Martha Alwal Invited To Training Camp With WNBA?s Atlanta Dream
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Following a record-breaking career at Mississippi State, Martha Alwal has been invited to attend training camp with the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream.
Alwal re-wrote the record books in many categories in MSU history, finishing her career as the school’s all-time leader in blocked shots with 328 and second in rebounds with 1,010.
She became the second player in SEC history to lead the conference in blocks four-straight years and just the third to record 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 300 blocks.
“I want to thank the Atlanta Dream for inviting me to training camp, and I am excited to have the opportunity to go and prove myself,” Alwal said. “I appreciate how the coaches and my teammates at Mississippi State have prepared me for this, and I plan to work as hard as I can to hopefully earn the opportunity to play for a great coach like Coach (Michael) Cooper.”
Following a standout prep career at Worthington (Minn.) High School, Alwal enjoyed immediate success at Mississippi State, earning SEC All-Freshman honors for the 2011-12 season after leading the conference with 82 blocks.
Alwal would go on to make an even greater impact as a sophomore, tallying a league-best 16 double-doubles and earning second team All-SEC honors. She was also awarded the 2013 C Spire Gillom Trophy as Mississippi’s top collegiate women’s basketball player.
“We are excited to see someone like Martha who put in four solid years, paid her dues and had tremendous success receive this opportunity with a great organization like the Atlanta Dream. She has been a very special player for us, and we are glad to see that the work she has put in has captured the attention of the Dream,” MSU coach Vic Schaefer said. “We are optimistic she will do a good job and represent us in a positive way. This is a tremendous opportunity and one she has earned. We are excited to see how it unfolds.”
In her junior campaign, Alwal garnered first team All-SEC honors and was named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 14.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per contest.
She capped her brilliant MSU career by earning second team All-SEC honors as a senior and helping lead the Bulldogs to a school record 27 wins, a third-place finish in the SEC and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Dream are expected to begin training camp in late May, at which point Alwal will have the chance to earn a roster spot. Atlanta opens regular season play June 5 against the New York Liberty.