Ticha Penicheiro to retire after celebrated 15 year WNBA career

Known for her style and charisma both on and off the court, Penicheiro set the bar tremendously high for point guards in the WNBA. Not only is she the WNBA�s all-time record holder in assists, having led the league in that category an unprecedented seven times, but she will finish her career with the second most steals in league history. Penicheiro was named to the WNBA�s Top 15 players of All-Time in 2011, and over the course of her career has earned two All-WNBA First Team selections, four invitations to the WNBA All-Star Game and honorable mention to the WNBA All-Decade Team. Her crowning achievement came in 2005 when she led the Sacramento Monarchs to win the WNBA Championship.

Prior to her 15 year career in the WNBA, the point guard from Portugal led Old Dominion University to the 1997 NCAA Championship game. As a senior, she earned the Wade Trophy as the nation�s top player, and she was a two-time Kodak First Team All-American in 1997 and 1998.

�As they say �all good things must to come to an end,� and unfortunately the time has come for me to walk away from this game I love,� said Penicheiro. �I would just like to thank, in a general way, the people involved in my career: from my coaches to my teammates to the WNBA and of course the fans. Basketball has given me more than I could ever imagine, and I will continue to give back and stay close to this amazing sport. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all the support throughout the years!�

Penicheiro started her career in the WNBA with the Sacramento Monarchs, who chose her with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 draft. She played for the Monarchs for 12 seasons, nine of which she led her team into the postseason. The Monarchs played twice for the WNBA Championship and won it in 2005 in four games over the Connecticut Sun. Following Sacramento�s departure from the WNBA, Penicheiro signed with the Los Angeles Sparks for two seasons before ultimately coming to the Chicago Sky by way of free agency on February 22 this year.

"I could talk for days regarding the admiration and respect I have for Ticha's mastery of the point guard position and overall impact on the game,� said Pokey Chatman, head coach and general manager of the Chicago Sky. �It's more than the sheer numbers, although they're quite impressive. It's her knowledge, love and respect for the game, and the fact she's a great teammate that will distance her from the pack. She's meant so much to women's basketball, I simply want to say �thank you.��

Tickets to see Ticha Penicheiro play in her final regular season game at Allstate Arena are still available. For more information on how you can be there as history is made visit call 866.SKY.WNBA. The game will be also broadcast on Comcast CN100.

Fans are encouraged to share their memories and post messages to Ticha on the WNBA Facebook page and on Twitter @wnbachicagosky and @tichapenicheiro using the hashtag #TYT.

To play �Ticha Trivia� and be entered to win an autographed Ticha Penicheiro jersey click here

To sign a card for Ticha click here