Christina Wirth

Last updated
Christina Wirth
Personal information
Born (1987-04-18) April 18, 1987 (age 37)
Mesa, Arizona
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school Seton Catholic (Chandler, Arizona)
College Vanderbilt (2005–2009)
WNBA draft 2009: 2nd round, 19th overall pick
Selected by the Indiana Fever
Position Forward
Career history
2009 Indiana Fever
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Women’s Basketball
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
U18 and U19
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2004 U18 Mayaguez Team Competition
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2005 U19 Tunis Team Competition

Christina Wirth (born April 18, 1987) is an American basketball player who most recently played for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. She is the daughter of Alan Wirth, a former major league baseball player with the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics.

Contents

Playing career

High school

Wirth played her high school basketball at Seton Catholic in Arizona. While at Seton Catholic she compiled 2,550 points, 1,173 rebounds, 312 steals, 266 assists and 120 blocks. In competitive play, she led Seton Catholic to a state runner-up finish and a 28-7 record as a senior in 2004-05. Her statistics as a senior included an average 25.3 points per game., 11.2 rebounds per game., 2.2 steals per game. and 2.2 assists per game. She participated in the 2005 McDonald's All-American game and won the team ball competition. [1]

USA Basketball

Wirth was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. The event was held in August 2004, when the USA team defeated Puerto Rico to win the championship. Wirth averaged 1.8 points per game. [2]

Wirth continued with the team as it became the U19 team, and competed in the 2005 U19 World Championships in Tunis, Tunisia. The USA team won all eight games, winning the gold medal. Wirth averaged 3.6 points per game. [3]

Vanderbilt

Wirth's rookie season with Vanderbilt was in 2005–06. She managed to be one of only four Commodores to appear in all 32 games. She played four positions on the floor as freshman. For the first 15 games of her collegiate career, she was in the starting lineup. [1]

Her first two collegiate games were played just miles from her home, as Vanderbilt traveled to Tempe, Arizona for the WBCA/BTI Classic hosted by Arizona State. Statistically, she scored two points in her initial game, and had nine rebounds. In her second contest, she reached double figures in scoring by posting 13 points against Clemson. On two occasions, she would lead the Commodores in scoring (vs. North Carolina in Dec., and vs. Alabama in the SEC Tournament).

In her senior year, Wirth led the Commodores to their 14th appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16 after earning Most Valuable Player honors en route to Vanderbilt's sixth Southeastern Conference Tournament championship. [4] Her last game for the Commodores was played on March 28, 2009 when Vanderbilt fell to Maryland by a score of 78–74 in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2009 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament. Wirth played 37 minutes and scored 28 points. [5]

Academically, Wirth was a four-time honoree on Vanderbilt's Dean's List. She was named a Region IV Academic All-American by CoSIDA in 2007–08 and has earned Southeastern Conference Honor Roll status three times. At Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Wirth has carried a 3.55 GPA while majoring in human and organizational development and minoring in child development. Christina was also named the 2009 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year by league coaches, and was chosen to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America third team last month. Wirth has carried a 3.6 GPA and has begun pursuing a master's degree in nursing. [6]

Indiana Fever

She was selected in the 2nd Round, 19th overall in the 2009 WNBA draft. [7] Wirth got her first taste of WNBA action in a 68-51 victory against the Minnesota Lynx on May 23. [8] Wirth played for 18 minutes, scored 3 field goals, 1 three pointer, 2 free throws made, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. [9] In her first season with the Fever, Wirth played in the 2009 WNBA Finals.

Europe

In the fall of 2009, Wirth reunited with Vanderbilt teammate Jennifer Risper. Both signed for a Slovakian team officially known as BK PU Bemaco Prešov. [10] The season is scheduled to end in April 2010.

Personal

Along with former Vanderbilt teammate Jen Risper, the two are adjusting to professional basketball. Wirth and Risper, now with the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky, helped one another move into their new respective homes. After four years together with the Commodores, separating from each other and the rest of their teammates has been an adjustment. Wirth and Risper will meet May 28 in Indianapolis for a preseason game. Wirth is currently married. [11]

Four of her sisters have played college basketball, three in NCAA Division I—older sister Alana at Division II Barry, younger sister Theresa at Denver, and her youngest sisters, identical twins Jenn and LeeAnne, at Gonzaga. [12]

Career stats

College

YearGamesMinutesField GoalsThree PointersReboundsAssistsBlocksStealsPoints
2005-063256066317934326181
2006-07349891405314880327387
2007-083410971657117089948446
2008-09 [13] 3511762128019874852582

WNBA

Source [9]

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2009 2009 2105.8.276.3571.000.7.6.1.0.11.0

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2009 2009 505.4.429.000–.6.4.0.0.41.2

Awards and honors

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Vanderbilt Official Athletic Site - Vanderbilt University" . Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  2. ↑ "Fifth Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team -- 2004". USA Basketball. February 20, 2014. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Sixth FIBA Women's U19 World Championship -- 2005". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Wirth named Honorable Mention All-American". Archived from the original on July 18, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Vanderbilt Official Athletic Site - Vanderbilt University". www.vucommodores.com. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  6. ↑ "Christina Wirth - Women's Basketball 2008-09 - Senior CLASS Award". www.seniorclassaward.com.
  7. ↑ "WNBA.com: 2009 WNBA Draft Board". Archived from the original on 2009-08-25. Retrieved 2009-09-04.
  8. ↑ "WNBA.com: Fever at Lynx Boxscore". Archived from the original on 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  9. 1 2 "WNBA.com: Christina Wirth Playerfile". Archived from the original on 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  10. ↑ "Scout.com: Wirth and Risper to team up in Slovakia". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  11. ↑ "Risper, Wirth make transition to WNBA". Archived from the original on July 18, 2012.
  12. ↑ Hays, Graham (January 6, 2020). "Twins Jenn and LeeAnne Wirth are better together for Gonzaga". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Vanderbilt Official Athletic Site - Vanderbilt University". vucommodores.cstv.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-15. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  14. ↑ "Wirth An All-Senior All-American". Archived from the original on 2009-04-09. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
  15. ↑ "Vanderbilt claims SEC Tournament title". Archived from the original on 2009-03-12. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
  16. ↑ "Christina Wirth and Jen Risper: Women's Athletes of the Year | InsideVandy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  17. ↑ "News Release". www.chandleraz.gov. Archived from the original on 2010-12-14. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
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