Dream Guard Shalee Lehning Announces Retirement
ATLANTA, January 31, 2012 Atlanta Dream guard Shalee Lehning has announced her retirement from the WNBA due to complications from an ACL injury that ended her 2011 season.
Shalee has been an important part of our franchise for the last three seasons, said Dream Head Coach and General Manager Marynell Meadors. She brought tremendous work ethic and leadership to our team that will be hard to replace. We wish Shalee the best of luck and I know she has a bright future in the game as a coach.
Lehning, a 5-9 guard, played three seasons in the WNBA and helped the Dream to three consecutive playoff appearances. She was originally drafted by the Dream in the second round of the 2009 WNBA Draft with the No. 25 overall pick.
As a rookie, Lehning started 20 of 34 games and finished in the top ten in the league in assists. The following season, she started 33 games and averaged a career-best 4.8 assists per game. Lehning appeared in 18 games for the Dream in 2011 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in a game against the Connecticut Sun on July 31. In her WNBA career, Lehning averaged 3.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Lehning is in her third season as an assistant coach for Kansas State University, following an All-American career with the Wildcats. Lehning was the fifth player in school history to have her jersey retired and finished her career as the schools all-time leader in assists.
This was a difficult decision for me but I am excited to focus on coaching, where I can continue to have an impact on the game and the next generation of players, said Lehning. I want to thank the Atlanta Dream for an amazing three years. It truly was an experience of a lifetime.
The Atlanta Dream tips off its fifth season this summer at Philips Arena as part of the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA), the worlds longest-running womens professional sports league. The Dream, the defending two-time, back-to-back Eastern Conference Champion, opens its home schedule on May 25 against the New York Liberty. Season and group tickets are on sale now and individual tickets will be available for purchase in the spring. For more information, visit www.AtlantaDream.net or call (877) 977-7729.