North Carolina standout perfect for fastbreak system

PHOENIX – The 2007 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury selected North Carolina Forward/Center LaToya Pringle with the 13^th overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, the club announced today.

“LaToya is a great player who, because of her career as a Tarheel, knows how to get up and down the court,” said Mercury Head Coach Corey Gaines. “Her length and shotblocking ability is something that we’ve missed, and she will fit very nicely in our system.”

The 6-3 Nuremberg, Germany native led her team in field goal percentage (.584, 174-of-298) and in shots blocked (95, 2.7 per game) in her senior season. Pringle started 35 of the team’s 36 games and was second in scoring, averaging 14.6 per game.

In her last two seasons at North Carolina, Pringle averaged 11.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. As a leader of the ACC’s top scoring club in 2007-08, she looks to contribute alongside All-Stars Cappie Pondexter and Diana Taurasi as part of the WNBA’s best offense the past two years.

Beginning Thursday, April 10 at 10:00 a.m. tickets to the home opener can be purchased online at www.phoenixmercury.com, by phone at 602.252.WNBA, at the US Airways Center box office and at all Ticketmaster locations. Fans who would like to receive ticket offers prior to public on sale dates can sign up to become a member of Downtown Live free of charge at www.phoenixmercury.com.

Featured on ABC, the 2007 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury will tip-off its 2008 season at US Airways Center with Championship Saturday on Saturday, May 17 at 12:30 p.m. Pregame will include a celebration surrounding the championship ring ceremony and banner unveiling. Courtesy of Arizona Lottery, 5,000 fans will receive a championship replica ring upon entry.

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