UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Three BIG EAST women’s basketball players were among the 36 whose names were called on Thursday night during the 2016 WNBA Draft at Mohegan Sun Arena. BIG EAST Tournament champion St. John’s boasted a pair of selections in Aliyyah Handford and Danaejah Grant, while Seton Hall enjoyed its first ever WNBA pick in Shakena Richardson.
All three BIG EAST players were picked in the third round, with Handford leading the way as the third round’s No. 3 selection, 27
th overall, to the Connecticut Sun. Richardson was tabbed at No. 30 by the Dallas Wings, followed by No. 31 Grant to the Washington Mystics. Twelve players are selected in each of the three WNBA Draft rounds for a total of 36 selections. ESPN2 and ESPNU provided coverage on the night.
The three WNBA Draft selections are the most for the BIG EAST since conference realignment. Brittany Hrynko of DePaul was the 19
th overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft for the league’s lone selection since the 2013-14 season. The BIG EAST boasted seven draftees in 2013, including three first-round picks.
Demonstrating the program’s ability to develop talent for the highest level of competition, the Red Storm has now had four players taken in the WNBA Draft in the last four seasons. Nadirah McKenith and Shenneika Smith were selected in the 2013 Draft, as McKenith was taken 17th overall by the Mystics and Smith was chosen eight picks later by the New York Liberty.
Handford put the finishing touches on the most prolific career in Red Storm history in 2015-16, claiming the top spot on the St. John’s all-time scoring list and becoming the first female player in school history to surpass the 2,000-point mark. A three-time First Team All-BIG EAST honoree and a two-time honorable mention WBCA All-American, Handford became the first player in the storied history of St. John’s Women’s Basketball to earn a spot on the conference’s top team three separate times. She was also the 2016 BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
Handford joined some elite company in Red Storm history by scoring 2,058 points over the course of her career, forever linking herself to St. John’s legends Chris Mullin, Malik Sealy and D’Angelo Harrison as the only players to net more than 2,000 points in red and white.
Grant turned in one of the finest performances in St. John’s history as a senior, leading the BIG EAST with 19.6 points per game and earning a spot on the all-conference First Team. A member of the WBCA All-Region Team, Grant also led the squad and finished 10th in the conference in rebounding with 6.3 boards per contest. Grant scored 20 or more points 17 times as a senior and turned in a team-best five double-doubles.
Despite playing just 92 games as a member of the Red Storm, Grant still managed to accumulate 1,498 points during her St. John’s tenure, good enough for the ninth-best career total in school history.
Last month, Handford and Grant led the Red Storm to its highest point in nearly three decades, carrying the Johnnies to their first BIG EAST title since 1988. In the semifinals of the conference tournament, the Red Storm upset the top-seeded DePaul Blue Demons on their home floor, thanks in large part to the efforts of Handford and Grant. Handford tallied 23 points and four assists in that game, while Grant registered a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
A BIG EAST All-Conference Honorable Mention and Third Team All-Met pick, Richardson concluded her collegiate eligibility with a graduate transfer season at The Hall and made the most of her opportunity. The New Jersey-native ranked third on the squad and top-15 in the BIG EAST with 12.4 points per game while ranking second in the league with 5.6 assists per contest. Her 175 assists on the year marked the second-most in program history. The 5-4 point guard poured in 20 points in a game on four occasions, including in a pair of BIG EAST Tournament contests to earn All-Tournament honors. Richardson also led The Hall with 47 steals on the year.
The Pirates are coming off a 23-9 regular season, advancing to their second-straight NCAA Tournament .