AMES, Iowa – For the third time in school history Iowa State had two players selected in the WNBA Draft as Chelsea Poppens was selected by the Seattle Storm in the second round with the 18th overall pick and Anna Prins went to the Connecticut Sun, also in the second round, with the 23rd pick. Poppens and Prins are the 11th and 12th Cyclones selected in the draft.
Poppens and Prins recently wrapped up standout careers with both scoring over 1,000 career points. Now they will head to training camp at the beginning of May.
“It is a great honor to be selected in the WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm,” Poppens said. “They are a great franchise with a championship history and I’m excited to get started.”
“I’m very excited,” Prins added. “I wasn’t expecting to go that early so it kind of surprised me. I’m very excited for Pop as well. I’ve grown up watching the WNBA so it is a dream to have this opportunity.”
Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly was happy for the two players, who are roommates and good friends.
“It is fantastic to have two kids drafted,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “It is a testament to those kids. They worked very hard to get to this point. Anytime you can hear Iowa State called it is a good thing. They are close friends so for them to go with picks 18 and 23, it is pretty special. I’m very happy for them.”
Poppens, an Aplington, Iowa native, was a two-time Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American and a two-time All-Big 12 first team selection. The forward became the second player in school history and the 14th player in Big 12 history to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career. She averaged 11.1 points and 8.7 rebounds in her 126 game career. Poppens shot 50 percent from the field and 71.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Prins, a center from Broomfield, Colo., had the best season of her career in 2012-13, averaging a career-best 12.3 points. Prins, who for the first time in her career didn’t miss a game, played 26.6 minutes a game and was in double figures in 20 games this season. She averaged 19.6 points and shot 58.7 percent from the field in the Cyclones’ five postseason games, including an all-tournament team performance at the Big 12 Championship. Prins scored a career-high 32 points in the semifinals against Oklahoma. In 117 career games, Prins averaged 10.1 points and hit 100 career 3-pointers.
Eight players from the Big 12 were drafted.
Iowa State WNBA Draft Picks
2013-Chelsea Poppens
Seattle, 2nd round (18)
2013-Anna Prins
Connecticut, 2nd round (23)
2011-Kelsey Bolte
Atlanta, 3rd round (32)
2010-Alison Lacey
Seattle, 1st round (10)
2007-Lyndsey Medders
Indiana, 2nd round (22)
2005-Anne O’Neil
Sacramento, 3rd round (30)
2003- Lindsey Wilson
Connecticut, 3rd round (34)
2002-Angie Welle
Cleveland, 2nd round (31)
2002-Tracy Gahan
New York, 3rd round (46)
2001-Megan Taylor
Minnesota, 4th round (55)
2000-Desirée Francis
New York, 2nd round (29)
2000-Stacy Frese
Utah, 3rd round (35)
