The AP All-American will get a chance to make a WNBA roster.
Former Maryland women’s basketball guard Katie Benzan has signed a training camp deal with the Washington Mystics, the team announced via Twitter on Wednesday.
The Washington Mystics announce the signing of Katie Benzan to a training camp contract.
A 47.4% three-point shooter during her two years at Maryland, Benzan gets a WNBA shot, and one that is just a short trip from College Park. https://t.co/435rf7ltgl
— Ben Dickson (@bendickson__) April 20, 2022
Benzan went undrafted in the April 11 WNBA Draft, but she will now get a chance to prove she belongs in the pros with this contract.
Transferring to Maryland in 2020 following a three-year career at Harvard, Benzan was sensational in the red, white, black and gold. In two years in a Maryland uniform, Benzan was lights out from three, setting a program record for career three-point percentage at 47.4%. Her three-point prowess included a 2020-21 season where she led the NCAA with a 50% clip from beyond the arc.
Benzan epitomized the meaning of “heart and hustle” playing under head coach Brenda Frese. Standing at only 5-foot-6, Benzan was often the smallest player on the floor. She made up for that with her defensive energy and effort; Benzan ranked third on the team with 49 steals this past season and led it with 45 steals during the 2020-21 season.
Benzan posted 11.4 points per game in two seasons at Maryland, and her importance to Frese’s program was recognized. Benzan was voted All-Big Ten Second Team by the media in both her seasons as a Terp and also earned AP All-America Honorable Mention accolades for her contributions this past season.
The Minnesota Lynx signed former Maryland forward/guard Chloe Bibby to a training camp deal last week. With Benzan’s signing now official, Maryland has two new Terps in the WNBA.
Professional teams certainly may desire the threat Benzan poses from deep, so it will be fascinating to see how the Maryland fan favorite performs in training camp.