Diana Taurasi

Position	Shooting guard/Point guard
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	172 lb (78 kg)
Team	Phoenix Mercury
Nationality	United States
Born	June 11, 1982 Chino, California
College	UConn
Draft	1st overall, 2004 Phoenix Mercury
Pro career	2004 – present
Awards	Big East Player of the Year (2003, 2004) Wade Trophy (2003) Naismith Award (2003, 2004) NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2003, 2004) WNBA Rookie of the Year (2004) All-WNBA First Team (2004) WNBA All-Star (2005)

Diana Lurena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982 in Chino, California) is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... Point guard (PG), also called the “one guard” or “lead guard“, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. ... A foot (plural: feet) is a non-SI unit of distance or length, measuring around a third of a metre. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... The pound (abbreviations: lb or, sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass in a number of different systems, including various systems of units of mass that formed part of English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The U.S. National Prototype Kilogram, which currently serves as the primary standard for measuring mass in the U.S. It was assigned to the United States in 1889 and is periodically recertified and traceable to the primary international standard, The Kilogram, held at the Bureau International des Poids et... The Phoenix Mercury is a Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Phoenix, Arizona. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... It has been suggested that Torrey Life Science be merged into this article or section. ... 2004 WNBA Draft - 17 April 2004 On January 6, 2004 a dispersal draft took place. ... The Phoenix Mercury is a Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Phoenix, Arizona. ... The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of seventeen universities in the northeastern, southeastern and midwestern United States. ... Wade Trophy is an award presented annually to the best womens college basketball player in NCAA Division I. The Wade Trophy, named after the late, three-time national champion, Delta State University coach Lily Margaret Wade. ... The Naismith College Player of the Year award, named for basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually to college basketballs top male and female player. ... At the conclusion of the NCAA mens and womens Division I basketball championships (the Final Four tournaments), the Associated Press selects a Most Outstanding Player. ... The 2004 NCAA Womens Division I Basketball Tourament began on March 20, 2004 and concluded on April 6, 2004 when Connecticut won a third consecutive national championship, becoming only the second school in history to accomplish such a feat. ... The WNBA Rookie of the Year Award is given each year to the best rookie in the WNBA. Rookie of the Year Awards (1997 - Present) 1997 - No award 1998 - Tracy Reid, Charlotte Sting 1999 - Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics 2000 - Betty Lennox, Minnesota Lynx 2001 - Jackie Stiles, Portland Fire 2002 - Tamika... Womens National Basketball Association All-Star Game was first played during the 1999 Womens National Basketball Association season in New York, New York. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... The Phoenix Mercury is a Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Phoenix, Arizona. ... The Womens National Basketball Association or WNBA is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States. ...

College years

Following a highly decorated high school career, Taurasi enrolled at the University of Connecticut (UConn) and suited up for women's basketball team during the 2000-2001 season. Playing primarily at point guard and shooting guard, she led the team to three straight NCAA championships, the last one coming in the 2003-2004 season. Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory secondary education. ... It has been suggested that Torrey Life Science be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Point guard (PG), also called the “one guard” or “lead guard“, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. ... Shooting guard (SG), also known as “two guard” or “off guard”,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. ... The NCAA Womens Division I Championship is an annual basketball tournament for women. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Taurasi also received many personal accolades at UConn, including the 2003 & 2004 Naismith College Player of the Year awards, the 2003 Wade Trophy and 2003 Associated Press Player of the Year award. She averaged 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in her collegiate career. The Naismith College Player of the Year award, named for basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually to college basketballs top male and female player. ... Wade Trophy is an award presented annually to the best womens college basketball player in NCAA Division I. The Wade Trophy, named after the late, three-time national champion, Delta State University coach Lily Margaret Wade. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ...

WNBA career

Following her collegiate career, Taurasi was selected first overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, a team that went 8-26 in the 2003 season. 2004 WNBA Draft - 17 April 2004 On January 6, 2004 a dispersal draft took place. ... The Phoenix Mercury is a Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Phoenix, Arizona. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Taurasi netted 26 points and led the Mercury to an 84-76 victory over the Seattle Storm in her WNBA debut. For the season, the rookie averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Although the Mercury did not qualify for the playoffs, the season was a personal success as Taurasi was named to the Western Conference All Star team and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award. The Seattle Storm is a Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Seattle, Washington. ... The WNBA Rookie of the Year Award is given each year to the best rookie in the WNBA. Rookie of the Year Awards (1997 - Present) 1997 - No award 1998 - Tracy Reid, Charlotte Sting 1999 - Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics 2000 - Betty Lennox, Minnesota Lynx 2001 - Jackie Stiles, Portland Fire 2002 - Tamika...

In 2005, Taurasi averaged 16.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while battling an ankle injury. She was an All Star for the second straight year, but the Mercury faded down the stretch and again missed the playoffs. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Former NBA coach Paul Westhead became the Mercury's head coach prior to the 2006 season and brought his up-tempo style to Phoenix. Their roster was further bolstered by the addition of rookie Cappie Pondexter, the #2 overall selection in the 2006 WNBA Draft. The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ... Paul Westhead Paul Westhead (born February 21, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a former basketball coach in the NBA and the NCAA. He has coached three different NBA teams, and was also the coach of the Loyola Marymount University mens basketball team during that schools era of greatest... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Cappie Pondexter (born January 7, 1983) is a professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Phoenix Mercury. ... On November 16, 2005 an expansion draft for the Chicago Sky 2006 inaugural season took place. ...

Taurasi flourished under Westhead's system, leading the league in scoring and earning a third straight trip to the All Star Game. She broke Katie Smith's league records for points in a season (741 during the 2006 season) and in a game (47 vs. Houston on August 10). In 2006, Taurasi averaged a record 25.3 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. The Mercury finished 18-16, but lost a tie-breaker with Houston and Seattle and missed the playoffs. Katharine Marie Smih(Born:June 4,1974) is a WNBA basketball player for the Detroit Shock. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Houston Comets are a Womens National Basketball Association team. ...

International career

On May 12, 2004, she was selected to represent the United States with the US Women's National Basketball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She helped the United States capture the gold medal, defeating Australia in the championship game. Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the indoor arena in the Helliniko Olympic Complex for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Below are the teams for Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics. ... The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... For other uses, see Athens (disambiguation). ... Gold Medal is an album by American band The Donnas, released in 2004. ...

Taurasi has also earned a bronze medal as a member of the 2001 USA Junior World Championship team and a gold medal as a member of the 2000 USA Basketball Women’s Junior World Championship Qualifying team. A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests (typically athletics competitions) such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. ...

Europe

• 2005-2006: WBK Dynamo Moscow
• 2006-2007: Spartak Moscow Region

Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia_(bordered). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia_(bordered). ...

Trivia

• Taurasi’s father, a former professional football (soccer) goalkeeper, is a native of Italy, while her mother hails from Argentina. Her sister Jessika also played basketball and she and Diana were teammates in high school.
• Sociology major at UConn.
• Recipient of the 2000 Cheryl Miller Award, presented by the Los Angeles Times to the best player in Southern California.
• Scored 3,047 career points at Don Lugo High School in Chino, CA.
• Has her own shoe Nike Shox DT
• Made her own Myspace page.
• Drives a Range Rover.
• Taurasi got the Italian nationality.

Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, or goalie in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Cheryl Miller (born on January 3, 1964 in Riverside, California) is a former college basketball player and coach, and considered by many the best female player in the history of the game. ...

Vital statistics

• Position: Guard
• Height: 6 ft. 0 in. / 1.83 m
• College: University of Connecticut
• Team(s): Phoenix Mercury

See also

• List of famous tall women

This is a list of famous tall women, starting at 178 cm or 5 feet 10 inches. ...

External links

• Diana's Official Website
• WNBA Player profile
• WNBA Player 2004 Draft Prospectus
• USA Basketball bio
• UConn bio
• Unofficial Diana Taurasi fan site
• Official MySpace of Diana Taurasi
• Official FanSite Page