Chicago's Fowles and Indiana's Catchings Headline 2013 WNBA All-Defensive Team

NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2013  Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles, the 2013 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings, a five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, headline the 2013 WNBA All-Defensive First Team, the WNBA announced today.

Fowles received 10 of a possible 11 First Team votes and finished with 53 points to lead all players, while Catchings earned nine First Team nods and finished with 51 points. Angel McCoughtry (42) and Armintie Herrington (36) of the Atlanta Dream, and the Seattle Storms Tanisha Wright (22) round out the First Team.

Fowles, the 2011 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, captured First Team honors for the third consecutive season after leading the WNBA in rebounding (11.5 rpg) and defensive boards (7.9 drpg), and ranking second in blocks (2.44 bpg). This marks her fourth All-Defensive Team honor overall; she earned Second Team honors as a rookie in 2008.

Catchings, recognized as the leagues top defender in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012, makes her ninth consecutive appearance on the All-Defensive First Team. Catchings led the league in steals (2.82 spg) and was tied for ninth in blocks (1.03 bpg).

This is the fourth First Team appearance for Wright, who tallied two First Team votes and averaged 3.7 rebounds from the guard position to go with 1.1 steals. McCoughtry, who tallied six First Team votes after finishing second in the league in steals (2.70 spg), earns All-Defensive Team honors for the fourth time, having previously being selected to the First Team in 2010 and 2011, and to the Second Team in 2009. Herrington (six First Team votes) captured First Team honors for the first time after finishing fourth in the league in steals (2.32 spg). Herrington was voted to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2011 and 2012.

The WNBA All-Defensive Second Team is comprised of Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson (29 points, four First Team votes), Indiana Fever guard Briann January (21, three), San Antonio Silver Stars guards Jia Perkins (20, four) and Danielle Robinson (20, one), Tulsa Shock forward Glory Johnson (19, two) and Atlanta Dream center Erika de Souza (14, one). A panel of the WNBAs 12 head coaches voted on the WNBA All-Defensive Team, selecting First- and Second-Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Players earned five points for each First Team vote and three points for a Second Team vote.

Below are the top finishers in the voting for the 2013 WNBA All-Defensive Teams:

2013 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM

Player Team Position Points
Tamika CatchingsIndiana FeverForward51
Angel McCoughtryAtlanta DreamForward42
Sylvia FowlesChicago SkyCenter53
Armintie HerringtonAtlanta DreamGuard36
Tanisha WrightSeattle StormGuard22

2013 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

Player Team Position Points
Rebekkah BrunsonMinnesota LynxForward29
Glory JohnsonTulsa ShockForward19
Erika de SouzaAtlanta DreamCenter14
Briann JanuaryIndiana FeverGuard21
Jia PerkinsSan Antonio Silver StarsGuard20
Danielle RobinsonSan Antonio Silver StarsGuard20