Sept. 20, 2008

NEW YORK - San Antonio Silver Stars forward and former Baylor Lady Bear Sophia Young earned her first all-defensive team honors as a member of the first-team squad announced by the WNBA on Friday.

Young joined veteran all-defensive players Lisa Leslie, Tamika Catchings, Ticha Penicheiro and Tully Bevilaqua on the first-team. The Silver Stars forward is the youngest member of the group.

The WNBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles (12 points), Detroit Shock guard Deanna Nolan (10 points), Seattle Storm forward Lauren Jackson (nine points), Sacramento Monarchs forward Rebekkah Brunson (eight points) and Detroit Shock guard Katie Smith (eight points).

Jackson was named the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year and was a member of the 2007 All-Defensive First Team while Nolan was selected to the First Team in 2007 and the Second Team in 2005 and 2006. Brunson was a member of the 2007 Second Team. Fowles, a rookie, and Smith were both voted to the Second Team for the first time.

The fourth annual WNBA All-Defensive Team was voted on by a panel of the WNBA's 14 head coaches, who selected First and Second Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Two points were awarded for a First Team vote and one point was awarded for a Second Team vote.

Below are the results for the 2008 WNBA All-Defensive Teams:

2008 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
Player - Team, Position, Points
Lisa Leslie - Los Angeles Spark, Center, 22
Tamika Catchings - Indiana Fever, Forward,16
Sophia Young - San Antonio Silver Stars, Forward, 12
Ticha Penicheiro - Sacramento Monarchs, Guard, 11
Tully Bevilaqua - Indiana Fever, Guard, 11

2008 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
Sylvia Fowles - Chicago Sky, Center, 12
Deanna Nolan - Detroit Shock, Guard, 10
Lauren Jackson - Seattle Storm, Forward, 9
Rebekkah Brunson - Sacramento Monarchs, Forward, 8
Katie Smith - Detroit Shock, Guard, 8