SACRAMENTO, CALIF., May 15, 2009 -- Twelve Monarchs veterans, including four WNBA All-Stars and eight players from the 2005 WNBA Championship team, join the Sacramento Monarchs 2009 Training Camp roster.
Sacramento�s 2009 Training Camp roster features 12 Monarchs veterans � including WNBA All-Stars Rebekkah Brunson, Kara Lawson, Ticha Penicheiro and DeMya Walker; three former WNBA All-Defensive Team selections (Brunson, Penicheiro and Chelsea Newton); and eight players from the 2005 WNBA Championship team (Brunson, Lawson, Hamch�tou Ma�ga-Ba, Miao LiJie, Newton, Penicheiro, Nicole Powell and Walker) � and the addition of three drafted players: Courtney Paris (seventh overall), Whitney Boddie (20th overall), Morgan Warburton (33rd overall) and a nine-year WNBA veteran, Barbara Farris. The group is comprised of eight guards, four forwards, one center and three players who play multiple positions.
Training Camp opens on Sunday, May 17, and the Monarchs begin preseason play against the Seattle Storm on Thursday, May 21, at KeyArena with tip-off set for 7 p.m., PDT. Next, the team hosts the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, May 27 at ARCO Arena for the Monarchs School Day Game; all available lower level tickets cost just $10.
The Monarchs open their 13th WNBA season at ARCO Arena as they take on Seattle Storm, on Saturday, June 6, at 1 p.m., PDT. All fans in attendance will receive a commemorative Opening Day pin and Thunderstix. Following their first game of the 2009 season, the Monarchs travel to Seattle on June 7 before returning to ARCO Arena for a match-up with the Phoenix Mercury on Friday, June 12, at 7 p.m.
Groups have more fun! Expect Great Basketball this summer at ARCO Arena! Group tickets start at just $8. Bring your group to a Monarchs game by calling 916-928-3650 or e-mail us at GroupTickets@arcoarena.com. For more information, please click here.
*Note to Media: Members of the media wishing to attend practice should contact the Monarchs media relations department at 916.928.8112 each day after 11 a.m. for practice times and location. The Monarchs first Training Camp session with media availability will take place on Monday, May 18, at the Monarchs Training Facility in the Media Viewing Room; please call to confirm specific times of arrival. Also, media day will take place on Sunday, May 17, from 3-4 p.m. at ARCO Arena after the Monarchs first Training Camp session. If you wish to attend, please R.S.V.P. to the media relations department.
| No. | Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Birthdate | College | WNBA Exp. |
| 12 | Charel Allen | G | 5-11 | 135 | 07/23/86 | Notre Dame �08 | 1 |
| 44 | Whitney Boddie | G | 5-9 | 148 | 01/23/87 | Auburn �09 | R |
| 32 | Rebekkah Brunson | F | 6-3 | 175 | 12/11/81 | Georgetown �04 | 5 |
| 54 | Barbara Farris | C/F | 6-3 | 200 | 09/10/76 | Tulane �97 | 9 |
| 15 | Laura Harper | F/C | 6-5 | 190 | 04/11/86 | Maryland �08 | 1 |
| 42 | Crystal Kelly | F | 6-2 | 190 | 09/15/86 | Western Kentucky �08 | 1 |
| 20 | Kara Lawson | G | 5-9 | 165 | 02/14/81 | Tennessee �03 | 6 |
| 9 | Hamch�tou Ma�ga-Ba | F/G | 6-1 | 160 | 04/25/78 | Old Dominion �01 | 7 |
| 8 | Miao LiJie | G | 5-11 | 153 | 06/03/81 | China | 1 |
| 2 | Chelsea Newton | G | 5-11 | 154 | 02/17/83 | Rutgers �05 | 4 |
| 3 | Courtney Paris | C | 6-4 | 240 | 09/21/87 | Oklahoma �09 | R |
| 21 | Ticha Penicheiro | G | 5-11 | 145 | 09/18/74 | Old Dominion �98 | 11 |
| 14 | Nicole Powell | F | 6-2 | 175 | 06/22/82 | Stanford �04 | 5 |
| 5 | Scholanda Robinson | G | 5-11 | 155 | 01/09/83 | Louisiana State �06 | 3 |
| 22 | DeMya Walker | F | 6-3 | 170 | 11/28/77 | Virginia �99 | 9 |
| 4 | Morgan Warburton | G | 5-11 | 150 | 04/27/87 | Utah �09 | R |