The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Pair of Women's Basketball players on WNBA Opening-Day Rosters
07.20.2020 | Women's Basketball
Ariel Atkins and Joyner Holmes tip off their seasons on Saturday.
A pair of Texas women's basketball players are on opening-day rosters for WNBA teams when the league begins its 2020 season on Saturday. The WNBA's 24th season will take place at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and will feature a 22-game schedule for each of the 12 teams.
Joyner Holmes, who recently concluded her decorated Texas career, will open her professional journey with the New York Liberty on Saturday. The Liberty face the Seattle Storm at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. Holmes was selected by the Storm with the 19th overall pick in the draft, but was waived on May 26 in advance of the league's roster finalization deadline. She signed with the Liberty on June 26 as a rookie free agent.
Ariel Atkins is entering her third season with the Washington Mystics and was a starter for the 2019 WNBA Championship team. She has played in 62 career regular-season games with 57 starts, averaging 10.8 points per game and 1.4 steals per game. Atkins has started all 18 postseason games of her career, averaging 11.3 points per game and 1.0 steals per game. She is a two-time member of the WNBA's All-Defensive Team. Atkins was selected by the Mystics with the seventh pick of the 2018 WNBA Draft. The Mystics open up on Saturday, facing the Indiana Fever at 4 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network.
LONGHORNS IN THE WNBA – OPENING DAY [Saturday, July 25]
11 a.m. CT - Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty [Holmes] – ESPN
4 p.m. CT – Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics [Atkins] – CBS Sports Network
