2007 WNBA All-Defensive Team Selections Announced

NEW YORK, August 24, 2007 – Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings, the WNBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, was the leading selection for the 2007 WNBA All-Defensive First Team announced by the WNBA today. Catchings, a three-time First Team honoree, received 24 points while Seattle Storm center Lauren Jackson followed with 21 points. This is Jackson’s first appearance as a member of the WNBA All-Defensive First Team after being named to the 2005 Second Team.

Rounding out the First Team are Connecticut Sun guard Katie Douglas (16 points), Washington Mystics forward Alana Beard (12 points) and Detroit Shock guard Deanna Nolan (10 points).

Douglas was voted to the First Team for the third consecutive year, while both Beard and Nolan were members of the Second Team in 2005 and 2006.

The WNBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of Indiana Fever guard Tully Bevilaqua (9 points), Sacramento Monarchs forward Rebekkah Brunson (9 points), Connecticut Sun center Margo Dydek (9 points), New York Liberty guard Loree Moore (6 points) and Sacramento Monarchs guard Chelsea Newton (6 points). Bevilaqua was selected to the First Team in 2005 and 2006. Dydek enjoys her second-consecutive Second Team selection, while Brunson, Moore and Newton were voted to the Second Team for the first time.

The third annual WNBA All-Defensive Team was voted on by a panel of the WNBA’s 13 head coaches, who selected First and Second Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Two points were awarded for a First Team vote and one point was awarded for a Second Team vote.

Below are the results for the 2007 WNBA All-Defensive Teams:

2007 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM

Player	Team	Position	Points
Tamika Catchings	Indiana Fever	Forward	24
Lauren Jackson	Seattle Storm	Center	21
Katie Douglas	Connecticut Sun	Guard	16
Alana Beard	Washington Mystics	Forward	12
Deanna Nolan	Detroit Shock	Guard	10

2007 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

Player	Team	Position	Points
Tully Bevilaqua	Indiana Fever	Guard	9
Rebekkah Brunson	Sacramento Monarchs	Forward	9
Margo Dydek	Connecticut Sun	Center	9
Loree Moore	New York Liberty	Guard	6
Chelsea Newton	Sacramento Monarchs	Guard	6

About the WNBA
Featuring 13 teams and the greatest female basketball players in the world, the WNBA is the longest-running and most successful women’s professional team sports league in U.S. history. The 2007 WNBA Playoffs tipped off on August 23 with complete coverage through the Conference Finals being provided by ABC, ESPN2 and NBA TV. The 2007 WNBA Finals begin on September 5 and will be televised on ESPN and ESPN2.