Ruth Riley
Encyclopedia
Ruth Ellen Riley is an American
professional basketball
player (a center
) for the San Antonio Silver Stars
in the Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA). Her Notre Dame
team won the NCAA women's championship
in 2001, and her Detroit Shock
team won the WNBA championship
in 2003 and 2006. Riley was the Most Valuable Player
in the 2001 and 2003 championship series, becoming the first person to win the MVP awards in both the NCAA and the WNBA championships. She has also played on teams that won the National Women's Basketball League
(NWBL) championship, the gold medal
at the Olympic Games
, and the 2010 EuroCup Championship.
and grew up in Macy, Indiana
. She has always been tall, measuring 25 inches (63.5 cm) at birth, and six feet (1.83 m) by the time she was 12 years old. While attending North Miami Middle/High School
outside Denver, Indiana, she was on the basketball, volleyball
and track
teams. It was in high school that she began her practice of wearing a headband while playing. During her four years at high school she scored 1,372 points, acquired 1,011 rebounds and blocked 427 shots. She averaged 26 points a game as a senior, and had her jersey number (25) retired by the high school.
, Riley played in all 32 of the team's games, starting in the final 26. Thereafter she was the starting center in all but one of Notre Dame's games. She was a mainstay of the team in all four years, and consistently ranked high in the nation among women basketball players in field goal
percentage and blocked shots. In both her junior and senior years she was an Associated Press
First Team All-American selection. As a senior, she won the Naismith Award
and was the Associated Press Player of the Year. In addition, she was the 2000-01 Verizon
Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.
The highlight of her college career came in the 2001 NCAA tournament. In the championship game, Notre Dame was trailing Purdue
, 66-64, when Riley scored the tying field goal. Then, with 5.8 seconds left and the score still tied, Riley drew a foul. She made both free throw
s to give Notre Dame its final 68-66 edge and its first women's national championship. Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw
, when asked about the critical play on which Riley was fouled, said, "it's the same play we've been running all season. It's called: 'Get the ball to Ruth.'" Riley was the Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four
.
Riley graduated from Notre Dame in 2001 with a degree in psychology
, having made the Dean's List
every semester. She finished her Notre Dame career with 2,072 points, and school records for rebounds (1,007), blocked shots (370), and field goal percentage (.632).
as the fifth overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft
. She came off the bench for the first 12 games. On July 1, she made her first professional start, on the road against the Los Angeles Sparks
, and started for the rest of the season.
Her second season (2002) was a difficult one. After playing well in the preseason, she broke a finger the day before the regular season started. She could not play for the Sol's first several games – the first time in her career she had missed a game because of an injury. She returned, playing with a splint on her hand, but lost her starting spot. During the WNBA's off-season, she played in Valencia
, Spain
.
After Riley's second season with the Sol, that franchise folded. On April 25, 2003 the WNBA held a special one-round dispersal draft
, in which the remaining WNBA teams could select players from the Sol and from the Portland Fire
, which had also folded. The Detroit Shock, by virtue of having the worst regular-season record in the WNBA in 2002, received the first pick in the dispersal draft, and used it to select Riley.
In Riley's first season with the Shock (2003), she was a key member of the team. She bettered each of her previous WNBA season totals in points, rebounds, blocked shots, and assists. The Shock, in a notable turnaround, went from a 2002 season with the worst record in the league (9-23) to a 2003 season with the best record (25-9) and a victory in the WNBA Championship. In the finals, the Shock defeated the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks to win Detroit's first WNBA title. Riley was named the MVP of the WNBA finals
.
Riley continued to play for the Shock in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 seasons. In 2005 she was selected for the Eastern Conference team in the WNBA All-Star Game
. In 2006, she was the starting center when the Shock won its second WNBA championship, defeating the Sacramento Monarchs
.
In February 2007, she was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars
in exchange for Katie Feenstra
. The Shock also received the right to exchange first-round draft picks with the Silver Stars in 2008.
of the NWBL. On April 1, 2005, in her second season, the Chill won the NWBL championship.
In Riley's third season with the Chill, she broke her thumb in a preseason workout and missed the team's first 14 games. She returned to action on March 21, 2006. She played in the last four regular-season games, all of which the Chill won to finish tied for the regular-season championship. In the playoffs, the Chill won both its games to repeat as NWBL champions. Riley was named as the playoff MVP.
. In January 2009 she signed for Rivasecópolis, and played again in the Spanish League.
in the Polish League. This club was long the European home for fellow WNBA player Margo Dydek
, and also at one time featured another American WNBA star in Katie Smith
.
in Palma de Mallorca
, Spain
. The team won the silver medal
.
In 2002 she practiced with the USA Women's Senior National Team, but did not make the final cut to play in the Basketball World Championship.
In 2004 she again practiced with the USA Women's Senior National Team and played in several of its games. She was selected for the 2004 U.S. Women's Olympic
Team. In Olympic play
, the team was undefeated and won the gold medal
.
Riley wrote a children's book
, The Spirit of Basketball, with co-author Paul Hickey and illustrator Christopher Hiller, that was published in 2005. According to Riley, the message of the book was "that basketball is the same no matter where you live or what language you speak".
On January 26, 2005, Riley made her debut as a color commentator
for a Notre Dame women's basketball game.
, Riley is the vice president of the WNBA Players' Union.
In 2009, President
George W. Bush
appointed Riley to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
.
Because Riley played in Miami
, she is sometimes asked if she is related to Pat Riley
, the coach of the Miami Heat
of the National Basketball Association
. As far as she knows, she is not.
While playing for the Sol, Riley bought a condominium
in South Beach, Florida
, and still considers that her home.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player (a center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
) for the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
in the Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA). Her Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
team won the NCAA women's championship
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
in 2001, and her Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
team won the WNBA championship
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
in 2003 and 2006. Riley was the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in the 2001 and 2003 championship series, becoming the first person to win the MVP awards in both the NCAA and the WNBA championships. She has also played on teams that won the National Women's Basketball League
National Women's Basketball League
The National Women's Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NWBL, was an organization governing professional basketball leagues for women in the United States. The league was founded in 1997 and began play in the Fall of that year. The league used to have its own season during the off-season...
(NWBL) championship, the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, and the 2010 EuroCup Championship.
Early years
Riley was born in Ransom, KansasRansom, Kansas
Ransom is a city in Ness County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 294.-Geography:Ransom is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and grew up in Macy, Indiana
Macy, Indiana
Macy is a town in Allen Township, Miami County, Indiana, United States. The population was 248 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Macy is located at ....
. She has always been tall, measuring 25 inches (63.5 cm) at birth, and six feet (1.83 m) by the time she was 12 years old. While attending North Miami Middle/High School
North Miami Middle/High School
North Miami Middle/High School is a combination middle and high school located in Miami County, Denver, Indiana, United States. The high school's current enrollment for grades 9 through 12 is 349 students as of the 2010-11 academic year.- Athletics :...
outside Denver, Indiana, she was on the basketball, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
teams. It was in high school that she began her practice of wearing a headband while playing. During her four years at high school she scored 1,372 points, acquired 1,011 rebounds and blocked 427 shots. She averaged 26 points a game as a senior, and had her jersey number (25) retired by the high school.
College years
In her freshman year at Notre DameUniversity of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Riley played in all 32 of the team's games, starting in the final 26. Thereafter she was the starting center in all but one of Notre Dame's games. She was a mainstay of the team in all four years, and consistently ranked high in the nation among women basketball players in field goal
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
percentage and blocked shots. In both her junior and senior years she was an Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
First Team All-American selection. As a senior, she won the Naismith Award
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
and was the Associated Press Player of the Year. In addition, she was the 2000-01 Verizon
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.
The highlight of her college career came in the 2001 NCAA tournament. In the championship game, Notre Dame was trailing Purdue
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, 66-64, when Riley scored the tying field goal. Then, with 5.8 seconds left and the score still tied, Riley drew a foul. She made both free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s to give Notre Dame its final 68-66 edge and its first women's national championship. Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw
Muffet McGraw
-External links:...
, when asked about the critical play on which Riley was fouled, said, "it's the same play we've been running all season. It's called: 'Get the ball to Ruth.'" Riley was the Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
.
Riley graduated from Notre Dame in 2001 with a degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, having made the Dean's List
Dean's List
A Dean's List is a category of students in a college or university who achieve high grades during their stay in an academic term or academic year. In secondary schools, or high schools, the term Consistent Honor List or Honor Roll is more common, but Dean's List and Consistent Honor List are...
every semester. She finished her Notre Dame career with 2,072 points, and school records for rebounds (1,007), blocked shots (370), and field goal percentage (.632).
WNBA
On April 20, 2001, Riley was selected by the Miami SolMiami Sol
The Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
as the fifth overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft
2001 WNBA Draft
2001 WNBA Draft - 20 April 2001*On April 20, 2001 the regular WNBA draft took place.-College draft:-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:...
. She came off the bench for the first 12 games. On July 1, she made her first professional start, on the road against the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
, and started for the rest of the season.
Her second season (2002) was a difficult one. After playing well in the preseason, she broke a finger the day before the regular season started. She could not play for the Sol's first several games – the first time in her career she had missed a game because of an injury. She returned, playing with a splint on her hand, but lost her starting spot. During the WNBA's off-season, she played in Valencia
Valencia (city in Spain)
Valencia or València is the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain, with a population of 809,267 in 2010. It is the 15th-most populous municipality in the European Union...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
After Riley's second season with the Sol, that franchise folded. On April 25, 2003 the WNBA held a special one-round dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
, in which the remaining WNBA teams could select players from the Sol and from the Portland Fire
Portland Fire
The Portland Fire joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000 as the counterpart to the NBA team the Portland Trail Blazers. They played their games at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The team folded after the 2002 season, after just three seasons in the league...
, which had also folded. The Detroit Shock, by virtue of having the worst regular-season record in the WNBA in 2002, received the first pick in the dispersal draft, and used it to select Riley.
In Riley's first season with the Shock (2003), she was a key member of the team. She bettered each of her previous WNBA season totals in points, rebounds, blocked shots, and assists. The Shock, in a notable turnaround, went from a 2002 season with the worst record in the league (9-23) to a 2003 season with the best record (25-9) and a victory in the WNBA Championship. In the finals, the Shock defeated the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks to win Detroit's first WNBA title. Riley was named the MVP of the WNBA finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Riley continued to play for the Shock in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 seasons. In 2005 she was selected for the Eastern Conference team in the WNBA All-Star Game
Women's National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The Women's National Basketball Association All-Star Game, commonly referred to as the WNBA All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game played in the United States between the best players of the Eastern and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association...
. In 2006, she was the starting center when the Shock won its second WNBA championship, defeating the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
.
In February 2007, she was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
in exchange for Katie Feenstra
Katie Feenstra
Katharen Ruth Mattera is a female professional basketball player for the WNBA....
. The Shock also received the right to exchange first-round draft picks with the Silver Stars in 2008.
NWBL
The WNBA off-season was when the National Women's Basketball League operated. It provided a showcase for players hoping to make a WNBA team, and also attracted established WNBA players. In the fall of 2003, Riley joined the Colorado ChillColorado Chill
The Colorado Chill were a professional women's basketball team playing in the National Women's Basketball League from 2004-2006. Based in Loveland, Colorado, they were Colorado's second and longest-lived women's pro basketball team...
of the NWBL. On April 1, 2005, in her second season, the Chill won the NWBL championship.
In Riley's third season with the Chill, she broke her thumb in a preseason workout and missed the team's first 14 games. She returned to action on March 21, 2006. She played in the last four regular-season games, all of which the Chill won to finish tied for the regular-season championship. In the playoffs, the Chill won both its games to repeat as NWBL champions. Riley was named as the playoff MVP.
Spanish League
After the WNBA's 2005 season, Riley played for Yaya Maria Porta XI in the 2005-06 season of the Spanish LeagueLiga Femenina de Baloncesto
-Competition format:The league is similar to Liga ACB, each team has to play all the other teams in its division twice, one at home and one away, At the end of the league, the eight best teams start a play-off.-Qualification for European competitions:...
. In January 2009 she signed for Rivasecópolis, and played again in the Spanish League.
Polish League
Riley played the 2006-07 European season for Lotos GdyniaLotos VBW Clima Gdynia
Lotos Gdynia is a Polish women basketball team, based in Gdynia, playing in PLKK.-Best achievements:* Polish Championship : 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010* Polish Cup : 2005, 2007* EuroLeague Women:...
in the Polish League. This club was long the European home for fellow WNBA player Margo Dydek
Margo Dydek
Małgorzata Dydek , known as Margo Dydek in the United States, was a Polish international professional basketball player. Standing tall, she was famous for being the tallest active professional female basketball player in the world...
, and also at one time featured another American WNBA star in Katie Smith
Katie Smith
Katherine May "Katie" Smith is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA. Her primary position is shooting guard, although she sometimes plays small forward or point guard. She is the all time leading scorer in women's professional basketball, having notched over 7000 points in both...
.
Greek league
In January 2010, the Athinaikos club in the Greek league announced that Riley would join it for the remainder of its season. She replaced LaToya Davis, who broke her wrist. In April 2010, Riley helped Athinaikos to win their first EuroCup Women's Basketball Title.International competition
While in college, Riley played on the U.S. team in the 1999 World University GamesUniversiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
in Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The team won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
.
In 2002 she practiced with the USA Women's Senior National Team, but did not make the final cut to play in the Basketball World Championship.
In 2004 she again practiced with the USA Women's Senior National Team and played in several of its games. She was selected for the 2004 U.S. Women's Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Team. In Olympic play
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
, the team was undefeated and won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
.
Other activities
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
, The Spirit of Basketball, with co-author Paul Hickey and illustrator Christopher Hiller, that was published in 2005. According to Riley, the message of the book was "that basketball is the same no matter where you live or what language you speak".
On January 26, 2005, Riley made her debut as a color commentator
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for a Notre Dame women's basketball game.
, Riley is the vice president of the WNBA Players' Union.
In 2009, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
appointed Riley to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
The President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition , is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sport"...
.
Personal
Riley's height is variously listed as 6' 4" and 6' 5". She herself has said that she is "six-foot-four and a half to be exact" (1.94 m).Because Riley played in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, she is sometimes asked if she is related to Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
, the coach of the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. As far as she knows, she is not.
While playing for the Sol, Riley bought a condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
in South Beach, Florida
South Beach, Florida
South Beach is a census-designated place on Orchid Island in Indian River County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,457 at the 2000 census...
, and still considers that her home.
Vital statistics
- Position: CenterCenter (basketball)The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
- Height: 6 foot
- High School: North Miami Middle/High SchoolNorth Miami Middle/High SchoolNorth Miami Middle/High School is a combination middle and high school located in Miami County, Denver, Indiana, United States. The high school's current enrollment for grades 9 through 12 is 349 students as of the 2010-11 academic year.- Athletics :...
(Denver, IN) - College: Notre Dame
- Team(s): Miami SolMiami SolThe Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
, Detroit ShockDetroit ShockThe Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
, San Antonio Silver StarsSan Antonio Silver StarsThe San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
External links
- Riley's website
- Riley's biography - on WNBA website
- Riley's biography - on NWBL website
- Riley's biography - on USA Basketball website
- Riley's biography - on usolympicteam.com
- Riley's blog - on WNBA website
- Riley profile for Lotos Gdynia
- "Life of Riley Is Overflowing with Dreams Fulfilled" - profile in The Detroit NewsThe Detroit NewsThe Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
- Press release on her trade to the San Antonio Silver Stars