NEW YORK (July 12, 2000) -- The WNBA announced starting lineups and full rosters for the 2000 All-Star game to be held at America West Arena in Phoenix on Monday, July 17. Starters were determined by fan balloting online at WNBA.com and in arena nights in each WNBA team market. More than 2.4 million votes were cast, surpassing last year's 1.25 million.
Former Old Dominion guard Ticha Penicheiro will be one of the West starters. Penicheiro, point guard for the 13-7 Sacramento Monarchs, was fourth in votes among guards, behind Cynthia Cooper (Houston), Nikki McCray (Washington), and Teresa Weatherspoon (New York). Houston Comets forward Sheryl Swoopes was the leading vote?getter after final returns of fan votes.
The appearance will mark Penicheiro's second consecutive WNBA All-Star game, and her first nod as a starter. She participated in the league's inaugural All-Star game, held in New York last year. Penicheiro currently leads the league in assists per game (8.2) and total assists.
Penicheiro (64, 476) will be joined in the Western Conference starting lineup by the "Big Three" from Houston -- forward Swoopes (171,675), guard Cooper (156,746) and forward Tina Thompson (91,809). Rounding out the starting five will be Los Angeles center Lisa Leslie (107,514).
In the Eastern Conference, fans selected two players from Washington, forward Chamique Holdsclaw (166,986) and guard Nikki McCray (117,659), and two representing the New York Liberty, forward Sue Wicks (48,030) and guardTeresa Weatherspoon (111,057). Orlando's Taj McWilliams (52,847) will start at center for the East.
Houston Comets head coach Van Chancellor and New York Liberty head coach Richie Adubato will lead the Western Conference and Eastern Conference All?Stars, respectively.
The 2000 WNBA All?Star Game will be nationally televised on ESPN beginning at 8 p.m. ET on July 17. For more information, or to see final vote counts and full rosters, check out the WNBA web page at www.wnba.com