Sparks� Candace Parker Nominated for ESPY Award

LOS ANGELES � Los Angeles Sparks' WNBA Rookie of the Year candidate Candace Parker has been nominated for best female athlete at the 2008 ESPY Awards. Also nominated for the award are golfer Lorena Ochoa, auto racer Danica Patrick and skier Lindsey Vonn. Prior to being drafted by the Sparks, Parker was selected college player of the year after leading Tennessee to its second consecutive NCAA title.

Fans determine the ESPY winners in 37 categories by voting online or with mobile phones. Fans can vote online by visiting ESPYS.tv. Voting closes on Friday, July 12. The ESPYs gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances.

The 16th annual ESPY awards, hosted by Justin Timberlake, will air on ESPN on Sunday, July 20 at 6 p.m. PDT.

For Sparks' ticket information, call 1-877-44-SPARKS. Tickets also are available by calling 1-877-WNBA-TIX or by visiting either Ticketmaster.com or wnba.com/tickets.