April 6, 2006

By Rich Tortortelli, OCU Sports Information

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University's Mariam Sy became the school's first WNBA selection ever as the Washington Mystics selected Sy with the 33rd pick in the third round of the WNBA Draft on April 5.

Sy, a 6-foot-4 center from Mali, West Africa, averaged 22.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.26 steals and 1.26 blocked shots as a senior this past season. Sy was third in NAIA Division I in scoring, ninth in rebounding and 11th in field-goal percentage (57 percent). The Stars went 32-3 and advanced to the NAIA quarterfinals.

In the NAIA Tournament, Sy hit her career highs with 36 points and 19 rebounds in a second-round win against Azusa Pacific University (Calif.).

Sy was the only NAIA player or Oklahoman player taken in Wednesday's draft.

"Mariam's one of those special players you get to coach once or twice in a lifetime," OCU coach Rob Edmisson said. "To be one of the 33 best players from any school is a great achievement. As low as she was coming off the court two weeks ago, this is the biggest high for her just two weeks later."

Sy (pronounced SEE) recorded 16.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.17 steals and 1.88 blocked shots a game as a junior at OCU. The Stars were 32-7 and made their seventh consecutive national championship game, tying UCLA's men for the most national title games in a row in college basketball history.

For her two-year career at OCU, Sy averaged 20 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.22 steals and 1.51 blocks a game.

Sy was an NAIA first-team all-American this season as well as a Women's Basketball Coaches Association NAIA all-American. She was selected to play in the WBCA All-Star Challenge game as the top senior vote-getter among NAIA all-Americans. She was Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year.

As a junior, Sy was a second-team all-American.

"Since I heard about the WNBA and started playing basketball back home, it made me want to come to the United States and play," Sy said. "The people in the league will hear about Oklahoma City University and know that we have a great program. Thanks to Coach and my teammates for helping me have this moment."

Sy is married to University of Memphis men's basketball player Almamy Thiero, a 6-foot-10 senior forward. The two have a son, Amadou Almamy Thiero. Sy is nicknamed Tante, which means "aunt" in French.

The Washington Mystics were 16-18 last season. Washington's head coach is Richie Adubato, a 19-year NBA veteran coach.

"Her name came up, and Rob Edmisson was actually a friend of me, and he got me some film," Washington Mystics general manager Linda Hargrove said. "We loved her strength and the way she attacked the glass on rebounding. We think she's quick and has good hands. If there's a sleeper in this draft, she has got to be it. She could have been a late first or early second-round pick. Fortunately, we knew about her.

"We really liked her a lot on film. We decided if she were still available in the third round, we would take her."

The Mystics open their season on May 23 against the New York Liberty at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.