Hamson drafted by Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA

PROVO, Utah— Senior center Jennifer Hamson was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the second round of the 2014 Women’s National Basketball Association Draft. She was the 23^rd overall pick and becomes the third BYU women’s basketball player to be drafted by the WNBA.

Before heading into the WNBA, Hamson will play her final year of eligibility with the BYU women's volleyball team.

Hamson was instrumental in the Cougar women’s postseason success in the NCAA tournament where the team advanced to the Sweet 16, losing to eventual champion Connecticut. The BYU team also picked up its most wins in a season with 28.

During her stellar basketball career at BYU, Hamson left her mark in numerous historical records. She finished second in blocked shots with 340, third in rebounds with 965 and in field goal percentage .555 (549-989), ninth in points with 1,437 and sixth in rebounds per game average (7.9). She also holds the single season record for blocked shots with 147.

The four-year letterwinner also picked up three WCC Player of the Week citations, was named to the 2012 and 2014 WCC All-Tournament Team, received three WCC All-Academic Team and three WCC Commissioner’s Honor Roll awards. Most recently she was named a Capital One Academic All-District honoree and was an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention recipient.

This season, she picked up the West Coast Conference two highest honors, Player and Defensive Player of the Year, the first time in league history that the honor has gone to the same student-athlete.  Hamson also led the nation in blocked shots, finished 11^th in double-doubles,  14^th in rebounds per game and 16^th in field goal percentage. 

The other two Cougar women who were drafted to the WNBA were Erin Thorn in 2003 to the New York Liberty and Ambrosia Anderson in 2006 to the Detroit Shock. Both were picked 17^th overall.