Former Huskies in WNBA Training Camps
May 9, 2000
SEATTLE - Former University of Washington stars Jamie Redd (1996-99) and Amber Hall (1996-99) have been invited to Women's National Basketball Association training camps as free agents. The WNBA head office determines where players go depending on that team's need and rank of the athlete requested. Teams will be trimmed to an 11-player roster before the season opens.
Redd, Washington's all-time leading scorer, is in camp with the Seattle Storm, an expansion team that begins play this year. The 5-10 guard from San Francisco, Calif., who completed her Husky with 2,027 points, is in camp with 17 other players. Redd was in the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx training camp last summer but was cut before the season started.
The Storm opens its exhibition season with a May 13 game against the Utah Starzz at the Tacoma Dome, the first of four preseason contests. The regular season begins on the road, May 31, against the Monarchs in Sacramento. The home opener is June 1 at KeyArena against the Houston Comets.
Hall, Washington's career-leading rebounder, was invited to the Orlando Miracle camp in Florida. A 6-2 center, she finished her Husky career with 1,003 rebounds over her four year tenure. Hall spent last season playing overseas in Italy where her coach was Bev Smith, head of the Canadian Olympic Team. Hall is from Vancouver and plans to try-out for the Olympic Team if she does not remain in the WNBA.
The Miracle, an expansion team in 1999, opens its second season May 31 against the Washington Mystics. They finished 15-17 in their inaugural season.
Last month, another former Husky star, Rhonda Smith (1992-95), became the first Washington player ever drafted into the WNBA when Sacramento made the 6-3 center their third round selection, 46th overall, in the 2000 draft April 24. Smith played three seasons for the ABL's Seattle Reign (1996-98) and the Portland Power (1998-99) and ranks second, behind Redd, on UW's career scoring chart with 1,801 points.
The Monarchs open their season May 31 in Sacramento against the Seattle Storm.
