North Carolina State University Athletics
Erb Drafted by Charlotte
4/25/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
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The 6-6 center was the 11th overall pick of the 2000 draft, and the seventh college senior selected. Erb was one of 15 players the WNBA flew to New York for the draft, which was nationally televised for the first time.
Erb will join former NC State stars Andrea Stinson and Rhonda Mapp on the Sting roster. Another former Wolfpack All-American, Susan Yow, is currently an assistant coach with Charlotte.
"I'm looking forward to playing for the Sting," said Erb moments after being presented a Sting jersey by WNBA president Val Ackerman. "I love the state of North Carolina and Charlotte is a great city."
A native of Lakewood, Ohio, Erb averaged 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds during her three year career at NC State. She was named the 1999 ACC Player of the Year after averaging 21.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. A two-time district Kodak All-American, Erb ranks ninth in the NC State record books for career scoring average and career rebounding average.
"In losing Sharon Manning in the expansion draft, we lost a solid player off the bench, and Summer Erb comes in with the ability to fill that void," said Sting Head Coach T.R. Dunn. "The league has gotten taller over the last two years, and at 6-6, Summer immediately becomes the tallest player on our roster. But she doesn't just bring height. She's got a complete offensive game down on the block, and will help us on the defensive end as well."
"I'm going to miss Summer," said NC State Head Coach Kay Yow. "She took us to a level we've never been two years ago, coming off the bench and helping us win two big games in the NCAA Tournament and appear in our first Final Four.
"Summer has great hands, can score, can rebound; can make the outlet pass and can get up and down the court in the transition game. But the best thing about Summer is that she's a great team player. She has a huge heart and I think she has the potential to be a great player at the professional level."
This is consecutive years that NC State has had a player drafted in the first round of the WNBA draft. A year ago Chasity Melvin, who spent one season in the now defunct ABL, was chosen by the Cleveland Rockers as the 11th pick in the first round of the 1999 draft.
