Caramanico to try for WNBA

Diana Caramanico could think of no better way to cap off the most memorable season of her basketball career. With the delivery of a single FedEx package courtesy of the WNBA last week, the senior co-captain of the Ivy League champion Penn women's basketball team may now have the opportunity to continue her basketball career professionally in the United States. A letter addressed to Caramanico formally invited Penn's all-time leading scorer to the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where the WNBA will hold its annual pre-draft camp from April 5 through April 7. "I really do want to get drafted," Caramanico said. "It's a big goal of mine right now." The Blue Bell, Pa., native has not missed a beat since the Quakers' season came to an end against Texas Tech on March 16. Excluding Saturday's travel day in which the Red and Blue flew back from Lubbock, Texas, Caramanico took just two days off before resuming a rigorous workout regimen last Tuesday. Since that point, she has made her way to either the Palestra or some other Penn athletic facility to ensure that she keeps in mid-season form. "Right now, I'm just basically trying to stay in shape, so I have the best chance at the camp as possible," Caramanico said. The three-time Ivy League Player of the Year doesn't know precisely what to expect at the camp, and, at this point, has little idea of what the odds are of her being drafted. However, Caramanico maintains that she could be a valuable asset to any WNBA team. "I figure I'm a forward, and I'm mobile," she said. "So that will hopefully be useful to someone." Even if Caramanico were to be passed over in the draft, which will be held in Secaucus, N.J., on April 20, the Ivy League superstar is confident that she'll be playing ball somewhere later this year. Caramanico expects to be able to play overseas in the fall, if a call from the WNBA doesn't come. Additionally, the 6'2" forward does not believe that being drafted this year is her only chance to play in the WNBA. On a team that established all sorts of new standards for success in 2000-2001, Caramanico herself has carved out the largest individual chunk of the Penn record books. Caramanico concluded her spectacular career with 2,415 points -- not just the most in the history of the Red and Blue, but also more than anyone else ever to play in either the Ivy League or the Big Five. Her 1,207 rebounds and 210 steals are also Penn records. In this past season, the forward averaged 21.7 points per game and was the team's leading scorer in 22 of its 28 games. The prolific Caramanico served as both Penn's dynamic offensive threat and constant stabilizing presence on the court. Now she will look to treat a WNBA market to the kind of performance and determination that made her so beloved among the Palestra faithful. And although Caramanico might have contingency plans if she is not selected by any of the league's 16 teams in the four-round draft next month, she is still committed to being recognized as one of the nation's best in Secaucus. "That is one of my goals, to play in the WNBA," Caramanico said. "Now that I have that opportunity, my goal is to get drafted."

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