April 8, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State Lady Lion senior guard Tyra Grant (Youngstown, Ohio) was selected by the defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury in the second round of the 2010 WNBA Draft. Grant, the 24th overall pick, is the 12th Lady Lion to be selected in the WNBA Draft and is the first since Amanda Brown was picked with the 38th selection in the 2007 draft.
"I am very excited to be drafted. I am extremely appreciative of the Phoenix Mercury for giving the opportunity to play in the WNBA," Grant said. "Now that I have this opportunity to play at the next level, I will continue to work hard and prepare myself, so that I am in shape and ready to make the most of this chance to play in the WNBA."
"We are so incredibly happy for Tyra," Penn State head coach Coquese Washington said. "Today is a wonderful day for her and her family. Phoenix is a great organization and they have a style of play that is ideally suited for Ty's talents. I am eager to follow her professional career and I'm sure she will play a strong part in helping the Mercury continue the quest for WNBA Championships."
Grant capped an outstanding career by becoming the fourth player in school history to reach the 2,000-point plateau, joining Kelly Mazzante, Susan Robinson and Kahadeejah Herbert. Grant finished her career with 2,044 points, which is third in Lady Lion history. Her 16.8 career scoring average is also fourth in program history. The Youngstown, Ohio native added several accolades to her resume this season, earning her second consecutive All-Big Ten first team berth, Associated Press honorable mention All-America accolades and second team Lowe's Senior CLASS Award honors.
A semifinalist for the Naismith Player of the Year Trophy, Grant finished second in the Big Ten and is 17th nationally with a 19.3 scoring average this season. She reached double figures in scoring in each of her last 43 games, the second-longest streak in the Big Ten. She also ranked in the Top 15 in the conference in free throw percentage (11th/.789), steals (7th/1.84), three-pointers made (11th/1.58) and minutes played (11th/33.74). The 597 points she scored in her senior season are the sixth-most in program history.
Grant, who had 15 games with 20 or more points this year, broke the Penn State single-season record for free throws made (176) and attempted (223). She completed her career in the Top 10 in school history in field goals made (687), field goal attempts (1,755), free throws made (491), free throws attempted (661), points (2,044), three-point field goals made (179), three-point field goals attempted (531), scoring average (16.8) and minutes played (3,842).
The Lady Lions hold several camps throughout the summer. There is a Lady Lion Basketball Camp available for girls of all ages, ranging from shooting camp to elite camp. The 2010 Lady Lion Basketball Camp schedule is as follows: Shooting Camp (June 13-15), Elite Camp (June 20-22), Skills Camp (June 20-23), Total Package Team Camp (June 24-26) and Games Galore Team Camp (August 6-8). For more information on Lady Lion Basketball Camps, please visit psusportscamps.com and click on Lady Lion Basketball Camp.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow head coach Coquese Washington (@psucoachquese), sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and assistant coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook. Search Lady Lion Basketball and become a fan.