April 5, 2006
Fluker and Zolman Stats in PDF Format
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BOSTON, Mass. - Lady Vol seniors Tye'sha Fluker and Shanna Zolman have been selected to pursue professional basketball careers in the 10th annual WNBA draft, which was held Wednesday at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Fluker becomes the eleventh Lady Vol to be a first-round selection, as she went 10th overall to the Charlotte Sting. The San Antonio Silver Stars chose Zolman as the second pick of the second round, the 16th pick overall.
"I am totally excited to play for Muggsy (Bogues) at Charlotte" said Fluker. "I appreciate the Sting organization thinking that I'm the best post player in my senior class. It is bittersweet that this time in my life has come, but I think it's time to move on. I am so thankful to Coach Summitt and the University of Tennessee for allowing me the opportunity to play, grow, learn and mature over the past four years."
Since the WNBA began play in 1997, Tennessee has produced more first-round draft picks than any other program. Eleven Lady Vols have gone in the opening round, including Fluker as the tenth overall pick in 2006. Fluker is the sixth Lady Vol to go in the first round since 2001.
"I'm excited," Zolman said. "I'm anxious to start a new phase in my career and go on to the next level. I'm particularly excited about San Antonio because Shyra (Ely) will be there and I was able to play with her for three years at Tennessee. I look forward to playing with Chantelle Anderson (Vanderbilt) and working with the Silver Stars coaching staff.
"Playing under Pat Summitt and all of our assistant coaches has made me a better player. All Lady Vols are greatly coached. We are able to play the toughest schedule every game and that helps us develop our own game and skills. I am eagerly anticipating going and starting this new part of my life and I hope to be an impact player right off the bat."
Over the years, 36 Lady Vols have played professionally, including 22 players in the WNBA. The 2006 rosters sport 10 former Lady Vols on ten different teams in the league, including Tasha Butts (Charlotte Sting), Michelle Snow (Houston Comets), Ashley Robinson (Chicago Sky), Chamique Holdsclaw (Los Angeles Sparks), Lisa Harrison (Phoenix Mercury), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Kara Lawson (Sacramento Monarchs), Loree Moore (New York Liberty), Shyra Ely (San Antonio Silver Stars), and Tiffani Johnson (Seattle Storm).
Louisiana State's Seimone Augustus was the No. 1 overall pick by the Minnesota Lynx. The Southeastern Conference saw four of its athletes earn first round selections and seven ladies from five different SEC schools were drafted. The Atlantic Coast Conference placed three athletes in the first round and nine overall in the three rounds of selection. The Big East claimed seven picks, including three by Connecticut. Duke also had three draft picks.
In their four years at Rocky Top, Fluker and Zolman led the Lady Vols to three Final Four appearances, two regular season SEC Titles, two SEC Tournament crowns, three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournaments, 60 weeks ranked in the top-five in the Associated Press polls and an overall record of 125-19.
Tye'sha Fluker Through the Years...
2002-03:
- Ranked third on the team in blocked shots (16)
- Played in 36 games during her rookie campaign
2003-04:
- Named to the SEC All-Academic team
- Scored in double figures in seven contests
- Ranked second on the team in field goal percentage (48)
- Played in 35 games during her sophomore season
2004-05:
- Named to the SEC Good Works Team
- Named to the SEC All-Academic team for the second consecutive season
- Earned her third double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds against Purdue in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Named the player of the game in Pat Summitt's record-breaking 880th victory.
- Played in 33 games during her junior year
2005-06:
- Named to the 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Third Team
- Named the SEC All-Academic team for the third consecutive season
- Put up career-high numbers with 22 points and 16 rebounds in her final game in Thompson-Boling Arena
- Played in 36 games during her senior season
Career Landmarks...
- Finished her Rocky Top career ranked seventh in games played (140)
- Finished at UT ranked 12th in career blocks (88)
Shanna Zolman Through the Years...
2002-03:
- The only unanimous choice for the All-SEC Freshman team
- Chosen by the Women's Basketball News Service as a second team All-Freshman pick
- Set the Lady Vol single-season free throw percentage record (89.2)
- Played in all 38 games during her rookie campaign
- Scored in double figures in 13 games
2003-04:
- Earned a spot on the 2004 All-Final Four team
- Chosen by the coaches as an All-SEC Second team selection
- Named All-SEC Academic
- Named to the 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Third Team
- Set a new Lady Vol and NCAA single-season free throw percentage record (95.7)
- Played in all 35 games during her sophomore season
- Scored in double figures in 23 games
2004-05:
- Named to the Philadelphia All-Region Team in the NCAA Tournament
- Named to the SEC All-Tournament Team
- Named to the All-SEC Second Team for the second consecutive season
- Earned SEC All-Academic honors for the second consecutive season
- Named to the 2005 CoSIDA Academic All-District IV First Team
- Made 45 consecutive free throws, tying the UT record
- Played in all 35 games during her junior year
- Scored in double figures in 25 games
2005-06:
- Named to the Cleveland All-Region Team in the NCAA Tournament
- Named to the All-SEC First Team by the coaches, the second team by the media. Became just the ninth Lady Vol to earn a spot on the All-SEC teams three times in her career.
- Named to the SEC Good Works Team
- Named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team
- Earned SEC All-Academic honors for the third consecutive season
- Named to the 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District IV First Team
- Named an ESPN the Magazine First Team Academic All-American
- Set the UT single-game (7), single-season (103) and career (266) three-point records
- Earned her first career double-double with 10 assists and 22 points against Florida
- Played in all 36 games during her senior season
- Scored in double figures in 30 games
- Led the NCAA divison I women in free throw percentage (.957)
Career Landmarks:
- Finished her career at Rocky Top with 78 double-digit scoring performances
- Ranked first in single-game three-pointers made (7 vs. Alabama, 2/19/06)
- First in single-season three-point field goals made (103 in 2005-06)
- First in career three-point field goals made (266)
- First in career three-point field goal percentage (.425)
- Second in career games played (144)
- Ninth on the all-time scoring list with 1,706 career points
- First in UT and NCAA single-season free throw percentage (.957 in 2003-04)
- First in UT and NCAA career free throw percentage (.916)
2006 WNBA Draft Picks
First Round
1. Minnesota Lynx - Seimone Augustus (LSU)
2. Phoenix Mercury - Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers)
3. Charlotte Sting - Monique Currie (Duke)
4. San Antonio Silver Stars - Sophia Young (Baylor)
5. Los Angeles Sparks - Lisa Willis (UCLA)
6. Chicago Sky - Candice Dupree (Temple)
7. Minnesota Lynx - Shona Thorburn (Utah)
8. Washington Mystics - Tamara James (Miami)
9. Indiana Fever - La'Tangela Atkinson (North Carolina)
10. Charlotte Sting - Tye'sha Fluker (Tennessee)
11. Seattle Storm - Barbara Turner (Connecticut)
12. New York Liberty - Sherill Baker (Georgia)
13. Sacramento Monarchs - Kim Smith (Utah)
14. Sacramento Monarchs - Scholanda Hoston (LSU)
Second Round
15. Houston Comets - Ann Strother (Connecticut)
16. San Antonio Silver Stars - Shanna Zolman (Tennessee)
17. Detroit Shock (traded to Minnesota) - Ambrosia Anderson (BYU)
18. Phoenix Mercury - Liz Shimek (Michigan State)
19. Washington Mystics - Nikki Blue (UCLA)
20. Chicago Sky - Jennifer Harris (Washburn)
21. Phoenix Mercury - Mistie Williams (Duke)
22. Los Angeles Sparks - Willnett Crockett (Connecticut)
23. New York Liberty - Brooke Queenan (Boston College)
24. Houston Comets - Ranae Camino (Australia)
25. Seattle Storm - Dalila Eshe (Florida)
26. Indiana Fever - Kasha Terry (Georgia Tech)
27. Charlotte Sting - LaToya Bond (Missouri)
28. Connecticut Sun - Debbie Merrill (Ohio State)
Third Round
29. Houston Comets Tiffany Stansburry (N.C. State)
30. San Antonio Silver Stars Khara Smith (DePaul)
31. Minnesota Lynx Megan Duffy (Notre Dame)
32. Phoenix Mercury Crystal Smith (Iowa)
33. Washington Mystics Miriam Sy (Oklahoma City University)
34. Chicago Sky Kerri Gardin (Virginia Tech)
35. Detroit Shock Zane Teilane (Western Illinois)
36. Los Angeles Sparks Tiffany Porter-Talbert (Western Kentucky)
37. New York Liberty Christelle N'Garsanet (Missouri)
38. Indiana Fever Jessica Foley (Duke)
39. Seattle Storm Erin Grant (Texas Tech)
40. Indiana Fever Marina Kuzina (Russia)
41. Sacramento Monarchs Lamisha Augustine (San Jose State)
42. Connecticut Sun Marita Payne (Auburn)
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