University of Tennessee Athletics
LAWSON TRADED FROM DETROIT SHOCK TO SACRAMENTO MONARCHS
April 30, 2003 | Women's Basketball
April 30, 2003
SACRAMENTO, Calif.
In a trade announced on Tuesday, the Detroit Shock organization sent former Lady Vol Kara Lawson to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for league veteran and former University of Georgia player Kedra Holland-Corn and a 2004 second-round draft choice. Lawson, the fifth overall selection in last week's Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft, will join a veteran team consisting of stars such as Ticha Penichiero (Old Dominion '98) and Ruthie Bolton (Auburn '89), and will be reunited with rookie Chantelle Anderson (Vanderbilt '03), whom she played with on the gold-medal winning U.S. World University Games Team in 2001.
Lawson, an Alexandria, Va., native, completed her illustrious career in 2003 by helping guide the Lady Vols to their 14th NCAA Final Four, 10th NCAA Championship game, a 33-5 record and the program's sixth-consecutive Southeastern Conference title. The Kodak All-American finished her stay on "the Hill" as the Orange & White's all-time leader in three-pointers made (256), and as the most proficient free throw shooter in UT history by hitting at a .847 clip. A four-time first-team All-SEC performer, Lawson was chosen as the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award winner, which is presented to the nation's best player standing 5'8" or under, and picked up finalist nods for honors including the Naismith Player of the Year, Nancy Lieberman Point Guard and Senior CLASS awards.
Off the court, the 5'8" guard made a lasting impression on the Knoxville area by striving to achieve a goal of 100 community service projects during her career. In the classroom, she posted a 3.77 grade-point average in finance and was honored as the recipient of both the NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors' of Athletics) Postgraduate Scholarship and the SEC's Postgraduate Award. The University of Tennessee also bestowed upon Lawson the highest honor available to an undergraduate by selecting her as a UT "Torchbearer."
During her collegiate career, Lawson helped lead the Lady Vols to three NCAA Final Fours (2000, 2002 and 2003), two NCAA title games (2000 and 2003) and an overall record of 126-17, while picking up four straight regular-season conference titles and one SEC Tournament championship (2000).
