The Connecticut Sun waived former women’s basketball standout Anna Monta?ana May 16, four days before the WNBA official roster cut down. Monta?ana went unselected in last month’s WNBA draft, but was invited to attend Sun training camp.
“I am not disappointed, I am proud of what I was able to do,” Monta?ana said May 17. “Even though I didn’t get drafted I was able to go into a better situation than many that were drafted. I was practicing well and I can play in the league, coaches told me that. It was just not a good spot right now so I will go play in Europe and get experience.”
Monta?ana, a Valencia, Spain, native, will return to her home country and explore playing possibilities in Europe.
“I have not decided on a team yet but it’s between two or three teams,” Monta?ana said. “One of the teams plays in FIBA’s Euroleague and the others play in the Spanish league but I need to see where I can get minutes.”
Monta?ana appeared in three preseason games, playing more than 10 minutes just once. She never scored more than three points in a game.
GW alumni Cathy Joens and Ugo Oha, both 2004 graduates, were also released from WNBA training camps this year.
The Washington Mystics released Joens, who played in the Spanish premier league last winter, on May 12. Joens, who was drafted and waived by the New York Liberty last year, was trying to catch on as a three-point specialist. She scored six points in a preseason game against Los Angeles.
The San Antonio Silver Stars cut Oha after she played in just one preseason game. Oha played professionally in Israel last winter and was taken 24th overall in 2004 draft before being cut by the Sun.
Former Colonials have enjoyed slightly longer tenures with WNBA teams. Tajama Abraham-Ngongba, a 1997 graduate, has played with both the Sacramento Monarchs and Detroit Shock. Ngongba is now an assistant coach for the Colonials.
Elisa Aguilar, a 2000 graduate who plays professionally in Europe, played one season with the Utah Starzz in 2003. Aguilar currently plays for Valencia, Spain, in FIBA’s Euroleague and represented Spain during the 2004 Olympics in Greece.
