Pierson to Play in WBCA All-Star Challenge

April 3, 2003

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women's Basketball Association (WBCA) has selected its all-star line-up for the 2003 WBCA All-Star Challenge. On Friday, April 4 the top senior collegiate players in women's basketball will showcase "Who's Got Game?" at Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

The 6th Annual WBCA All-Star Challenge will take place as part of a doubleheader prelude to the NCAA Women's Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia. This year's game will be the second of a doubleheader event featured during the WBCA's "The Night of All-Stars". Not only will fans get to watch and collect autographs from the future WNBA stars, but college hoops as well, at the WBCA High School All-America Game, presented by Nike, where things will tip-off at 6:00 p.m. (EST).

The WBCA All-Star Challenge features 17 of the top senior NCAA Division I players, voted on by Division I Head Coaches, and the NCAA Division II, III and NAIA top senior vote getters in The State Farm Player of the Year ballots, to go head to head in an action-packed game of women's basketball.

Leading the college all-stars at point guard is Vanderbilt's Ashley McElhiney, University of North Carolina's Coretta Brown, Iowa State's Lindsey Wilson, Bringham Young University's Erin Thorn and Boston College's Brianne Stepherson.

A slew of outstanding perimeter players will be participating in the contest including Tennessee's Kara Lawson, Notre Dame's Alicia Ratay, Tulsa's Allison Curtin, Villanova's Trish Juhline, UCLA's Michelle Greco and Clemson's Chrissy Floyd.

Dominating the inside will be the second half of Vanderbilt's dynamic duo, Chantelle Anderson, Mississippi State's star post player, LaToya Thomas, Tennessee's Gwen Jackson, Plenette Pierson of Texas Tech, Jocelyn Penn out of South Carolina and Louisiana Tech's Cheryl Ford.

The All-Star Challenge Roster could change if any of the aforementioned players' teams are participating in the NCAA Women's Final Four. In that case, alternates have been chosen based on voting results.

"The WBCA is ecstatic to present "The Night of All-Stars". The WBCA All-Star Challenge has become one of the most anticipated events surrounding NCAA Women's Final Four and our national convention", said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "It's exciting to see the future of women's basketball convene for one night of hardwood action."

Past stars of the All-Star Challenge include: Semeka Randall (Seattle Storm), Marie Ferdinand (Utah Starzz), Chamique Holdsclaw (Washington Mystics), Ticha Penicherio (Sacramento Monarchs), Kelly Miller (Charlotte Sting); Coco Miller (Washington Mystics); Murriel Page (Washington Mystics), Olympia Scott-Richardson (Indiana Fever); Cindy Blodgett (Sacramento Monarchs) and many more stars of the WNBA.

Last year's WBCA All-Star Challenge took a different twist, as the college all-stars took on the USA Basketball Women's National Team. The 2002 WBCA All-Star Challenge squad was led by the MVP performance of Danielle Crockrom San Antonio Silver Stars), however the USA Basketball Women's National Team prevailed with a 100-59 victory behind a double-double performance of 30 points and 10 rebounds from WNBA superstar Lila Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks)

Fans can order tickets by calling the Georgia Tech Ticket Office at 888-TECH-TIX (888-832-4849) or by visiting the Georgia Tech Box Office. Tickets for the WBCA "Night of All-Stars" are $25.00. Lower Level reserved bench seats are $20.00 a piece or group rate of $15.00 a piece for 10 or more. Upper level general admission seats are $15.00 a piece or group rate of $10.00 a piece for 10 or more tickets.

2003 WBCA All-Star Challenge PlayersAshley McElhiney, Vanderbilt, 5-6 PGCoretta Brown, North Carolina, 5-9 PGLindsey Wilson, Iowa State, 5-9 PGErin Thorn, BYU, 5-10 PGBrianne Stepherson, Boston College, 5-9 PGKara Lawson, Tennessee, 5-9 PerimeterAlicia Ratay, Notre Dame, 6-0 PerimeterAllison Curtin, Tulsa, 5-11 PerimeterTrish Juhline, Villanova, 5-10 PerimeterMichelle Greco, UCLA, 5-9 PerimeterChrissy Floyd, Clemson, 5-9 PerimeterChantelle Anderson, Vanderbilt, 6-6 Inside/PostLaToya Thomas, Mississippi State, 6-2 Inside/PostGwen Jackson, Tennessee, 6-2 Inside/PostPlenette Pierson, Texas Tech, 6-2 Inside/PostJocelyn Penn, South Carolina, 6-0 Inside/PostCheryl Ford, Louisiana Tech, 6-3 Inside/Post

Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport of women's basketball and to foster and promote the development of the game of basketball as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, visit WBCA.org.

Texas Tech University Athletics

Pierson to Play in WBCA All-Star Challenge

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