April 26, 2004

Seven former North Carolina players were on WNBA rosters as training camps started last weekend. Veteran players Nikki Teasley (Los Angeles Sparks), Coretta Brown (Indiana Fever), Charlotte Smith-Taylor (Charlotte Sting) and LaQuanda Barksdale Quick (San Antonio Silver Stars) were joined by three Tar Heels trying to earn spots in the league.

UNC senior Candace Sutton signed a free agent contract with the Sparks and is in training camp with L.A. A 6-6 center from Kettering, Md., she was a four-year starter for the Tar Heels, averaging 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for the team in 2003-04.

Also signing as free agents were Juana Brown (San Antonio) and Chanel Wright-Greene (Minnesota Lynx). Brown played for the Tar Heels from 1998-2001, averaging 11.9 points and 5.0 rebounds over her career. She was a third-team All-ACC pick in 1999 and also earned first-team All-ACC Tournament honors that year. Wright-Greene played for Carolina from 1996-99 and ranks eighth on the school's career scoring list. She averaged 14.1 points and 5.1 rebounds over here career, earning ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 1996 and spots on the All-ACC Tournament first team in 1998 and '99.

Sylvia Crawley, who played for UNC from 1991-94 and has spent the last four years in the WNBA, announced her retirement. She spent the 2003 season with San Antonio, where she averaged 3.5 points and 3.2 rebounds. She ranks 18th on the WNBA's all-time blocks list with 106.

Teams may carry up to 18 players on their rosters for the first 10 days of training camp, then must reduce to 15 for the rest of camp. By May 19, teams must cut their active rosters to 11 players. The WNBA season starts on May 20.