Liberty tabs Frohlich

Steve Guiremand

Friday, April 19, 2002 | 10:54 a.m.

Linda Frohlich added another honor to her impressive UNLV basketball resume today when she became the first Lady Rebels basketball player to be selected in the WNBA draft.

The 6-foot-2 forward from Oldendorf, Germany, who won three consecutive Mountain West Conference Player of the Year awards while breaking the school's career marks in scoring and rebounding, was selected by the New York Liberty in the second round this morning. She was the 26th player taken overall.

Frohlich, a third team All-American pick this year, was recruited to UNLV in 1998 by then-first year head coach Regina Miller. The Lady Rebels were coming off back-to-back 4-23 campaigns at the time.

But behind the all-around play of Frohlich and the leadership of Miller, UNLV won at least 17 games in each of the next four seasons. The Lady Rebels last month garnered an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 1994.

Miller was with her star at the WNBA studios in Secaucus, N.J., this morning when Frohlich's name was called.

"Linda is the first girl from UNLV to get drafted, but she won't be the last," Miller promised.

Connecticut's Sue Bird was taken No. 1 by the Seattle Storm, one of four players from unbeaten NCAA champion Connecticut in the top six selections.

Bird was followed in the first round by Huskies teammates Swin Cash at No. 2 to Detroit, Asjha Jones at No. 4 to Washington, and Tamika Williams at No. 6 to Minnesota.

UConn is the first school to have four players selected in the first round.