The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) preseason is complete and Waltiea Rolle is hoping her performance has garnered her a spot in the rotation for the Minnesota Lynx when the regular season tips off.

After opening the preseason with an exhibition against the Australian national team, the defending WNBA champions captured the inaugural WNBA preseason tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, this weekend.

Rolle averaged 7.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and shot 60 per cent from the field in just over 16 minutes per game in the preseason.

The Lynx topped the Chicago Sky 76-69 to claim the tournament title to begin the chase of their third WNBA title in four seasons. And she finished with two points, six rebounds and a block shot after a foul-plagued 11 minutes in the Lynx 72-64 win matched up against Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury.

The preseason tournament was held in conjunction with a girls’ AAU event and included practices, clinics and autograph sessions with WNBA players and coaches.

Rolle’s top outing of the preseason came against Australia when she finished with 17 points, five rebounds and three steals.

The Lynx are scheduled to kick off their 16th season in the WNBA on the road against the Washington Mystics 7pm Friday, May 16. The 2014 home opener will be 4pm Sunday, May 18, against the Connecticut Sun.

Rolle, 22, was originally selected by the Lynx in the third round (36th overall) of the 2013 WNBA Draft. A 6’ 6” centre and the first Bahamian drafted in WNBA history, she spent a season in Europe before making the transition to the WNBA this season. She had a remarkable season with only 21 games played in Bulgaria’s NBL League, yet still claimed the season’s most valuable player award, as well as the Bulgarian Cup. Her season averages included 22.9 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.1 block shots, 2.0 assists and 0.8 steals.

The Lynx announced Rolle’s signing on the team’s website April 7. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “We are excited to welcome Waltiea to the Lynx organisation,” said Lynx executive vice president Roger Griffith. “Waltiea was one of the top players in the ACC during her career with North Carolina and her list of collegiate achievements is impressive. She has also proven to be a key asset to her team in Bulgaria this season.”

Prior to being drafted by the Lynx in last year’s draft, Rolle averaged 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in her senior year with North Carolina, ranking second in the ACC in blocks per game. She was voted to the ACC All-Defensive team by coaches twice during her collegiate career.

Rolle finished her four-year career at North Carolina as the eighth-leading shot blocker in ACC history (262). As a senior, she ranked third in the ACC in offensive rebounds, while ranking second on the Tar Heels in points and third in rebounds.