Ex-UTEP Women’s Basketball Player Makes WNBA Squad

Former UTEP women’s basketball standout Natasha Lacy has earned a spot on the 2011 roster for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. She will be in uniform when the team tips off its season by playing host to the Minnesota Lynx at the STAPLES Center at 9 p.m. MDT Friday.

“I’m so proud and excited for Natasha earning this opportunity,” UTEP head coach Keitha Adams said. “It has been a great 30 days for UTEP women’s basketball. Future Miner Jenzel Nash was honored as our program’s first Parade All-American, Sviatlana Trukshanina graduated and now Natasha is back in the WNBA.”

Lacy averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals and two assists in helping the Sparks post a mark of 2-0 during the preseason. The El Paso native broke into the WNBA as a rookie in 2010 for the Tulsa Shock. She appeared in 16 contests, including three starts, while posting game averages of 6.3 points, 3.5 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals. Lacy has also played professionally for teams in Israel and Spain.

The 2008 AP Honorable-Mention All-American played a large role in the Miners’ record-setting 28-4 2007-08 campaign. She finished eighth in the country in steals per game, setting the single-season school record with 108 total thefts in the process. The 2008 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year was second on the squad in assists (156) and scoring (13.0 ppg), and third in rebounding (5.9 rpg) and total blocks (20).

Lacy filled up the stat sheet like very few can, as the 2008 second-team all-league honoree was second in C-USA in steals, fifth in assists, sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio, 10th in defensive rebounding, 12th in scoring and 17th in overall rebounding.

Source: UTEP Athletics