Alana Beard Bio

Position: Guard
Height: 5'11' / 180 cms.
Weight: 160 lbs. / 72 kgs.
WNBA Team: Washington Mystics
School: Duke University ‘04

NOTE: As of January 2008

USA Basketball Notes:

Gold Medals: 2006 Opals World Challenge, 2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women, 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament, 2001 USA Basketball International Invitational.

• Aided the 2007-08 USA Basketball Senior National Team to a 4-0 slate during its 2007 Tour of Italy, averaged 8.0 ppg. and 3.0 rpg. in the first two contests before being sidelined by a shoulder injury.
• Named to the 2007-08 USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team on March 6, 2007.
• Member of the 2006 USA World Championship Team that posted an 8-1 record and took home the bronze medal; averaged 3.8 ppg. and 1.6 rpg. in 14 minutes a game.
• Aided the U.S. to a 56-49 exhibition victory over eventual World Championship gold medalist Australia.
• One of only two players who competed in all 11 of the 2006 USA Basketball Senior National Team's spring training contests; aided the U.S. to a 10-1 slate, including 4-1 at the Australia-hosted Opals World Challenge where the U.S. claimed first prize; started eight of 11 games and averaged 6.6 ppg., 3.7 rpg. 2.3 apg. and 2.3 spg.
  
• Member of the 2003 USA World Championship For Young Women (U21) Team that captured the gold medal with a 7-1 record in Sibenik, Croatia; averaged a team second best 9.3 ppg. and snagged a team high 23 steals; earned All-World Championship For Young Women honors.
  
• Helped the U.S. to a 4-0 record in exhibition play against Australia and Brazil's young women, averaged 15.3 ppg.
  
• Member of the 2001 USA Junior World Championship (U19) Team that posted a 6-1 record and earned the bronze medal in Brno, Czech Republic, ranked second on the squad in scoring, led the team in assists and steals, and was named to the All-FIBA Junior World Championship Team.
  
• Led or tied the U.S. in scoring in four games, including 28 points versus Russia in the preliminary round.
• Helped the U.S. to a 4-0 record and the 2001 USA Basketball International Invitational against junior national teams from Brazil, China and Japan prior to the Junior Worlds.
  
• Member of the 2000 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying (U19) Team that captured the gold medal in Mar del Plata, Argentina, with a 5-0 record, led the U.S. in scoring and steals.
• Scored 24 points versus Argentina and 23 points versus Puerto Rico in the prelims, finished as the team's leading scorer with 15 points versus Brazil in the gold medal game.

Professional Notes:

Drafted: No. 2 in 2004 by the Washington Mystics.
All-WNBA second team: 2006
WNBA All-Defensive first team: 2007
WNBA All-Defensive second team: 2005, 2006
WNBA All-Star Games: 2005, 2006, 2007

• Capped the 2007 season ranked fourth in the league for scoring (18.8 ppg.) and steals (1.9 spg.) and eighth for free throw percentage (.847).
• Aided the Washington Mystics in 2006 to an 18-16 slate and the Eastern Conference playoffs.
• As a rookie, helped Washington to a 17-17 record and the first round of the playoffs.
• Has competed professionally in South Korea and Australia (Canberra Capitals) during the WNBA off-season.

Collegiate Notes:

• During her four years (2001-04), Duke compiled a 126-14 (.900) record, won four Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season and four ACC Tournament titles, advanced to four NCAA Tournaments, including the 2002 and 2003 Final Fours.
• Became the first Duke women's basketball player to have her jersey retired.
• Named the 2004 Associated Press (A.P.) and U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) National Player of the Year and was the 2004 Wade Trophy recipient.
• Earned 2003 NCAA All-Final Four honors and was a three-time (2002, 2003 and 2004) All-American selection by the A.P., USBWA and Kodak/WBCA.
• A three-time ACC Player of the Year and ACC All-Defensive Team selection (2002, 2003, 2004), was a four-time All-ACC first team honoree.
• The National Freshman of the Year in 2001 as selected by USBWA, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sportsline and the Women's Basketball Journal.
• Capped her career as Duke's all-time leading scorer with 2,687 points.

Personal Notes:

• Born May 14, 1982, in her hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, currently resides in Bowie, Maryland.
• Daughter of LeRoy Sr. and Marie Beard, has one sister, Megan Beard-Summage, and one brother, LeRoy Jr.
  
• Attended Southwood High School (La.), where she helped lead her school to four Louisiana state titles, was named 2000 All-America second team by Parade Magazine and USA Today and the Gatorade Circle of Champions 2000 Louisiana Player of the Year.
• Room that best defines me: one with sleek, modern colors.
• Room in which I spend most of my time: the basement, a movie room.
• Evening routine: being lazy whenever I can.
• Favorite takeout food: sushi (tuna, tempura roll, avacado roll).
• Favorite meal to make at home: I don't cook.
• I drive: a Mustang GT convertible, Hummer H3.
• If I could trade in my car for anything it would be: a Maserati.
• If I could live in any city in the world it would be: Seoul.
• My next big purchase will be: a second home.
• Most read online newspaper: Washington Post.
• Favorite magazine: In Style.
• Always in my fridge: orange juice.
• Always on my fridge: my niece's artwork.
• One piece of clothing I can't live without: Hane's undershirts.
• Most prized possession: I'm not materialistic.
• Instruments I can play: nothing, but I'm taking guitar lessons.
• Favorite basketball players: Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas.
• Favorite non-basketball Olympian: Michael Phelps.
• Strangest place ever played hoops: in Serbia.
• Best player I ever faced: USA teammate Katie Smith.
• I want to go one-on-one against: Nakia Sanford.
• The most impressive person I have ever met: Shelia Johnson.
• Most interesting place ever visited: Jerusalem.
• I can't live without: my dog, Chloe.
• When not playing hoops: I am being lazy and playing with my dog.
• If I could be a standout athlete in any other sport it would be: track & field.
• My first overseas trip: I went to Argentina in 2000 with the USA U18 team and loved it. I enjoyed the culture and learning new things.