SPORTS
6B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2006
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Scouts to look at Kemp
Then senior forward Crystal Kemp goes up for a shot against the Texas defense in the second half of the game in Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 3. Kemp will be working out at the WNBA pre-draft camp in Boston this weekend.
Kansan file photo
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
mphillips@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Crystal Kemp will be feeling the pressure at the Women's Final Four in Boston this weekend.
The former forward won't be playing, but rather working out alongside 40 other players at the WNBA pre-draft camp. The camp is an opportunity for scouts to take a look at Kemp before this year's WNBA draft.
Kemp and the other prospects will work out for the scouts on Monday. Tuesday night is the women's national championship game, and Wednesday will be the WNBA draft, with all events held in Boston.
Kemp said before the season ended that she would like to continue playing basketball professionally, but for now she will just sit back and see what opportunities are made available to her.
"I haven't really looked into it too much." she said, adding that WNBA teams were not allowed to contact her during the season.
There are 14 teams in the WNBA, and three rounds in the draft, meaning a total of 42 players will be selected. The closest WNBA team to Kansas is the Minnesota Lynx.
She capped off the best season of her career by being named to the All-Big 12 first team, voted on by the league's coaches.
Because the WNBA season begins in May, players who are drafted don't have an offseason; they just jump right in with their new teams.
While in Boston, Kemp will also be participating in "So you want to be a coach?" a program put on by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
The program invited 50 senior basketball players to a workshop that will take place during the weekend, with the goal of preparing minority athletes to
be coaches after graduation.
During high school, Kemp worked with kids at a community center in Topeka, and said that after she was finished playing, she would like to become a coach.
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson is also in Boston for the Final Four weekend events, and will get a chance to watch Kemp work out for the WNBA scouts on Monday afternoon.
Basketball Notebook:
Meanwhile, the rest of the women's basketball team is beginning offseason practices in Lawrence. NCAA rules state
that the players can practice for only eight hours per week. Henrickson is dividing the time so the players spend five hours in strength and conditioning and three hours on the court.
"Right now we are individualizing the strength and conditioning," Henrickson said. "We are making it specific to what each player needs to work on."
Nine players will return from this year's team; they will be joined by a freshman class of seven. Those players will begin arriving in June and July during the summer school period.
Edited by Timon Veach
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Saturday,April 8,2006 Burge Union University of Kansas 10:00 am-3:00 pm
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Walt Riker
College 1970, School of Journalism 1978
Vice President of Media Relations for McDonald's
5:30-7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 4
Adams Alumni Center
As the spokesman for McDonald's, the press secretary for Senator Bob Dole and a television reporter for a CBS News affiliate. Walt Riker has built a career that has taken him across the country and across industry lines. Join us to hear about his days at KU, his experience in the real world and his tips on how to be a successful KU grad.
5:30-6 p.m. Refreshments and meet the speaker
Door prizes and free food provided by the Student Alumni Association!
6-7 p.m. Walt Riker speech and Q & A
www.kualumni.org
FEATURING:
COSMOPOLITICS BRODYBUSTER
WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST
APPROACH
at The Granada Wed. April 12 doors @8, show @9 |18+ $5|21+ $3
sponsored by:
CD
TRADEPOST
LAWRENCE CO
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