NEW YORK, July 10 (UPI) -- Five first-timers were among the dozen
reserves selected Wednesday to participate in the WNBA All-Star Game.
Guard Marie Ferdinand and forward Adrienne Goodson of the Utah Starzz were selected to the Western Conference team. Forwards Sheri Sam of the Miami Sol, Penny Taylor of the Cleveland
Rockers and Tammy Sutton-Brown of the Charlotte Sting will make their first appearances for the Eastern Conference.
Ferdinand and Goodson will be joined on the Western Conference team by guard Tamecka Dixon and forward Mwadi Mabika of the Los Angeles Sparks, guard Katie Smith of the Minnesota Lynx and center Lauren Jackson of the Seattle Storm.
The remainder of the Eastern Conference squad includes guard Shannon Johnson and forward Nykesha Sales of the Orlando Miracle and guard Andrea Stinson of Charlotte.
The WNBA All-Star Game will be held at MCI Center in Washington, D.C. on Monday.
The reserves were selected in balloting of WNBA coaches while the starters were elected in fan voting.
Houston Comets forward Sheryl Swoopes was the WNBA's fan favorite for the third time in four years. She topped all players with 97,631 votes in final balloting.
Chamique Holdsclaw of the host Washington Mystics received the most votes among Eastern Conference players with 89,381, and will start in the All-Star Game for the fourth straight year.
Swoopes will be joined in the Western Conference starting lineup by teammate Tina Thompson (75,332) at forward, Los Angeles center Lisa Leslie (74,156) and Seattle's Sue Bird (70,026) and Ticha Penicheiro of Sacramento (61,926) at guard.
Holdsclaw will be joined on the East team by Indiana's Tamika Catchings (69,827) at forward, New York's Tari Phillips (74,156) at center, and Teresa Weatherspoon (80,973) and Dawn Staley of Charlotte (56,993) at guard.
