Shanna Crossley

Shanna Crossley
WNBA's Tulsa Shock
Guard
Born September 7, 1983 (1983-09-07) (age 28)
Syracuse, Indiana
Nationality American
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight 155 lb (70 kg)
College Tennessee
Draft 16th overall, 2006
San Antonio Silver Stars
Profile WNBA Info Page
WNBA Teams
San Antonio Silver Stars (2006–2007, 2009)
Tulsa Shock (2010–present)

Shanna Annette Crossley (née Shanna Zolman, born September 7, 1983[1]) is an American professional basketball player for the Tulsa Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She attended college at the University of Tennessee and graduated in 2006 with a degree in Broadcasting. Following her collegiate career, she was selected 16th overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the San Antonio Silver Stars.[1]

Contents

Early life

Crossley is the daughter of Kem and Lynnette Zolman, and has one brother, Josh. She is also married to former Tennessee running back Andrew Crossley on October 14, 2006. Shanna played at Wawasee High School in Syracuse, Indiana. In her high school career she scored a record 3,085 points, passing former Purdue Guard Stephanie White-McCarty (2,869) as most in Indiana basketball history. She led the state in scoring each of her 4 years at Wawasee High School, while posting a career scoring average of 33.2 points per game. She holds the national record in three categories: all-time consecutive free throws (70), career free-throw percentage (93.5%), and season free-throw percentage (95.4%). Her career totals for high school include 3,085 points, 730 rebounds, 453 steals and 430 assists in 93 games. Crossley was named a WBCA All-American.[2] She participated in the 2002 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored fifteen points.[3] She also participated in the 2002 McDonald's All-American Game, the first ever held for high school girls. Crossley scored 21 points and handed out 5 assists in the game, and she was named co-MVP for her efforts.[4]

Crossley holds the NCAA single season (.957 in 2003–04) and career (.916) free throw percentage records. She broke several Lady Vol (short for "Lady Volunteers", which is the official name of the University of Tennessee womans' inter-varsity sports program) records during her 4 years, including Single Game 3-pointers (7), Single Season 3-Pointers (103), Career 3-Pointers (266), Career 3-Point Percentage (.425), Single Season Free Throw Percentage (.957), and Career Free Throw Percentage (.916). She is the 9th highest scorer in Tennessee Volunteers women's basketball history (1,806).[5] Shanna wore a No. 1 jersey during most of her junior year in honor of her teammate and best friend, Sidney Spencer, who missed the majority of the season after tearing her ACL.

WNBA career

San Antonio Silver Stars

On April 5, 2006, Crossley was drafted by the San Antonio Silver Stars in the second round (No. 16 overall) of the 2006 WNBA Draft.[1] In her rookie season, Crossley played in all 34 regular season games finishing a solid rookie season averaging 6.6 points per game while playing 16.1 minutes per game. She ranked 13th in the WNBA in 3 Point Percentage (.378). She scored a career high 18 points against the Phoenix Mercury on August 12, 2006. The San Antonio Silver Stars finished 13–21 on the season, missing the playoffs.[6]

During the 2007 WNBA season, Crossley played in all 34 regular season games, starting one, making her the only Silver Stars player to have appeared in every game for the last two seasons. She averaged 9.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.41 steals per game. Crossley also tied a franchise record for 3-pointers made in a game after hitting 7 of 11 3-pt field goal attempts on Aug. 2 against the Phoenix Mercury (also ties for second in WNBA history).

On August 30, 2007, Crossley played a key role in the waning moments of the Phoenix Mercury's controversial victory over the Silver Stars in Game 1 of the WNBA Western Conference Finals. After Becky Hammon hit a three-point shot to tie the game with approximately three seconds left in regulation, Phoenix attempted to drive for a final basket. Phoenix guard Cappie Pondexter fell to the floor in the backcourt under defensive pressure from Crossley. Crossley was called for a reach-in foul with 2.1 seconds remaining, and in turn Pondexter made two free throws and Phoenix won the game, 102–100. ESPN announcers and many fans questioned the call, because video footage arguably indicated that Pondexter had merely slipped and Crossley had committed no foul. Other fans felt the call was appropriate. The head official reviewed the call to determine how much time remained on the clock, but WNBA rules do not permit instant replay review of whether a foul was committed. At the post game press conference, Hammon stated that Crossley did nothing wrong and that the officials made a mistake. During Game 2, Crossley came out of the gate hot, scoring 17 first half points including 5 three pointers. She finished the game with 20 points, including 6 three pointers, as the Silver Stars were defeated 98–92.

During the 2008 WNBA Preseason, Crossley tore the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in her left knee during May 12, 2008, contest with the Detroit Shock.[7] Crossley injured her knee during San Antonio’s second offensive possession of the game. After the season ending injury, Crossley had a successful surgery to repair the torn ligament.[7] She made her return from injury on May 30, 2009 in a preseason game against the Detroit Shock.

Personal Life off the court

During the 2006 WNBA offseason, On October 14, 2006, Shanna married her college sweetheart, former University of Tennessee Fullback Andrew David Crossley (b. August 4, 1980), whom she met at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting.[1]

Crossley is a strong believer in community service, she has volunteered her time with Race for the Cure, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Dogwood Arts Parade, the Toyota Literacy program and singing Christmas carols at area nursing homes.[6] Shanna is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She has served as the spokesperson for the 2006 Silver Stars 5K Run/Walk.[6] Beginning in 2008, Crossley created the All Things Basketball Camp, an annual event for 5th–12th grade girls in the San Antonio area.

WNBA career statistics

Correct as of June 2008[6]
Regular season Team G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG PPG
2006 San Antonio 34 0 16.1 0.379 0.378 0.667 0.2 1.0 1.2 1.0 6.6
2007 San Antonio 24 1 16.1 0.393 0.409 0.897 0.1 1.2 1.4 0.8 9.2
Career 68 1 16.1 0.387 0.396 0.809 0.2 1.1 1.3 0.9 7.9

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References

External links