Tina Charles

Position: Center
Height: 6'4" / 193 cms.
Weight: 198 lbs. / 90 kgs.
WNBA Team: Connecticut Sun
School: Connecticut, 2010
Hometown: Jamaica, N.Y.

USA Basketball Notes:

• Gold Medals: 2012 Olympics, 2010 FIBA World Championship, 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational, 2009 World University Games, 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.
  
• Bronze Medal: 2005 Youth Development Festival.
  
• Honors: Named the 2009 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.
  
• Member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team that posted an 8-0 record and earned the gold medal in London; started six of eight games and averaged a USA third-best (tie) 10.5 ppg. and a tournament fifth-best 7.4 rpg.
• Aided the 2012 USA National Team to a 5-0 pre-Olympic exhibition slate; started two of four games played and averaged 7.5 ppg. and 6.0 rpg.
• Member of the 2010 USA Basketball World Championship Team that posted a 9-0 slate, captured the gold medal and qualified the U.S. for the 2012 Olympic Games; started six games and was the USA’s third-leading scorer (10.7 ppg.) and second-best rebounder (4.8 rpg.), while playing just 16.4 minutes a game.
  
• Aided the USA to a 3-1 pre-World Championship exhibition slate.
  
• Scored six points, grabbed five boards and had a pair of blocked shots for the USA National Team that defeated the WNBA Stars 99-72 in the “WNBA vs. USA Basketball: Stars at the Sun” game on July 10, 2010.
  
• One of two then-collegiate players named to the 2010-12 USA Basketball Women’s National Team on March 3, 2010.
  
• Aided the USA National Team to a 3-0 mark and the gold medal at the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational, averaged USA second-bests of 12.3 ppg. and 6.7 rpg., while playing in fewer than 17 minutes a game.
  
• One of three then-collegiate players invited to attend the 2009 USA Basketball Women’s National Team’s fall training camp.
  
• Member of the 2009 USA Women's World University Games Team that posted a perfect 7-0 record to collect the gold medal in Belgrade, Serbia; started all seven games and averaged team-highs of 16.1 ppg. and 8.1 rpg.
  
• Posted 28 points and 18 rebounds in the USA’s 83-64 gold medal victory over Russia.
  
• Member of the 2006 U18 National Team that went 4-0 to win the gold medal; averaged team highs of 12.0 ppg. and 9.5 rpg.
  
• Set a USA U18 all-time record for rebounding.
  
• Member of the 2005 Youth Development Festival Red Team that finished 3-2 and earned the bronze medal; established all-time Festival records for points (105), rebounds (67), field goals made (43) and attempted (100) and free throws attempted (37).
  
• Set all-time Festival single-game records for rebounds (21) and field goals made (11) and attempted (26).
  

Professional Notes

• Drafted: No. 1 in 2010 by the Connecticut Sun.
• WNBA MVP: 2012
• All-WNBA first team: 2011, 2012
• All-WNBA second team: 2010
• WNBA All-Defensive second team: 2011, 2012
• WNBA Rookie of the Year: 2010
• WNBA All-Rookie Team: 2010
• WNBA All-Star Game: 2011
• EuroLeague All-Star Game: 2011
• Currently competing in 2012-13 EuroLeague action alongside Alana Beard for Wisla Can-Pack Krakow (Poland).
• Led the WNBA in 2012 for rebounds with an average of 10.5 rpg., ranked fifth for scoring with 18.0 ppg. and earned 2012 WNBA MVP honors.
• Played in 2011-12 alongside Diana Taurasi for Galatasaray (Turkey), where they helped lead their club to the EuroLeague Final Eight.
• Averaged 11.0 rpg. in 2011 to lead the WNBA in rebounding, established a new league-high for double-doubles with 23, eclipsing the record of 22 she set in 2010; also averaged 17.6 ppg. in leading the Sun to a 21-13 record and the playoffs.
• Competed for Nadezhda (Russia) in 2010-11 and averaged league second-bests of 19.0 ppg. and 12.3 rpg., while also leading the field in double-doubles with nine in 12 EuroLeague contests.
• The unanimous choice of a panel of 39 media members for the 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year award; led all rookies with 15.5 ppg. and led the league with 11.7 rpg.
• Established a new WNBA single-season record for rebounds with 398, eclipsing Cheryl Ford’s 363 in 2006; also had a league-record 22 double-doubles (19, Natalie Williams in 2000).

College Notes

• During her four years at UConn, helped the Huskies to a 146-6 record (.961), including a then-NCAA women’s basketball record streak of 78 straight victories to close out her career, captured the 2009 and 2010 NCAA titles, three Big East Conference Tournament championships, four Big East regular season crowns and advanced to the 2008 Final Four and 2007 Elite Eight.
  
• Ranks first among all-time UConn career leaders for points (2,346) and rebounds (1,367) and third for blocked shots (304).
  
• Posted the top totals ever by a UConn rookie in blocks (81) and rebounds (296).
  
• Tallied 11 double-doubles in 2006-07, the most-ever by a UConn freshman.
  
• Recipient of four 2010 National Player of the Year awards, including the John R. Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, 2010 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year and the 2010 Associated Press National Player of the Year.
  
• Earned 2010 All-Final Four and All-Dayton Regional honors.
  
• Named to the 2010 A.P. All-America first team and 2008 A.P. All-America third team.
  
• Listed on the 2010 USBWA All-America Team.
  
• Named the 2010 Big East Conference Player of the Year.
  
• Selected to the 2008, 2009 and 2010 All-Big East first team.
  
• Named to the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Big East All-Tournament Team.
  
• Was the 2009 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and named to the All-Final Four Team and the 2009 All-Trenton Regional Team.
  
• Was a 2009 WBCA All-America selection and was named to the WBCA All-Region Team all four years.
  
• Selected as one of 12 finalists for the 2009 Wade Trophy.
  
• Named to the 2008 All-Big East Conference first team.
  
• Named to 2008 Associated Press All-America Third Team.
  
• Selected to the 2008 Big East All-Tournament Team.
  
• Honored as the 2007 USBWA National Freshman of the Year as well as AP All-America honorable mention.
  
• Tabbed the 2007 Big East Freshman of the Year; named to the the All-Big East second team and the all-freshman team.
  
• Only freshman in the nation selected to the 52-member Kodak All-District Teams in 2007.

Personal Notes

• Born on Dec. 5, 1988, in Flushing, N.Y.
  
• Daughter of Angella Holgate and Rawlston Charles.
  
• Post-basketball career ambitions include becoming a forensic psychologist.
  
• If she could be a standout athlete in any sport, it would be golf.
  
• Wanted to be a police officer at age five and a veterinarian at 15.
  
• Named the 2006 National High School Player of the Year by USA Today, McDonald's, Parade Magazine, Gatorade and SI.com.
  
• Compiled 1,750 ppg., 1,224 rpg., 440 apg. and 432 bpg. in three varsity seasons at Christ the King High School (N.Y.); led her team to a pair of USA Today No. 1 final national rankins and state titles in 2005 and 2006 to go with a two-year 57-0 record.