Storm Waives Massaline and Williams

May 10, 2004

Williams

SEATTLE – The Seattle Storm today requested waivers on 5-6 guard Rita Williams and 6-3 forward Tonya Massaline, Storm Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel Anne Donovan announced.

Williams appeared in 32 games during the 2003 season with the Storm, averaging 2.4 points and 1.3 assists per game. Acquired the day before the start of the season from the Houston Comets for a 2004 third-round pick, Williams backed up both guard positions for the Storm. She was ninth on the team in scoring average and eighth in minutes played.

Massaline was signed by the Storm to a seven-day contract on July 28 after being waived by the Washington Mystics earlier in the month. After impressing the coaching staff, Massaline was signed for the remainder of the season on Aug. 4. She played 11 games with the Storm, averaging 2.2 points per game. Massaline finished the season strong as a spark off the bench, scoring 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting in the Storm's last two games, wins over Houston and Sacramento.

Williams was one of five guards remaining in camp for the Storm, battling against Tully Bevilaqua and Michelle Greco for what will likely be two roster spots behind starting guards Sue Bird and Betty Lennox. Williams had been slowed by a strained quad muscle and was scoreless in 13 minutes against the Phoenix Mercury in the Storm's first preseason game, committing four turnovers.

Massaline

Massaline had a strong training camp, scoring 10 points in an exhibition last week against the Chinese National Team. She was the victim of a numbers crunch, with veterans Sheri Sam and Adia Barnes, who started a combined 44 of the 50 games they played last season, also at the position. Donovan had said she did not expect to keep all three players on the roster. The Storm now has 13 players in training camp, with center Simone Edwards due to arrive from overseas on Thursday. That gives the team room to add one more player and stay below the limit of 15 players in camp.

Donovan has previously indicated that she plans to keep 12 players during the regular season (one on the injured list), seven perimeter players and five posts. The Storm is currently down to seven perimeter players, counting forward Alicia Thompson in this group along with the guards and Barnes and Sam. Two cuts are still expected from amongst the post players in camp.

The Storm will play their second preseason game against the Sacramento Monarchs on Friday, May 14 at Arco Arena in Sacramento at 7 p.m. Seattle will play one home preseason game on Sunday, May 16 at 6 p.m. against the Phoenix Mercury at KeyArena.

Seattle will open the 2004 WNBA season against the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday, May 20 at KeyArena.

Single-game tickets for all Storm home games at KeyArena can be purchased by logging on to storm.wnba.com or by calling 1-877-WNBA-TIX or. For information on 2004 Storm season tickets, group tickets and ticket packages, call 206-217-WNBA or log on to storm.wnba.com.