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Anne Donovan assistant with New York Liberty . Lady Monarch Greats Penicheiro And Maiga-Ba Open WNBA Season

NORFOLK, VA-- Lady Monarch greats Ticha Penicheiro ('98), Hamchetou Maiga-Ba ('02) open their WNBA seasons this weekend, the 12th for Penicheiro and eighth for Maiga. Anne Donovan, who coached the USA Olympic team to gold last summer will serve as an assistant coach with the New York Liberty.

Penicheiro is the WNBA's all-time leader in career assists with 2,023 and career steals with 655. She has also scored 2,205 career points and is a four-time All-Star selection.

Last year, she averaged 8.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game for the Sacramento Monarchs.

Maiga, who was a member of Mali's Olympic team in last year's Summer Games averaged 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game for Houston. She also shot .692 from the free throw line and .492 from the field. She rejoins the Monarchs this season.

Both Penicheiro, a member of ODU's Sports Hall of Fame and Maiga helped lead Sacramento to the WNBA title in 2005.

This will be Donovan's ninth overall season on the sidelines in the WNBA. She was the head coach in Seattle from 2003-07, winning the title in 2004. A member of the Naismith, Women's Basketball, CoSIDA Academic All-America and ODU Hall of Fames, Donovan also served as head coach for Charlotte and Indiana.

Sacramento opens against Seattle, June 6 and 7th, then play Phoenix June.12 and 13. They play at the Washington Mystics on July 26th. Anne Donovan and the New York Liberty come to Washington on July 18 and August 16th.