dispersal draft which will likely be held before the WNBA college draft in April. Some of the players available from Miami are Sheri Sam, Ruth Riley, Debbie Black, Sandy Brondello, Pollyanna Johns, Lindsey Yamasaki and Tamara Moore. Among the Portland players available are Ukari Figgs, Jackie Stiles, Tully Bevilaqua, Demya Walker, Stacey Thomas, Kristin Folkl, Sylvia Crawley, Tamicha Jackson, LaQuanda Barksdale and Alisa Burras. Quite a talented list!!! Who would you like to see in a Mystics uniform???

Send your comments for Mystics4Ever to Mystics4Ever@aol.com.

[back to top]