Center Riley chosen 5th overall in WNBA Draft
By TIM CASEY
Senior Staff Writer
Add another footnote to this campus' strange sports year.
More Notre Dame players were selected in the first three rounds of the WNBA draft than the NFL draft.
On Friday, Ruth Riley was selected fifth overall by the Miami Sol, while the Indiana Fever drafted fellow All-American Niele Ivey in the second round (19th overall).
Kelley Siemon, who was picked in the third round by the Los Angeles Sparks with the 48th overall selection, refused to discuss her basketball future on Sunday.
Meanwhile, her college teammates begin training camp for their professional squads in early May.
"[Miami Heat head coach Pat] Riley walked into the room the other day and said if I didn't take Ruth Riley, I was done," Sol head coach/general manager Ron Rothstein joked during ESPN2's live draft telecast. "I had to take her. It was as simple as that."
Lauren Jackson, a 6-foot-5 forward from Australia, was the first pick of the draft. Georgia's point guard Kelly Miller, Tennessee forward Tamika Catchings and Southwest Missouri State guard Jackie Stiles were all selected before Riley.
"We had [Riley] rated a little bit higher [than fifth]," Rothstein said. "She's proven that she can perform at a very, very high level under pressure."
Riley will compete with 30-year old Marlies Askamp for playing time. Askamp, a 6-foot-5 center from Germany, averaged 7.8 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Sol in 2000. In its inaugural season a year ago, Miami finished 13-19 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.
"I'm looking forward to whatever role they need me to play down there," Riley said. "I just want to contribute in any way that I can."
Ivey also enters a favorable situation. Her father's brother and several other relatives live in Indianapolis and St. Louis, Ivey's hometown, is less than five hours away.
And Rita Williams, the Fever's starter last season, is the only established professional point guard on the roster.
"A lot of franchises have their set point guards," Ivey said. "I wanted to go to an environment where I can play and do some things. It worked out well."
She will be reunited in Indiana with former Irish teammate Katryna Gaither. Ivey and Gaither played together for a few weeks during Ivey's freshman season. In November of 1996, Ivey tore the ACL in her right knee and missed the remainder of the year.
Four months later, the then-senior Gaither led Notre Dame to its first Final Four berth.
"She's probably geeked that I'll be her point guard again," Ivey said. "It'll be fun."
In the first round, the Fever drafted Catchings and used their 14th pick to select Connecticut center Kelly Schumacher. The trio of newcomers will be joined by a first-year head coach. Nell Fortner, who coached the United States women to an Olympic gold medal in September, takes over the duties. Fortner served as an ESPN analyst during the Irish's 2001 national championship run.
"She's coached so many great players," Ivey said. "There's a lot of benefits there."
For maybe the first time, Irish fans can be interested in the WNBA.
Riley and Ivey's new teams meet on June 5 and August 10 in Miami, and July 28 in Indiana. Coquese Washington, an Irish assistant coach, is also a member of the defending WNBA champion Houston Comets.
Riley and Washington will compete against each other twice in the next month in exhibition games.
On May 12, the squads play in Houston then a week later in Miami. The lone regular season meeting will be on July 20 in Miami.
The Comets travel to Indiana on May 31 and host the Fever on July 6.
"Usually I'm asking her for help," Ivey said. "Now she can't help me. She has the best scouting report on me."
All Sports Stories for Monday, April 23, 2001
