Senior centers Brooke Smith and Kristen Newlin were selected to the WNBA during yesterday’s draft in Cleveland. Smith was picked 23rd overall in the second round by the Minnesota Lynx, while Newlin was picked 34th by the Houston Comets in the third round.

Enlarge
#gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/7141
Alvin Chow

Brook Smith is a senior center.

The two graduating seniors were the first members of the Cardinal to be drafted by the WNBA since 2004, when Nicole Powell was picked third overall by the Charlotte Sting.

In Minnesota, Smith will join two other Pac-10 players: UCLA’s Noelle Quinn (No. 4 overall pick) and Shay Murphy (No. 15). The Lynx were 10-24 last year and finished seventh in the Western Conference. The Comets were 18-16 last season, and placed third in the same conference.