Dream's Shoni Schimmel Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

ATLANTA, Aug. 18, 2014 - Atlanta Dream rookie guard Shoni Schimmel has been named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. It marks the first Player of the Week award of Schimmel�s career, and makes her the fourth Dream player to earn the honor this season.

Schimmel helped the Dream go 2-1 last week and clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs, averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.

Schimmel started the week by leading the Dream with 24 points and six rebounds in a 96-82 victory over Western Conference-leading Phoenix on Aug. 13 that clinched the East�s top seed. During the game, she recorded just the sixth 20-point quarter in WNBA history, pouring in 20 second-quarter points and outscoring the Mercury all by herself as the Dream outscored Phoenix 37-15 during the period.

Schimmel followed that performance with 15 points and nine assists in a victory over Tulsa on Aug. 15 in the regular-season home finale. She sank five-of-eight shots while just missing her second double-double of the season. She capped the week with nine points and a pair of assists during Sunday�s loss at Connecticut.

Schimmel concluded the regular season ranked sixth in the WNBA in three-point field goals made (53), 15th in assists (3.6) and seventh in assists per 40 minutes (6.8). Her average of 8.3 points per game ranked sixth among rookies.

Los Angeles guard Kristi Toliver was named the Western Conference Player of the Week.

Schimmel joined Angel McCoughtry, who twice won the award this season, Sancho Lyttle and Erika de Souza as Dream players to be named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, making the Dream the only team in the league with four different players to be honored.

The three-time Eastern Conference Champion Atlanta Dream is in its seventh season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Dream has earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the upcoming playoffs, and has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past six seasons, including conference titles in 2013, 2011 and 2010. Playoff packages for the 2014 season, as well as 2015 season tickets, can be purchased by calling (877) 977-7729 or visiting www.AtlantaDream.net. The Dream will open the playoffs on Aug. 22 against the Chicago Sky at 7:30 p.m. ET in Philips Arena. The complete 2014 schedule can be found at www.wnba.com/dream/schedule.