Kentucky forward Victoria Dunlap, right, is guarded by Vanderbilt forward Tiffany Clarke, left, in the first half of a semifinal round NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference tournament on Saturday, March 5, 2011, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Senior forward is one of 15 considered to be a top draft pick

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky’s Victoria Dunlap will be one of the top women’s basketball prospects invited to the 2011 WNBA Draft Presented by adidas Monday at ESPN in Bristol, Conn. ESPN will provide coverage and analysis of the first round beginning at 3 p.m. ET in addition to ESPN3.com offering a simulcast. ESPNU and NBA TV will broadcast the second and third rounds.

The WNBA Draft will mark the first time a professional sports league will conduct its draft at ESPN headquarters.

Considered one of the best players to ever don the Blue and White, the 6-foot-1 forward is set to be the highest WNBA pick in school history. Former Wildcat center Shantia Owens (1999-2000) was a third-round pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft.

Dunlap was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year by The Associated Press and SEC Defensive Player of the Year by the league coaches as one of the nation’s most versatile players. She ranked in the top half of eight SEC statistical categories, including leading the league in scoring (17.0), field-goal percentage (.458) and steals per game (3.0). She also ranked fourth in rebounds per game (8.7) and fifth in blocks (1.5) and free-throw shooting percentage (.704). She was the only player in the SEC to rank in the top five in scoring, rebounding, blocks and steals.

Dunlap scored double figures in 31 of 33 games, including 22 consecutive in her senior season. With nine double-doubles and 12 games with 20 or more points, she helped lead the 17th-ranked Wildcats to their second straight 20-win season (25-9) and second straight NCAA appearance for the first time since the 1982-83 teams accomplished that feat.

Dunlap ended her illustrious Wildcat career ranking in the top 10 on numerous career lists, including No. 1 in games played (133) and No. 2 in scoring (1,846), rebounding (1,099), blocks (178), steals (307), free-throws made (445), free-throws attempted (714) and double-doubles (31). She was the first player in school history to chart more than 100 assists, 100 blocks and 300 steals in her career and just the second player with more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career.

Dunlap will be joined at the draft by Danielle Adams (Texas A&M), Jessica Breland (North Carolina), Elizabeth Cambage (Australia), Sydney Colson (Texas A&M), Amber Harris (Xavier), Jantel Lavender (Ohio State), Maya Moore (Connecticut), Kayla Pedersen (Stanford), Ta’Shia Phillips (Xavier), Jeanette Pohlen (Stanford), Danielle Robinson (Oklahoma), Carolyn Swords (Boston College), Jasmine Thomas (Duke) and Courtney Vandersloot (Gonzaga).

The current 2011 WNBA Draft order follows:

First Round
1)        Minnesota (13-21)
2)        Tulsa (6-28)
3)        Chicago (14-20)
4)        Minnesota from Connecticut (17-17) (Kelsey Griffin, 4/8/10)
5)        Los Angeles (13-21)

6)        San Antonio (14-20)
7)        Tulsa from Phoenix (15-19) (Kara Braxton/Nicole Ohlde 7/23/10)
8)        Atlanta (19-15)
9)        Indiana (21-13)
10)        New York (22-12)
11)        Washington (22-12)
12)        Seattle (28-6)

Second Round
13)        Minnesota from Tulsa (6-28) (Amber Holt, Chante Black 4/7/10) via Connecticut (Kelsey Griffin, 4/8/10)
14)        Minnesota (13-21)
15)        Chicago (14-20)
16)        Connecticut (17-17)
17)        Chicago from Los Angeles (13-21) (Kristi Toliver, 5/13/10)
18)        Atlanta from San Antonio (14-20) (Michelle Snow/Dalma Ivanyi, 3/11/10)
19)        Phoenix (15-19)
20)        San Antonio from Atlanta (19-15) (Michelle Snow/Dalma Ivanyi, 3/11/10)
21)        Tulsa from Indiana (21-13) (Shavonte Zellous, 5/27/10)
22)        New York (22-12)
23)        Washington (22-12)
24)        Seattle (28-6)

Third Round
25)        Tulsa (6-28)
26)        Minnesota (13-21)
27)        Chicago (14-20)
28)        Connecticut (17-17)
29)        Los Angeles (13-21)
30)        San Antonio (14-20)
31)        Phoenix (15-19)
32)        Atlanta (19-15)
33)        Indiana (21-13)
34)        New York (22-12)
35)        Washington (22-12)
36)        Seattle (28-6)

About the WNBA
The WNBA – which features 12 teams and is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world – is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity.  Following a 2010 season that included a fourth consecutive year of attendance growth, surging WNBA Finals ratings, and strong increases in traffic to WNBA.com and WNBA Mobile sites, the league will tip off its historic 15^th season on June 3.