NEW YORK –Every young girl whoever picks up a basketball at an early age dream one day that they will hear their name being called at the WNBA draft.
Well, Friday evening UConn women’s basketball’s Megan Walker and Crystal Dangerfield dreams came true when they were selected in the 2020 WNBA first virtual Draft.
Walker was taken ninth overall in the first round by the New York Liberty while Dangerfield was drafted 16th overall in the second round by the Minnesota Lynx.
The Lynx have won four WNBA titles (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), the most of any active franchise.
“Anytime you’re looking at a winning culture, that’s attractive to you,” Dangerfield said. “Especially as a player, you’re competitive, you want to win. The standards are the same [with UConn and Minnesota]. The coaching staff will be the same, [having] high standards and they’re going to push you beyond you to be the best version of yourself.
Walker joins former UConn players Kia Stokes and Kia Nurse in the Big Apple. Dangerfield joins 2019 WNBA Rookie of the Year Napheesa Collier and former teammate in Minneapolis as well.
Megan Walker is the 39th Husky player selected in the WNBA Draft and the 21st top-10 pick.
UConn has had 40 WNBA draft selections since the league’s inception in 1997, which ties Tennessee the record for most draft picks for a program. The Huskies have had at least one player selected in the draft 21 times in the last 22 years, including a current 13-year streak.
Since the WNBA was founded, UConn has had 26 first-round picks.
Megan Walker
- 2020 AP First Team All-American
- 2020 USBWA First Team All-American
- 2020 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year
- 2020 American Athletic Conference Tournament MOP
- 2020 American Athletic Conference First Team
- 2019 American Athletic Conference Third Team
- Two-time American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team (2019, ’20)
As a Junior (2019-20): Played in all 32 games with 31 starts … led team with 19.7 points per game and second with 8.4 rebounds per game ..scored in double digits in 30 games … scored 20+ points in 18 games … notched eight double-doubles … scored 26 points vs. Cincinnati in AAC Championship game (3/9) … posted 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting at Cincinnati (2/26) … notched 20 points, 11 rebounds and six rebounds vs. UCF (2/22) … had 26 points with 11 field goals and 11 rebounds vs. Memphis (2/7) … scored 24 points on 75 percent shooting vs. Tulsa (1/19) … notched 17 points and 15 rebounds vs. Oklahoma (12/22) … scored 22 points and added 13 rebounds and seven assists at DePaul (12/16) … had 26 points and 13 rebounds vs. Notre Dame (12/8) … scored season-high 29 points at Seton Hall (12/5) … posted 23 points and 12 rebounds at Dayton (11/26) … notched 21 points and 10 rebounds in season opener vs. Cal (11/10).
Crystal Dangerfield
- 2019 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2019 American Athletic Conference First Team
- 2019 American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team
- 2018 American Athletic Conference Third Team
- 2018 American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team
- 2017 American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team
As a Senior (2019-20): Started all 30 games she appeared in … averaging 14.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game … has scored in double digits in 24 games … scored 22 points, including six three-pointers, in AAC Tournament quarterfinal vs. Temple (3/7) … dished out seven assists with no turnovers at Houston (2/29) … scored season-high 25 points at South Carolina (2/10) … notched 19 points vs. Oregon (2/3) … posted 24 points and five assists vs. Cincinnati (1/30) … scored 24 points at Memphis (1/14) … tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists vs. Wichita State (1/2) … notched 22 points at DePaul (12/16) … posted 23 points, six rebounds and six assists at Ohio State (11/24).
