NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2008 - The Women's National Basketball Association, its players, coaches and teams will celebrate the 22nd annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) through the month of February. Fitness clinics and workshops will be conducted in markets across the country to help lead, inspire and create positive change in the lives of women and young girls.

WNBA President Donna Orender will join the Minnesota Lynx on Feb. 5, for the inaugural "Slam Bash," an annual celebration to honor men and women who have made exceptional contributions to women's sports. The event will gather nationally recognized figures in women's sports, including Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers and television commentators Cheryl Miller and Nancy Lieberman, in the Twin Cities for an awards presentation and panel discussion.

On Feb. 6, WNBA Chief of Basketball Operations and Player Relations Renee Brown will serve as keynote speaker at the Volusia County School District's 2nd annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration in Daytona Beach, FL. Over 500 female high school students from Volusia schools will be in attendance to recognize exceptional local student athletes and be encouraged to participate in sports and lead healthy lifestyles.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day -- first chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1986 -- honors female athletic achievement and recognizes the positive influence of sports participation for girls and women.

Below is a list of additional events taking place in support of NGWSD:

Atlanta
On Feb. 6, Atlanta Dream Head Coach Marynell Meadors will participate in the Georgia Women's Intersport Network's National Girls and Women in Sports Awards Banquet. The following day, she will introduce the award winners at the Georgia State Capital.

Also on Feb. 6, WNBA legends Carla McGhee and Rushia Brown will host a girls basketball clinic at Girls Inc. of Cobb County. Approximately 100 young girls will learn strength, endurance and flexibility techniques and tips for improving their body, mind and athletic performance.

On Feb. 9, McGhee and Brown will be joined by the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Development staff at Philips Arena to host a Girls Basketball Shooting Clinic for 45 local students.

Los Angeles
Sparks owners Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson will participate in Chaminade High School's 3rd annual Women In Sports Day on Feb. 8. The event will pay tribute to Chaminade High School's current female athletes and their coaches.

Phoenix
On Feb. 4, Phoenix Mercury General Manager Ann Meyers Drysdale will speak with the Notre Dame Prep High School girls basketball team and discuss the importance of sports and health for young girls.

Drysdale will also attend a girls basketball game at Westview High School the following day, Feb. 5, as part of the Mercury High School Tour. She will talk with each team in the locker room prior to the game and talk with parents at halftime.

On Feb. 8, Mercury Assistant Coach Bridget Pettis will attend a girls basketball game at Desert Vista High School as the next stop of the Mercury High School Tour. Pettis will visit with players from both teams to speak to them about sportsmanship and teamwork.

Sacramento
Monarchs forward DeMya Walker, Head Coach Jenny Boucek and Assistant Coach Monique Ambers will host a basketball clinic at St. Francis High School on Feb. 6. Students will have the chance to participate in a mini-Monarchs practice and learn shooting, passing and dribbling skills.

About the WNBA
Now entering its 12th season, the WNBA is the longest-running and most successful women's professional team sports league in America. The WNBA features 14 teams with the Eastern and Western Conferences comprised of seven teams each. In 2008, the expansion Atlanta Dream will join the Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Detroit Shock, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty and Washington Mystics in the Eastern Conference, while the Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, San Antonio Silver Stars and Seattle Storm continue to comprise the Western Conference.

The 2008 season will tip off on May 17, when Lisa Leslie and the Los Angeles Sparks take on Diana Taurasi and the defending champion Phoenix Mercury in a nationally televised contest (3:30p.m. on ABC). For the third straight year, ESPN2 will feature "WNBA Tuesdays" as the appointment viewing destination for WNBA fans. ESPN2 will televise "WNBA Tuesdays" for nine weeks during the regular season, beginning with a May 20th telecast featuring a Western Conference match up between the Sacramento Monarchs and Seattle Storm. Combined WNBA coverage on ABC and ESPN2 will include 21 national telecasts in 2008, while NBA TV, the league's 24-hour television network, will offer 70 regular season contests.

Renowned off the court for its dedication to the community, the WNBA is deeply committed to WNBA CARES programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on promoting health and fitness, breast health awareness, reading and youth basketball programs. For more information on the WNBA, log onto www.wnba.com.