STORRS, Conn. — UConn women's basketball stars Lou Lopez Sénéchal and Dorka Juhász joined an elite group of former Huskies to be drafted into the WNBA.
Since the league's inception, 45 former UConn players have been drafted into the pro-woman league. Two others, Rebecca Lobo and Nykesha Sales, were allocated to specific teams when the WNBA formed.
Lobo, who played for New York Liberty, is one of the WNBA's first official players, launching what was yet to come for the future of UConn women's basketball stars.
But it wasn't just that the women's basketball players from UConn were going to the WNBA; it was that they also made sure to stand out.
Sixteen of the 45 that were drafted went on to become WNBA champions: Kara Wolters, Jennifer Rizzotti, Svetlana Abrosimova, Kelly Schumacher, Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Diana Taurasi, Ketia Swanier, Charde Houston, Renee Montgomery, Kalana Greene, Maya Moore, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Breanna Stewart and the most recent Morgan Tuck.
The awards and accolades don't just stop there for the UConn women's legacy in the WNBA.
Sixteen players also went on to become All-Stars, some more than once. A few more also went on to win MVP in various forms.
Some players, who were already household names at UConn, maintained their status as they ventured on into the WNBA, including Lobo, Bird, Taurasi, Tina Charles, Moore, and Stewart, to name a few.
With each year that more UConn women's basketball stars move onto the next step in their basketball journey, you wouldn't be mistaken to think that more pressure is added onto their shoulders, given the greats that have come before them.
But, if history is anything to go by, their careers will be a slam dunk in the name of women's basketball history.
List of former UConn players drafted into the WNBA
1997
Rebecca Loco - allocated to New York Liberty
1998
Rita Williams - drafted by Washington Mystics
1999
Nykesha Sales - allocated to Orlando Miracle
Kara Wolters - drafted by Houston Comets
Jennifer Rizzotti - drafted by Houston Comets
2000
Paige Sauer - drafted by Los Angeles Sparks
2001
Svetlana Abrosimova - drafted by Minnesota Lynx
Kelly Schumacher - drafted by Indiana Fever
Shea Ralph - drafted by Utah Starzz
2002
Sue Bird - drafted by Seattle Storm
Swin Cash - drafted by Detroit Shock
Asjha Jones - drafted by Washington Mystics
Tamika Williams - drafted by Minnesota Lynx
2004
Diana Taurasi - drafted my Pheonix Mercury
2005
Jessica Moore - drafted by Charlotte Sting
Ashley Battle - drafted by Seattle Storm
2006
Barbara Turner - drafted by Seattle Storm
Willnett Crocket - drafted by Los Angeles Sparks
2008
Ketiia Swanier - drafted by the Connecticut Sun
Charde Houston - drafted by the Minnesota Lynx
2009
Renee Montgomery - drafted by Minnesota Lynx
2010
Tina Charles - drafted by the Connecticut Sun
Kalana Greene - drafted by the New York Liberty
2011
Maya Moore - drafted by the Minnesota Lynx
2012
Tiffany Hayes - drafted by Atlanta Dream
2013
Kelly Faris - drafted by the Connecticut Sun
2014
Stefanie Dolson - drafted by Washington Mystics
Bria Hartley - drafted by Seattle Storm
2015
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis - drafted by Seattle Storm
Kiah Stokes - drafted by New York Liberty
2016
Brianna Stewart - drafted by Seattle Storm
Moriah Jefferson - drafted by San Antonio Stars
Morgan Tuck - drafted by the Connecticut Sun
2017
Saniya Chong - drafted by Dallas Wings
2018
Gabby Williams - drafted by Chicago Sky
Azura Stevens - drafted by Dallas Wings
Kia Nurse - drafted by New York Liberty
2019
Katie Lou Samuelson - drafted by Chicago Sky
Napheesa Collier - drafted by Minnesota Lynx
2020
Megan Walker - drafted by New York Liberty
Crystal Dangerfield - drafted by Minnesota Lynx
2022
Olivia Nelson-Ododa - drafted by Los Angeles Sparks
Evina Westbrook - drafted by Seattle Storm
2023
Lou Lopez Senechal - drafted by Dallas Wings
Dorka Juhasz - drafted by Minnesota Lynx
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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