In what has become common practice for many WNBA players, several Monarchs traveled overseas to compete for professional teams abroad. Yolanda Griffith, Ticha Penicheiro and DeMya Walker all played in the Russian Basketball Federation. Griffith and Penicheiro both competed for UMMC Ekaterinburg, while Walker played for Baltiyskaia Zvezda. As Griffith, Penicheiro and Walker spent the off-season playing in the Russian League, Hamchétou “Tanty” Maïga honed her skills playing for Yaya María in Spain.

Success seemed to follow the Monarchs players wherever they went. Griffith and Penicheiro were able to lead their team, UMMC, past Baltiyskaia Zvezda and Walker in the semifinals en route to a second-place finish in the Russian Championship. Griffith brought her dominating style of play to UMMC, averaging a double-double through 27 games played. She led her team in total points scored (577), points per game (21.4), field goal percentage (.599) and in offensive and total rebounds per game (4.7 and 10.5 respectively). She also tallied 20-plus points 14 times and scored in double figures in 25 of the 27 UMMC games she played.

While Griffith decimated opponents offensively, four-time WNBA All-Star and 2003 regular season assist leader, Ticha Penicheiro contributed more than her fair share to help UMMC reach the championship game. Through 40 games, Penicheiro’s UMMC held a 32-8 record while she ranked amongst team leaders in total assists (137), assists per game (3.4), total steals (108) and steals per game (2.7). She notched one double-double versus league rival Dynamo, with 10 steals and 11 points (2/23). Her season-highs included 14 points (twice), 12 assists, 10 steals and five rebounds (eight times).

Walker, like Griffith and Penicheiro, quickly and easily adjusted to foreign play and, as a star player, made contributions vital to her team’s success. Baltiyskaia Zvezda won 20-of-27 games in which Walker played. She was among the team leaders in assists per game (3.3), steals per game (1.6), points per game (17.6) and rebounds per game (8.6). Walker scored in double figures 25 times and tallied 10 double-doubles. Baltiyskaia Zvezda enjoyed a successful regular season but could not defeat a star-studded UMMC team, which included Monarchs players Griffith and Penicheiro, during the semifinals of the Russian Championship. Baltiyskaia Zvezda was swept by UMMC on the way to a third-place finish.

While those three were making their marks in Russia, Tanty Maïga was playing professionally on the other side of the European continent in Spain for Yaya María. Maïga was a solid player for the Monarchs in 2003 and continued to improve upon her game while playing abroad. The Mali native led her team in nearly all categories including minutes (1012 total, 33.7 mpg), scoring (466 points, 15.5ppg), field goals (178-of-375, 47.5 FG%), rebounds (93 offensive, 127 defensive, 213 total), steals (90 total, 3.0 spg) and blocked shots (19 total, 0.6 bpg). Maïga’s substantial contributions helped Yaya María to reach the semifinals of the Spanish Championships.

The Monarchs will, no doubt, benefit in the upcoming season from Maïga, Walker, Penicheiro and Griffith’s successful experiences abroad.