Personal information | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Timberlake, North Carolina, U.S. | August 12, 1974||||||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 165 lb (75 kg) | ||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||
High school | Person (Roxboro, North Carolina) | ||||||||||||||
College | Virginia (1992–1996) | ||||||||||||||
WNBA draft | 1997: Elite draft | ||||||||||||||
Selected by the Utah Starzz | |||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1997–2007 | ||||||||||||||
Position | Forward | ||||||||||||||
Number | 14, 4, 3, 0 | ||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||
1997–1999 | Utah Starzz | ||||||||||||||
1999–2002 | Detroit Shock | ||||||||||||||
2002 | Orlando Miracle | ||||||||||||||
2003–2004 | Connecticut Sun | ||||||||||||||
2005 | San Antonio Silver Stars | ||||||||||||||
2006–2007 | Seattle Storm | ||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Stats at WNBA.com | |||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Wendy Palmer (born August 12, 1974) [1] is a former professional basketball player in the WNBA, and former head coach of the UNCG women's basketball team. [2] Her primary position was forward.
Born in Timberlake, North Carolina, Palmer attended Person Senior High School in Roxboro, North Carolina, where she was named a High School All-American by the WBCA. [3] She participated in the inaugural WBCA High School All-America Game in 1992, scoring eleven points. [4]
Palmer graduated from the University of Virginia in 1996, and is a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority.
Palmer was named to the team representing the US at the 1994 William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The USA team won all eight games, winning the gold medal, but not without close calls. In three games the teams had to come from behind to win. One preliminary game ended up as a single-point victory, and the gold medal game went to overtime before the USA team beat South Korea by a single point, 90–89. Palmer was the leading scorer for the team, averaging 18.9 points per game. She also led the team in rebounding with 9.3 per game. [5]
Palmer was originally drafted by the Utah Starzz 9th overall in the 2nd round of the 1997 Elite draft. She played for the Starzz until 1999, when she became a member of the Detroit Shock.
In 2002, she played for the Orlando Miracle, which later became the Connecticut Sun. In 2004, while as a member of the Sun, she received the WNBA Most Improved Player Award.
In 2005, she played for the San Antonio Silver Stars. After the season ended, she was hired as an assistant coach to the women's basketball team at Virginia Commonwealth University.
In 2006, she signed a free agent contract with the Storm, but played only five games with the team before suffering a partially torn Achilles tendon in her left foot. She never played in the WNBA again after her foot injury, and thus her final game ever was during her time with the Storm. Palmer's final game was played on August 26, 2007, in a 89–95 loss to the Phoenix Mercury where she recorded 8 points, 1 rebound, and 1 block. [6]
Palmer took her first coaching position at Virginia Commonwealth University while playing in the WNBA. In 2007, she joined the staff at the University of Kentucky under Coach Matthew Mitchell. She remained there until 2009.
In 2009, Palmer became an assistant coach at the University of Virginia under legendary Coach Debbie Ryan.
In 2011, Palmer became the women's head coach at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Diana Lorena Taurasi is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and is considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all-time.
Semeka Chantay Randall-Lay is the current head coach for the Winthrop Eagles women's basketball team. She is also a former collegiate and professional basketball player. She was hired as recruiting coordinator at Wright State in June 2016 after serving as the head coach of the Alabama A&M University women's basketball team for three years. Randall was also head coach of the Ohio Bobcats, from 2008 to 2013. She previously served as an assistant coach of the women's basketball teams at West Virginia University, Michigan State University, and Cleveland State University.
Olympia Scott, formerly known under her married name of Olympia Scott-Richardson, is an American former professional basketball player in the WNBA, and a former college coach. She is also co-founder of an online parenting education company called "Super Parenting LLC" and of a coaching company called "A Wonderful Life! Coaching".
Ashley Robinson, nicknamed A-Rob or Robbo, is a 6'4" professional basketball player in the WNBA, most recently played for the Seattle Storm.
Kelly Miller is an American former professional basketball player. She is the identical twin sister of fellow basketball player Coco Miller.
Dena Head is an American retired women's basketball player. She is best remembered as the first player drafted in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Camille Little is a former American professional basketball player for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She began her WNBA career with the San Antonio Silver Stars in 2007. She played college basketball at North Carolina.
Kia Vaughn is an American-born former professional basketball player. She last played for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) She attended high school at St. Michael's All Girls High School in New York, and later went on to star at Rutgers University.
Crystal Allison Langhorne is an American former basketball player of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played for the University of Maryland Terrapins. In 2008 she was drafted by the Washington Mystics.
Tamecka Michelle Dixon is an American former professional basketball player. She played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 to 2009 for three different teams, was part of WNBA championship teams in 2001 and 2002, was a three-time WNBA All-Star and announced her retirement prior to the 2010 WNBA season.
Tina Alexandria Charles is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Originally from Jamaica, Queens, New York City, Charles was drafted first overall in the 2010 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun. In 2009 and 2010, she and teammate Maya Moore led the Connecticut Huskies to two undefeated national championships. She has won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA.
DeWanna Bonner is an American-Macedonian professional basketball player for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Bonner played college basketball for Auburn University. After a successful college career at Auburn, she was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the fifth overall pick of the 2009 WNBA draft, and was traded to the Sun 11 years later.
Mistie McCray Bass is an American professional women's basketball player who is currently a free agent.
Skylar Kierra Diggins-Smith is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Diggins was drafted third overall by the Tulsa Shock in the 2013 WNBA draft. In high school, she was the National Gatorade Player of the Year and the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year. She played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and led the team to three consecutive Final Fours and two consecutive NCAA championship appearances. She finished her Notre Dame career ranked first in points and steals, second in assists, and as a two-time winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award as the top point guard in the nation.
Monica Ashante Wright Rogers is an American basketball coach and former player. She played college basketball for Virginia and was selected second overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2010 WNBA draft. Outside of the WNBA, she played professionally in Poland, Turkey, Australia, South Korea and Iceland. She is currently the assistant general manager for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA.
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Fenerbahçe of the Women's Basketball Super League, Euroleague Women.
Chalysa Janee "Chay" Shegog is an American basketball player who played for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA in the 2012 season. Shegog played for the North Carolina Tar Heels in college. In 2012, she was selected as the 21st overall draft pick for the WNBA by the Connecticut Sun. In August 2012, Shegog was waived by the Sun. She played for Hungarian team UNISEAT Gyor in the WNBA off-season. As of now, Shegog is working as a gym teacher at Alternative Paths Training School, in Fredericksburg.
Chinenye "Chiney" Ogwumike is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2020, she became the first Black woman and the first WNBA player to host a national radio show for ESPN. She was one of the first and youngest commentators ever to be named an NBA analyst for the network covering the NBA, WNBA, and variety of sports, while simultaneously playing in the WNBA. Chiney is a graduate of Stanford University, where she majored in International relations. She played in three Final Fours and finished as the conference leader in scoring and rebounding as of January 3, 2014. As of 2016, Ogwumike was elected Vice-President of the WNBA Players Association, and signed an endorsement deal with Adidas. In May 2018, Ogwumike signed a multi-year contract with ESPN to become a full-time basketball analyst.
Tammi Reiss is an American actress and former professional basketball player. She is currently the coach for the University of Rhode Island. Reiss is a native of New York state. Reiss graduated from the University of Virginia in 1992 with a major in sports management. As a professional, she was chosen in the first round of the first-ever WNBA draft and played for two years with the Utah Starzz. She is currently the head coach of the University of Rhode Island Lady Rams basketball team.
Kimberly Williams is a former professional basketball player who played two seasons for the Utah Starzz of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).