Copper & Hollivay Selected in WNBA Draft
Apr 14 | Women's Basketball
RVISION: Behind the Scenes with Copper at the WNBA Draft
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Kahleah Copper (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Rachel Hollivay (Columbus, Miss.) are taking their game to the next level as both were selected in the WNBA Draft on Thursday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Copper and Hollivay become Rutgers' 18th and 19th Scarlet Knights to be drafted by the WNBA. It also marks the seventh time two or more Scarlet Knights have by chosen in the WNBA draft and first time since 2012 when Khadijah Rushdan was selected in the second round and April Sykes was picked in the third round by the Los Angeles.
Copper was taken seventh overall by the Washington Mystics and became RU's eighth first round pick and highest selection since Epiphanny Prince was picked fourth overall in 2010. Copper will join fellow Scarlet Knight Kia Vaughn on the roster.
A Second Team All-Big Ten member, Copper led Rutgers for the third-straight season as a senior in 2015-16 with 17.7 points per game to go along with a team-leading 8.0 rebounds per game. The senior forward opened the season being named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale and Naismith Trophy Early Season Watch Lists and was later added to the Dawn Staley Mid-Season Watch List. Copper ended her career with 1,872 career points, finishing third on RU's all-time scoring leaders list behind Rutgers greats Sue Wicks and Cappie Pondexter. She scored in double figures in all but four games and performed 11 double-doubles. Copper also added the three-point shot to her arsenal this past season. After attempting only two shots from downtown her first three seasons "On The Banks," Copper went 27-of-70 from long distance in her final season.
Hollivay was selected with the first pick in the second round and 13th overall by the Atlanta Dream. Hollivay will join former Scarlet Knight Matee Ajavon on the roster.
Rutgers' all-time shot blocks leader, Hollivay averaged 7.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game in her senior campaign. An Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honoree and member of the Big Ten All-Defensive Team, Hollivay became the only Scarlet Knight in women's basketball history with over 300 career blocks and multiple seasons with over 100 rejections. During the 2015-16 campaign, she swatted away 112 opponent shots putting her name fifth nationally in total blocks and second on RU's single season blocks leaders list.
SCARLET KNIGHTS IN THE WNBA DRAFT
? Sue Wicks - 1997 - First Round - Sixth Overall - New York Liberty
? Shawnetta Stewart - 2000 - Third Round - 36th Overall - Orlando Miracle
? Usha Gilmore - 2000 - Third Round - 42nd Overall - Indiana Fever
? Tammy Sutton-Brown - 2001 - Second Round - 18th Overall - Charlotte Sting
? Tasha Pointer - 2001 - Fourth Round - 52nd Overall - Portland Fire
? Davalyn Cunningham - 2002 - Second Round - 23rd Overall - Orlando Miracle
? Chelsea Newton - 2005 - Second Round - 22nd Overall - Sacramento Monarchs
? Rebecca Richman - 2005 - Third Round - 36th Overall - New York Liberty
? Cappie Pondexter - 2006 - First Round - Second Overall - Phoenix Mercury
? Matee Ajavon - 2008 - First Round - Fifth Overall - Houston Comets
? Essence Carson - 2008 - First Round - Seventh Overall - New York Liberty
? Kia Vaughn - 2009 - First Round - Eight Overall - New York Liberty
? Epiphanny Prince - 2010 - First Round - Fourth Overall - Chicago Sky
? Rashidat Junaid - 2010 - Third Round - 32nd Selection - Los Angeles Sparks
? Khadijah Rushdan - 2012 - Second Round - 15th Overall - Los Angeles Sparks
? April Sykes - 2012 - Third Round - 28th Selection - Los Angeles Sparks
? Betnijah Laney- 2015 - Second Round - 17th Selection - Chicago Sky
? Kahleah Copper - 2016 - First Round - Seventh Selection - Washington Mystics
? Rachel Hollivay - 2016 - Second Round 13th Selection - Atlanta Dream
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-RU-
