Old School
07-20-2002, 06:49 PM
INDIANAPOLIS, July 20 -- The Indiana Fever acquired point guard Coquese Washington from the Houston Comets in exchange for Rita Williams, it was announced today by Fever Chief Operating Officer Kelly Krauskopf.
Washington, a 1992 Notre Dame graduate and current assistant women's basketball coach for the Irish, began her career with the New York Liberty in 1998 and spent her first two seasons in the WNBA with New York before being selected 13th overall in the Expansion Draft by the Portland Fire in December of 1999. She was traded to Houston in January of 2000 for Mila Nikolich. She has career WNBA numbers of 2.6 points and 1.9 assists per game, and was the starting point guard for the 2000 Houston Comets, which won the WNBA Championship.
This season, Washington has started 15 of Houston's 22 games and helped guide the Comets to a 16-6 mark in the Western Conference. She is averaging 2.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The trade with Houston is contingent upon both players passing team physicals, and Washington may be in uniform for the Fever when they host the Charlotte Sting on Monday night from Conseco Fieldhouse.
"We appreciate everything Rita has done for our franchise," Fever head coach and general manager Nell Fortner said. "She was one of the original players that we selected in the expansion draft and she was an important part of getting this franchise started. This trade is good for both teams. Coquese brings experience and leadership to Indiana and she knows how to win in this league. We're looking forward to having her on the floor."
Since joining the league in 1998 with New York, Washington's teams have gone 93-55.
Williams, one of seven original players selected by the Fever in the 2000 WNBA Expansion Draft, averaged 6.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for Indiana this season.
Washington, a 1992 Notre Dame graduate and current assistant women's basketball coach for the Irish, began her career with the New York Liberty in 1998 and spent her first two seasons in the WNBA with New York before being selected 13th overall in the Expansion Draft by the Portland Fire in December of 1999. She was traded to Houston in January of 2000 for Mila Nikolich. She has career WNBA numbers of 2.6 points and 1.9 assists per game, and was the starting point guard for the 2000 Houston Comets, which won the WNBA Championship.
This season, Washington has started 15 of Houston's 22 games and helped guide the Comets to a 16-6 mark in the Western Conference. She is averaging 2.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The trade with Houston is contingent upon both players passing team physicals, and Washington may be in uniform for the Fever when they host the Charlotte Sting on Monday night from Conseco Fieldhouse.
"We appreciate everything Rita has done for our franchise," Fever head coach and general manager Nell Fortner said. "She was one of the original players that we selected in the expansion draft and she was an important part of getting this franchise started. This trade is good for both teams. Coquese brings experience and leadership to Indiana and she knows how to win in this league. We're looking forward to having her on the floor."
Since joining the league in 1998 with New York, Washington's teams have gone 93-55.
Williams, one of seven original players selected by the Fever in the 2000 WNBA Expansion Draft, averaged 6.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for Indiana this season.