Cdn Achonwa drafted 9th overall in WNBA draft

Natalie Achonwa is one of Canada's talented, young core players. (AP/Lefteris Pitarakis)

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Canadian Natalie Achonwa was selected as the No. 9 pick by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft Monday.

Achonwa, of Guelph, Ont., tore her left ACL during Notre Dame’s win over Baylor to put the Fighting Irish into the Final Four at March Madness.

Edmonton’s Michelle Plouffe of the University of Utah went 19th to the Seattle Storm.

Chiney Ogwumike was the No. 1 pick by the Connecticut Sun.

Ogwumike on Monday night joined her sister Nneka, drafted by Los Angeles in 2012, as the only siblings to be chosen No. 1 in the WNBA. STATS says Peyton and Eli Manning are the only other siblings to be taken No. 1 in the history of the four major sports.

Chiney Ogwumike finished her stellar career at Stanford as the top scorer and rebounder in Pac-12 history.

The choice of the two-time AP All-American drew loud cheers from the crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena, where Connecticut plays its home games. This was the first time fans were allowed to attend the draft since it was held in Tampa in 2008.

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