NEW YORK – Jewell Loyd of Notre Dame, espnW’s National Player of the Year, and Connecticut’s Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who helped the Huskies win three consecutive national titles, headline a list of 12 prospects who will attend the WNBA Draft 2015 presented by State Farm on Thursday, April 16, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.  ESPN2 will televise the first round beginning at 7 p.m. ET, and ESPN3 will air the second and third rounds starting at 8 p.m. ET.

Loyd, a consensus All-America First Team selection and the ACC Player of the Year, led the Fighting Irish to the national championship game against Mosqueda-Lewis and Connecticut the past two years.  Mosqueda-Lewis, the NCAA’s all-time leader in three-pointers (398) and a three-time All-America honoree, led the nation in three-point field goal percentage this season (48.8).

Rounding out the list of players are guards Brittany Boyd (California), Brittany Hrynko (DePaul), and Samantha Logic (Iowa); forwards Reshanda Gray (California), Dearica Hamby (Wake Forest), and Aleighsa Welch (South Carolina); and centers Isabelle Harrison (Tennessee), Kiah Stokes (Connecticut), Elizabeth Williams (Duke), and Amanda Zahui B. (Minnesota).

The Seattle Storm holds the top pick in the draft for the third time in franchise history after winning the WNBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm.  The rest of the top five includes the Tulsa Shock (second pick), Seattle (third, from the Connecticut Sun), Connecticut (fourth, from the New York Liberty), and the Chicago Sky (fifth).

Boyd, an All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team pick in her final three seasons, finished her career as California’s record holder for assists (732) and steals (367).  She also ranks second and third, respectively, in those categories in Pac-12 history.

Hrynko ranks No. 2 all-time in the BIG EAST Conference in three-pointers (281) and holds the DePaul record for assists (680).  She capped her senior season by being named the 2014-15 BIG EAST Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Logic is the first player in NCAA history to record at least 1,500 career points, 800 rebounds, 800 assists, and 200 steals.  The Iowa guard finished with a school-record 898 assists, 11^th most in NCAA Division I history, and six triple-doubles, tied for second most in NCAA history.

Gray, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, is Cal’s all-time field goal percentage leader (55.8) and ranks fifth in points (1,773) and rebounds (904).  She earned All-America Third Team honors in her final season after leading the Golden Bears in scoring (17.4 ppg) and blocks (33).

Hamby established Wake Forest records for points (1,801) and rebounds (1,021).  She averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds in each of her final two seasons.

Welch’s huge senior season helped the Gamecocks win their first SEC title and earn their first NCAA Final Four appearance.  The two-time All-America Honorable Mention pick is South Carolina’s career leader in offensive rebounds (449).

Harrison’s breakout junior season in 2013-14 for Tennessee included All-SEC First Team honors and All-America recognition.  A torn right ACL ended her senior season in February, but Harrison was still an All-America Honorable Mention selection and a First Team All-SEC choice.

Stokes teamed with Mosqueda-Lewis in helping the Huskies win national titles the past three seasons. As a senior Stokes was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, ranking fourth in Division I with an AAC-high 4.0 blocks per game and setting UConn’s single-season record for total blocks.

Williams is the first ACC player to earn AP All-America honors four consecutive years and the conference’s only four-time Defensive Player of the Year.  The Duke standout was a three-time Wooden Award finalist for national player of the year and the 2015 WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year.

Zahui B., like Loyd, is eligible for the draft by virtue of turning 22 this calendar year and deciding to forego her remaining collegiate eligibility. In just two active seasons, the Sweden native set a Minnesota record for career blocks (240). This season, Zahui B. became the first Golden Gophers player named to the AP All-America First Team after ranking fourth in Division I in both rebounds (12.9 rpg) and blocks (4.09 bpg).

Last year’s draft telecast was the most viewed on ESPN2, up nine percent from the 2013 edition, which featured the highly acclaimed “3 to See” — Baylor’s Brittney Griner, Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne, and Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins.  The 2014 draft class was led by Chiney Ogwumike, the No. 1 overall selection by the Sun.  Chiney, whose sister, Nneka, was the No. 1 pick in 2012 (by Los Angeles), went on to become the WNBA Rookie of the Year presented by Samsung.

WatchESPN is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.

WNBA.com, in addition to providing comprehensive draft-day coverage, will serve as the web destination for fans who want to track the top prospects before the draft.  To view WNBA.com’s photo gallery of all-time No. 1 overall picks, click here.

The players invited to attend WNBA Draft 2015 presented by State Farm are:

Name                                     College/University         Position                Height

Brittany Boyd                         California                         Guard                    5’9”
Reshanda Gray                     California                         Forward                 6’3”
Isabelle Harrison                    Tennessee                       Forward                 6’3”
Dearica Hamby                      Wake Forest                    Forward                 6’3”
Brittany Hrynko                      DePaul                             Guard                    5’8”
Samantha Logic                     Iowa                                 Guard                    5’9”
Jewell Loyd                            Notre Dame                     Guard                    5’10”
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis     Connecticut                     Forward                 5’11”
Kiah Stokes                           Connecticut                     Center                   6’3”
Aleighsa Welch                      South Carolina                 Forward                 6’0”
Elizabeth Williams                 Duke                                Center                   6’3”
Amanda Zahui B.                   Minnesota                        Center                   6’5”

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