How Mercury Players Locked Down The Big Ten

The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is an award that made its debut in 2000. Stacey Thomas won the first award, and she did so by averaging 3.4 steals that season. The year before that, she averaged 3.7. Thomas had a solid college career, and in her four years, she averaged 13.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 1.9 assists. The Michigan player entered the WNBA after that, as she was drafted by the Portland Fire in the 2000 WNBA Draft. She played three seasons with the Fire, and after that, she spent time with the Phoenix Mercury . Michigan's defensive specialist played with the Mercury in 2003, and she averaged 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds. The Mercury finished that season with a record of 8-26, and after that, they drafted a star in Diana Taurasi. When it comes to the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, there are other winners with Mercury ties. Tamara Moore won the award in 2001, and she did it after averaging 3.6 steals. Moore entered the WNBA a year later, and she was drafted by the Miami Sol.