February 22, 2005 - The Charlotte Sting have re-signed veteran point guard Dawn Staley, it was announced today by General Manager and Head Coach Trudi Lacey. A three-time WNBA All-Star, Staley has averaged 9.2 points and 5.4 assists in six seasons with the Sting, which includes starting all 196 games of her career.

�In my opinion, Dawn Staley is the best point guard to ever play women's basketball, plus a wonderful humanitarian and a great ambassador of the game. Her contributions to the Charlotte Sting, USA Basketball, Temple University and her charitable foundation all speak for themselves,� said Lacey. �Dawn represents everything the WNBA is about and she is the heart and soul of our team. She is synonymous with success and an extraordinary leader both on and off the court. We are overjoyed that she will continue to lead the Sting as we move forward in the rebuilding process.�

Staley, 34, has been a member of the Sting since being selected with the ninth overall selection in the 1999 WNBA Draft. She ranks third among WNBA career leaders with 1,055 total assists, fourth with 5.4 assists per game, eighth with 2.06 assists per turnover, ninth with 33.7 minutes per game, ninth with 6,606 total minutes, 13th with a .839 free throw percentage, 16th with 180 three-point field goals made, 17th with 267 total steals and 37th with 1,797 total points. Staley�s professional career began overseas and with the Richmond Rage of the now-defunct American Basketball League (ABL).

�I am so happy to return to the Queen City to play another year. I began my WNBA career here in Charlotte and fell in love with the city and the people. I love being here,� said Staley. �I feel really good about the upcoming season. Coach Lacey and her staff have already done a tremendous job of getting us better with the signings of Sheri Sam and Helen Darling. I think the universe has been on our side since we beat the odds to win the draft lottery. With our usual team chemistry and some key acquisitions, I'm sure this will be our year to win the WNBA Championship.�

A three-time Olympic gold-medalist, Staley led Team USA to its third consecutive gold medal last August in Athens, Greece. She was also elected as the U. S. Delegation�s flag bearer for the opening ceremony and was named USA Basketball�s 2004 Female Athlete of the Year.

In addition to her duties as a player, Staley heads the Dawn Staley Foundation for underprivileged youth in her hometown of Philadelphia and serves as head coach of the Temple University Women�s Basketball Team. Temple is currently on a 19-game winning streak and ranked in the Top 25 for the first time in school history. In 2004, Temple won the Atlantic 10 Title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament and Staley earned A-10 Coach of the Year honors.

A 1992 graduate of the University of Virginia, Staley led the Cavaliers to four NCAA Tournaments, three Final Fours and one championship game. She was twice named the national player of the year and received numerous ACC awards along the way, including rookie of the year in 1989 and player of the year in 1991 and 1992.

The Charlotte Sting will open their ninth season on May 21 at the Charlotte Coliseum as they host the Washington Mystics at 6 p.m. Season ticket plans begin at just $102 and are available now by calling a ticket sales representative at (704) 424-WNBA. Fans can also download a full season schedule and further ticket information at www.charlottesting.com.