Jennie Simms Selected by Washington Mystics in WNBA Draft

NEW YORK -- Old Dominion guard Jennie Simms was selected by the Washington Mystics in the second round of the 2017 WNBA Draft on Thursday evening. Simms, the 18th overall selection, was the sixth pick of the second round.

Simms becomes the first Old Dominion senior to be drafted since 2002 and the 12th Lady Monarch to be a WNBA Draft selection in program history. The Accokeek, Maryland, native also becomes the second Karen Barefoot-coached player to be drafted, joining Shae Kelley, who was selected in the third round by Minnesota in 2015. Kelley, who played two seasons at ODU, played her senior season at Minnesota. 

Simms, an Honorable Mention AP All-American, is the fifth all-time leading scorer in ODU women's basketball history with 2,151 career points. During her senior campaign in 2016-17, Simms averaged a school record 26.0 points per game, which ranked second in the nation and broke Anne Donovan's record of 25.1 points per game, which had stood since the 1980-81 season.

The 2016-17 Conference USA Player of the Year, Simms became the first ODU player to be named conference player of the year since Lucienne Berthieu in 2002 and was also an All-Conference USA First Team selection for the third straight year. 

This season, Simms became just the sixth Lady Monarch to score 2,000 career points and only the third in program history to score 2,000 during in her first three seasons. She also broke school records for career 30+ and 40+ scoring games, career free throws made and single-season free throws made and attempted.

Former Lady Monarch head coach Marianne Stanley is currently an assistant coach for the Mystics, while Simms' agent is former ODU All-American Ticha Penicheiro. 

For more information on the 2017 WNBA Draft, visit WNBA.com.