SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga women’s basketball player Zykera Rice has been invited to participate in the 2019 Seattle Storm training camp on Sunday, May 5 in Seattle.
Rice is the ninth player in Gonzaga history to either be drafted or invited to a WNBA training camp. She joins former Zags Courtney Vandersloot, Vivian Frieson, Heather Bowman, Kayla Standish, Katelan Redmon, Haiden Palmer, Shelby Chelsek and Jill Barta on that list.
"I feel amazing, and just blessed to have the opportunity to attend a camp back home on the west side," Rice said. "I used to go watch the Storm play when I was younger, so I feel like things are kind of coming full circle."
Rice started the last 66 games at forward for the Bulldogs, finishing with 11 total appearance. She is the 23rd Zag in history to exceed 1,000 career points and ranks 20th all-time with 1,061 points.
This season, the senior led the Zags and ranked eighth in the West Coast Conference with 15 points per game. She also ranked 15th in the conference in rebounding with nearly six rebounds per games.
"Zykera has developed into an extremely physical and effective player," head women's basketball coach Lisa Fortier said. "Her athleticism and explosiveness are among the nation's elite, and she has worked hard to develop a complete game. She has been tested versus the best teams in the country, and she has always found a way to score and rebound the ball."
"She joins a long list of former Zags to compete at the WNBA level, and I am really looking forward to watching her continue her career as a pro," Fortier added.
Gonzaga women's basketball tweeted about the invite on Thursday. They wrote, "Thrilled that another Zag has the opportunity to continue her basketball career at the highest level in the WNBA!"
This year, the Gonzaga women’s basketball team faced Oregon State for a chance at the Sweet 16 during the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The team’s title hopes ended with a 76-70 loss during that game.
Rice, a Tacoma native, is a two-time All-WCC performer, earning First Team All-WCC for the first time in her career this season. She was also named WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention this season and is wrapping up her master’s in organizational leadership after earning her bachelor’s degree in international relations a year ago.