April 17, 2004

Champaign, Ill. - Cindy Dallas has been a fixture for Illinois women's basketball. The native of Pittsburgh, Pa., has endured six surgeries, three torn ACLs, and has completed her sixth season at Illinois. Saturday all the hard work was rewarded as The San Antonio Silver Stars drafted Dallas in the second round of the WNBA draft.

"There's no one who deserves it more," said Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz. "She has endured a lot and has worked extremely hard. We are just delighted for Cindy."

Dallas has gained a reputation as a tenacious rebounder. This season Dallas reached milestone after milestone, breaking the Illinois career rebounding record, reaching 1,000 rebounds and finishing sixth on the Big Ten's all-time rebounding list (1,014). She was also the first player ever to lead the Big Ten in rebounding three straight seasons. A Second Team All-Big Ten selection, it was not only the number of rebounds that Dallas would get (she had an impressive 34 career double-doubles), it was the style in which she went after them that grabbed the attention of WNBA executives.

"(San Antonio COO Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil) told me that I was chosen for a purpose," Dallas said. "It wasn't to handle the ball or anything like that, it was because they needed a tenacious rebounder, a hustler, and someone who could play defense."

Dallas was one of seven Big Ten players selected in the draft. She was the fifth Big Ten player picked. "It means a lot because everyone said this was the deepest draft and certainly the Big Ten had a lot of great players this year," Dallas said.

Diana Turasi of national champion UConn was the top overall selection, taken by the Phoenix Mercury. Dallas was the 21st overall pick, the eighth player taken in the second round. The draft itself consisted of three rounds and 38 overall selections. The other Big Ten players drafted were Lindsey Whalen of Minnesota, picked fourth by the Connecticut Sun, Purdue's Shereka Wright (13th, Detroit Shock), Penn State's Jessica Brungo (16th, Connecticut) and Kelly Mazzante (18th, Charlotte Sting), Purdue's Erika Valek (23rd, Detroit Shock), and Michigan's Jennifer Smith (32nd, Detroit).

With San Antonio trading away its first pick, Dallas was the first player selected by the Silver Stars. She joins Texas A&M guard Toccara Williams in the San Antonio rookie class.

After having not been invited to the pre-draft camp, Dallas resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn't be drafted. She was making plans try to go to a few open try-outs, maybe play overseas, or explore other options. Saturday Dallas watched the first part of the draft, then headed off to the Champaign County Humane Society, where she volunteers to walk dogs. Then she got the call. Her agent Mike Cound, whom she had just signed with, called her with the news. "I couldn't believe it," Dallas said. "It has taken awhile to sink in. I feel I now have my foot in the door, and I'm determined to take advantage of it."

Dallas reports to the team April 24 in San Antonio. The Silver Stars, who finished 6th in the Western Conference last year with a 12-22 record, begin pre-season play on May 6 and open the season at Houston on May 20. The Silver Stars make two appearances on the Oxygen Channel (July 18 at Detroit and July 24 at Connecticut). For Illini fans looking to see Dallas in person, San Antonio travels to Indiana on Sept. 10.

"I'm thankful for all the support I received at the University of Illinois," said Dallas. "It will always hold a special place in my heart. At the same time, I look forward to what is ahead."