The 2021 WNBA season begins tonight, and Mountaineer fans might want to look out for a few familiar faces on this year's rosters.
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Bria Holmes, former All-Big 12 standout and one of WVU's top scorers in program history, begins this season on the West Coast. After spending the last two seasons with the Connecticut Sun, the New Haven, Connecticut, native signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Sparks during the 2021 offseason.
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During her four years in the WNBA, Holmes has played in 127 career games with 29 starts. Included in that total is 10 playoff games, as well as a pair of starts in the postseason. During the 2019 season, she helped the Connecticut Sun reach the WNBA Finals against the Washington Mystics, while averaging 5.5 points per game on 38.6% shooting.
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After being drafted 11th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the 2016 WNBA draft, Holmes has averaged 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. She also boasts a career shooting percentage of 39.7% and is shooting 68.8% from the free-throw line.
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Holmes and the Los Angeles Sparks open the 2021 campaign on Friday, May 14, against the Dallas Wings at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. ET, on Facebook TV and WNBA League Pass.
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Following one of the most prolific senior seasons in Mountaineer women's basketball history,
Kysre Gondrezick is set to make her WNBA debut this season as a member of the Indiana Fever. In April, the Benton Harbor, Michigan, native was selected by the Fever with the fourth overall selection in the 2021 WNBA Draft, becoming the highest-drafted player in program history.
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Gondrezick ended her WVU career with a scoring average of 17.14, good for No. 4 all-time, to cement her place as one of the best scorers in program history. During her historic senior season, she averaged 19.5 points per game and helped guide West Virginia back to the Big 12 Conference title game and the NCAA Tournament.
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At season's end, Gondrezick earned honorable-mention status from two All-America teams (AP & WBCA) and was a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First Team. Additionally, she was named to 2021 Phillips 66 Big 12 All-Tournament team and was featured on the midseason watch list for the 2021 Jersey Mike's Naismith Women's Basketball Player of the Year.
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In her lone preseason appearance with the Fever, Gondrezick played just over 16 minutes in an 83-70 loss to the Chicago Sky. She finished the game shooting 1-of-2 from the floor, scoring two points, and dished out three assists.
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Gondrezick and the Indiana Fever open the 2021 season on Friday, May 14, against the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, on NBA TV.
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This year marks the W's 25th season of play since the late David Stern and the NBA Board of Governors approved the creation of the league on April 24, 1996. Fans wishing to follow Bria Holmes' and
Kysre Gondrezick's 2021 WNBA campaign can visit the league's website for their respective schedules or view each player's first five games of the season below.
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Bria Holmes – Los Angeles Sparks:
- Friday, May 14 / vs. Dallas Wings / 10:30 p.m. ET / Facebook TV
- Friday, May 21 / at Las Vegas Aces / 10:30 p.m. ET / CBS Sports Network
- Friday, May 28 / at Chicago Sky / 8 p.m. ET / CBS Sports Network
- Sunday, May 30 / at Chicago Sky / 6 p.m. ET / Facebook TV
- Tuesday, June 1 / at Dallas Wings / 8 p.m. ET / ESPN3
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FULL LOS ANGLES SPARKS SCHEDULE:
https://www.stanza.co/timeline/lasparks
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Kysre Gondrezick – Indiana Fever:
- Friday, May 14 / at New York Liberty / 7 p.m. ET / NBA TV
- Sunday, May 16 / vs. New York Liberty / 2 p.m. ET / CBS Sports Network
- Wednesday, May 19 / at Connecticut Sun / 7 p.m. ET / CBS Sports Network
- Friday, May 21 / vs. Atlanta Dream / 7 p.m. ET / Twitter TV
- Sunday, May 23 / vs. Washington Mystics / ESPN3
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FULL INDIANA FEVER SCHEDULE:
https://fever.wnba.com/schedule/#?season=2021&seasontype=02
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*All 2021 regular-season games also are available with a membership to WNBA League Pass*
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