The Atlantic 10’s women’s basketball presence in the WNBA is felt on the court, on the coaching staff and the front office. Since the WNBA began in 1997, the Atlantic 10 has produced talent that has played at the professional level. That includes players who have won MVP honors and WNBA Championships, and coaches who have led championship banners.
As the Atlantic 10 celebrates 50 years, here’s a look back at the conference’s lasting impact on the WNBA.
A-10 Players in the First Round
The WNBA held its first draft in 1997 and in those years since the A-10 has developed nine first round draft selections. That spans two stretches in which the A-10 had consecutive years with first round picks. In the first three years of the draft (1997, 1998 and 1999), the conference had three straight years of first round draftees. Sue Wicks of Rutgers was chosen by the New York Liberty. Duquesne’s Korie Hlede was drafted by the Detroit Shock. Debbie Black of Saint Joseph’s was selected by the Utah Starzz. The A-10 once again saw back-to-back years with first round picks. In 2015, the Washington Mystics drafted Dayton's Ally Malott. The following year, future WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones went sixth overall to the Los Angeles Sparks out of George Washington.
First, First-Rounder in A-10 History
Wicks, a three-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, left a lasting impact on Rutgers’ women’s basketball. She was a three-time Kodak All-American and in 1988 was recognized as the Naismith Player of the Year. Wicks played overseas for over 15 seasons and for seven countries. Upon the formation of the WNBA, she became the A-10's first ever first round draft pick. Wicks was selected by the New York Liberty. She was named an All-Star in 2000, and ranks eighth in the WNBA in career-shots blocked.
Most Draft Picks in a Single Draft Class
The Atlantic 10 has produced significant talent in the WNBA since the W’s founding in 1997. Over 20 players were drafted by the WNBA from the conference. The most draftees the A-10 has produced in a single draft class is three, which has occurred four times. The 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2015 drafts included three A-10 players. Of those draft classes, two selections were first round draftees: Malott and Wicks. Those draft classes also included three second-round picks: Cloud, Ugo Oha of George Washington and Nicole Levandusky of Xavier.
Current A-10 Players in the W
In 28 years of the WNBA’s existence, 26 players from the Atlantic 10 have been drafted. Two of those players are currently representing the A-10: Jonquel Jones and Natasha Cloud. Jones, who played at George Washington, and Cloud, who played for Saint Joseph’s, now compete together on the New York Liberty. Jones won the 2024 WNBA Championship with the Liberty, while Cloud joined New York this offseason. Megan McConnell, the 2025 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, became the third active conference player in June. She signed a contract with the Phoenix Mercury and made her W debut on June 2.
Coaching Connection
Cheryl Reeve, a former La Salle women’s basketball player, has guided the Minnesota Lynx to four WNBA titles. She led Minnesota to the team’s first ever championship in 2011, when she received Coach of the Year. Reeve, who was an assistant coach at La Salle and George Washington, also collected titles in 2013, 2015 and 2017. A four-time Coach of the Year, she is in her second year as the Lynx’s President of Basketball Operations.