April 11, 2006 -The Charlotte Sting have re-signed center
Tammy Sutton-Brown, it was announced today by General Manager Trudi Lacey. In addition, the Sting have exercised the fourth-year option on
Kelly Mazzante, retaining the guard through the 2007 season.
Sutton-Brown, originally selected by Charlotte with the 18th overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft, has averaged 9.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting .485 (516-1065) from the field in 163 career games. In 2005, she averaged 9.4 points and finished the season ranked sixth in the league in field goal percentage shooting .509 (111-218) from the field, 11th with 5.3 rebounds and 19th with 1.09 blocks.
�We are thrilled to have Tammy back with the Charlotte Sting,� said Lacey. �She has been an integral part of our team for the past five years and has continued to make improvements in her game to become one of the top centers in the league. We have great confidence that she will continue to make valuable contributions to our team.�
Named to the Eastern Conference All-Star squad in 2002, the 6-4 center is Charlotte�s all-time leader with 327 offensive rebounds and with 233 blocks. She became the 10th woman in WNBA history to reach the 200-block plateau, reaching the mark on June 2, 2005 in San Antonio.
Originally from Markham, Ontario, Canada, Sutton-Brown played her collegiate basketball at Rutgers where she averaged 9.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting .577 (471-816) during her four-year career.
Mazzante, a two-year WNBA veteran, was selected by Charlotte with the 18th overall pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft. The 6-0 guard has averaged 2.3 points in 61 career games.
�It was important for us to know that Kelly will continue to be part of the Sting,� said Lacey. �By picking up this option it helps create continuity for our team and for Kelly as well. Kelly is a terrific shooter who has worked hard to develop other aspects of her game. We expect her to continue to grow and flourish as a player in Charlotte.�
A native of Montoursville, PA, Mazzante averaged 21.9 points and 4.2 rebounds during her four-year college career. She concluded her career as the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten history (male or female) with 2,919 points and became the first player in Penn State history to earn Kodak All-American honors three times (2004, 2003, 2002).
The Charlotte Sting�s 10th anniversary season begins on May 20 at Charlotte Bobcats Arena as they host the Chicago Sky at 6 p.m. Season tickets are available for as low as $99 and are on sale now. For more information, please call 704-424-WNBA. Fans can also download a full season schedule and further ticket information at CharlotteSting.com.