USA Basketball Women’s National Team Led by Geno  Auriemma on ESPN –

NEW YORK, Jan. 27, 2010 - WNBA All-Star 2010 will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Saturday, July 10, league President Donna Orender announced today.   The game will be on ESPN with tip-off set for 3:30 p.m. ET.  

WORLD’S BEST WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO SQUARE OFF  AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

The 2010 WNBA All-Star Game will feature a unique, exciting format in which the USA Basketball Women’s National Team will compete against a team of WNBA all-stars. The U.S. squad will be coached by national figure and local treasure, Geno Auriemma, who will guide the national team. As the head coach at the nearby University of Connecticut, Auriemma has led the school’s women’s program to six national championships, including the 2009 title.

“We will showcase the greatest female basketball players in the world,” said Orender. “With Geno Auriemma leading the national team in his home state before one of the WNBA’s most dedicated fan bases at a terrific venue, we’re set for a great basketball experience.”

“Women’s basketball is ingrained in the fabric of the state of Connecticut,” said Sun Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Etess. “Sun fans, in particular, proved that last year, filling the arena for the 2009 WNBA All-Star Game and making that game one of the greatest in the history of the event. Now in 2010 we’re thrilled to be able to offer our fans an opportunity to see the best women’s basketball players in the world all on one court at the same time with a unique twist.”

“On behalf of USA Basketball, I want to thank the WNBA for providing us with this extraordinary – and important – opportunity to gather the USA Women’s National Team together in advance of the 2010 World Championship,” added Auriemma.  “As we prepare to face teams from around the world, there is no better competition we could face than to tip off against a team of WNBA all-stars.”

Sun season-ticket holders will receive information this week detailing an opportunity to buy their current seats for the All-Star Game in advance of a public on-sale date. Others with an opportunity to purchase All-Star tickets prior to the public sale date include fans who purchase one of the Sun Mini Plan options, which go on sale Feb. 1, or those who purchase a Sun pick-a-plan option that will go on sale in March.

Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena, host of the 2005, 2009 and 2010 WNBA All-Star games, joins New York’s Madison Square Garden as the only venues to stage the event three times.  In addition to hosting the league’s first All-Star event on July 14, 1999, Madison Square Garden was the site of the All-Star Game in 2003 and again in 2006 during the league’s 10th anniversary season.  Washington, D.C. hosted the game in 2002 and 2007.  Last year, the Seattle Storm’s Swin Cash – a product of Auriemma’s at UConn, earned the game’s MVP honor by scoring a record 22 points on 10-16 shooting from the field.  She also added six rebounds and four assists to lead the Western Conference over the Eastern Conference, 133-118.