UF's McCain & Cardenas Selected in WNBA Draft
Friday, April 19, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Former University of Florida stars Brandi McCain (Silsbee, TX) and Monique Cardenas (Keystone Heights, FL) were selected in the 2002 WNBA Draft.
McCain was selected by the Cleveland Rockers as the eighth pick in the second round of the 2002 WNBA Draft. The 5-foot-3 guard was the 24th overall pick in the 64-player draft Friday afternoon.
The Portland Fire made Cardenas the 53rd overall selection, choosing the 6-foot guard with the fifth pick of the fourth round.
"I'm really excited to play in Cleveland," McCain said. "It's a great place for me to come in and play right away, especially because Helen Darling will be out for a while. I'm a bit nervous about living in such a big city, but I already know a couple players on the team so that will help with my transition."
McCain played USA Basketball with Deanna Jackson, Cleveland's first round draftee. Former Lady Gator great Merlakia Jones, who is still UF's all-time leading scorer, is a three-time WNBA All-Star with the Rockers.
"I'm totally numb right now," Cardenas said upon finding out she was drafted. "You dream about getting drafted but you're never really sure it's going to happen. You hope it does and today my dream came true. I just want to go up there and play my hardest."
Cardenas was performing her internship as a clerk with the law firm of Peter Robertson & Associates when she learned she had been drafted. She said she was typing up information and peeked at the WNBA web site when she saw her name posted. Cardenas is on schedule to graduate in May with a degree in Criminology and has applied to law school. Former Gator Sophia Witherspoon is a veteran starter for the Portland Fire.
"I'm excited for both Brandi and Monique. They are both very good players and well deserving of being drafted," UF head coach Carolyn Peck said. "Cleveland is very fortunate that Brandi was still available when they selected her. If the Rockers really like Helen Darling, they are going to love Brandi McCain. Even as a rookie, Brandi has the ability to step in and run the offense of a WNBA franchise. She has a bright future with Cleveland and in the WNBA. Monique is so excited today. She went to the Pre-Draft Combine in Chicago last week, played well and impressed people. Monique doesn't play with a lot of flash, she just plays hard and that's something you can't teach."
"I am so proud and happy for both Brandi and Monique," former UF head coach Carol Ross said. "I knew playing in the WNBA was a dream for both of them, and now they have a chance. They need to keep working and playing hard and if they do, they both have an excellent shot of making the roster squad. I know both players will represent Lady Gator Basketball in a positive manner, like all of the other former Gators who are in the league have. This was another exciting day for the Lady Gator program and I couldn't be happier."
McCain and Cardenas become the 11th and 12th different Lady Gators to be selected in the WNBA Draft in the six-year history of the event and continued Florida's streak of having at least on player pick in each draft. The Gator pair were two of 11 players from the Southeastern Conference drafted today.
The University of Florida has a strong presence in the WNBA, with nine former Lady Gators appearing on 2001 Opening Day rosters, the second-highest total of any other school in the country behind Stanford's 13.
McCain, a 5-foot-3 guard with a 26-inch standing vertical jump, completed her stellar Florida career with 1,580 points, 568 assists, 273 steals and 230 three-point field goals. She tallied 86 double-figure scoring games, 8 double-figure assist games, 1 double-figure rebounding game and 7 double-doubles, while starting 91 of the 106 games she played. McCain was a two-time finalist for Naismith Player of the Year (2001 & 2002), a two-time First Team All-SEC performer (1999 & 2001) and a Second Team All-SEC honoree (2002). Additionally, McCain was a 2001 & 2002 District 3 Kodak All-American and named a 2001 First Team All-American by womenscollegehoops.com. She played in the WBCA Senior All-Star Challenge in San Antonio on March 30th and finished second after an 'playoff shootout' at the ESPN Slam Dunk & Three-Point Championship held in Atlanta on March 28th.
Cardenas, a 6-foot guard was the epitome of a "blue-collar" player during her career, diving for loose balls, making defensive deflections and playing hard-nosed defense. During her career, Cardenas tallied 721 points, 467 rebounds and appeared in 118 games. She notched 27 double-figure scoring games, 4 double-figure rebounding games and 1 double-double, while starting the last 58 games of her career.
The WNBA preseason games begin on May 9th, with the regular season tipping-off on May 25th.
Lady Gator History in Professional U.S. Drafts
1996 (ABL)
Tammy Jackson (4th pick, 8th round), Hartford
Bridget Pettis (alternate), Denver
1997
DeLisha Milton (1st round/2nd pick/2nd overall selection), Portland (ABL)
Bridget Pettis (Elite Selection), Phoenix
Sophia Witherspoon (2nd round/3rd pick/11th overall), New York
Merlakia Jones (2nd round/5th pick/13th overall), Cleveland
Tammy Jackson (2nd round/8th pick/16th overall), Houston
1998
Murriel Page (1st round/3rd pick/3rd overall selection), Washington
1999
DeLisha Milton (1st round/4th pick/4th overall selection), Los Angeles
2000
Tonya Washington (2nd round/2nd pick/18th overall), Washington
Tiffany Travis (2nd round/11th pick/27th overall), Charlotte
2001
Tamara Stocks (2nd round/9th pick/25th overall), Washington
Tombi Bell (3rd round/7th pick/39th overall), Minnesota
2002
Brandi McCain (2nd round/8th pick/24th overall), Cleveland
Monique Cardenas (4th round/5th pick/53rd overall), Portland
Active Lady Gators in the WNBA
Tammy Jackson, Houston
Merlakia Jones, Cleveland
DeLisha Milton, Los Angeles
Murriel Page, Washington
Bridget Pettis, Phoenix/Indiana
Tamara Stocks, Washington
Tiffany Travis, Charlotte
Tonya Washington, Washington
Sophia Witherspoon, Portland
Schools with the Most Alums in the WNBA
(on 2001 opening-day rosters)
1. Stanford 13
2. FLORIDA 9
END OF REPORT
