Tennessee Lady Vol Cierra Burdick (11) was chosen by the Los Angeles Sparks as the number 14 overall pick in the WNBA draft.
photo by Dennis Norwood
The Tennessee Lady Vols had three players on the board, and all three Big Orange seniors were selectedThursdaynight at WNBA Draft 2015 presented by State Farm at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Isabelle Harrison, a 6-foot-3 post player, was the final selection of the first round, going with the 12th overall pick to the Phoenix Mercury. Harrison (Nashville, Tenn./Hillsboro H.S.) became the 16th UT woman to be taken in the first round of the WNBA Draft and the third chosen by the Mercury. The others were Lisa Harrison (1999) and Ashley Robinson(2004).
Two spots later, with the second selection of the second round and 14th overall pick, 6-2 forwardCierra Burdick(Charlotte, N.C./Butler H.S.) was taken by the Los Angeles Sparks. Watching the event with her family in Charlotte, she became the fifth UT player taken all-time by L.A. in the draft. The others were Daedra Charles (1997 Elite Draft), Sidney Spencer (2007), Candace Parker (2008) and Shannon Bobbitt (2008).
With the entire Tennessee coaching staff in Connecticut in support of draft invitee Harrison, Massengale made it a perfect night for the Big Orange when her name was called in the third round. The 5-7 guard (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook H.S.), who watched the proceedings with her family in suburban Chicago, was taken with the fifth pick of the final round at No. 29 overall by the Atlanta Dream. She became the first UT player ever taken by the Dream.
Tennessee now has had 36 players drafted into the WNBA, including five during the Holly Warlick era. Besides the selections, Kamiko Williamswas taken in the second round by the New York Liberty in 2013 and Meighan Simmons was selected by the Liberty in the third round in 2014.
It marks the fourth time three or more Lady Vols from the same team have been drafted in the same year. It also occurred in 2001, 2008 and 2012.
Harrison, Burdick and Massengale join seven other players on current WNBA rosters. Burdick joins Parker in Los Angeles, while Shekinna Stricklen is in Connecticut after an off-season trade from Seattle, Simmons was picked up by Seattle, Tamika Catchings is at Indiana, Glory Johnson and Vicki Baugh are in Tulsa and Kara Lawson is with Washington.
Harrison was a two-time AP Honorable Mention All-American and All-SEC First Team performer. In 21 games before suffering a season-ending ACL injury to her right knee vs. Kentucky onFeb. 15, Harrison paced Tennessee with 12.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest. She recorded seven double-doubles to finish sixth in UT history with 31 for her career. She also became the 39th Lady Vol to score 1,000 points, finishing with 1,071.
Burdick averaged 11.0 points and 7.6 rebounds, hit 82.5 percent of her free throws and led Tennessee in assists with 91 as a senior. She also was third with 38 steals, earning AP Honorable Mention All-America and first-team All-SEC accolades from the league's coaches. She led the Big Orange with nine double-doubles in 2014-15 and wound up with 1,072 career points.
Massengale, meanwhile, averaged 11.5 points and was the team's leading three-point shooter, draining 74 for the No. 6 season tally and No. 5 UT career total at 164. She became the third Lady Vol to finish with 1,000 points and 500 assists, tallying 1,161 and 518. That career assists total ranks No. 4 all-time at Tennessee. She joined Burdick on the Spokane Region All-Tournament Team.
Ariel Massengale (5) of the Lady Vols was drafted in the third round by the Atlanta Dream.
photo by Dennis Norwood