JACKSON, Tenn. – Josephine Owino of Union University was selected on Thursday in the third round of the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics. Owino was the 28^th player selected overall in the draft.

"Never in a million years did I think I think this would happen to me," says Owino. "I am very excited and looking forward to playing basketball in the WNBA."

Owino, a 6-foot-3 center, is the two-time defending NAIA National Player of the Year. She is coming off a senior season where she averaged 19.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, leading Union to their fourth NAIA National Title. Owino has been a part of three national title teams, including the 2005 title during her red-shirt season, the 2006 title as a freshman, and the 2009 title this season. During those five years, Union has tallied a 21-2 national tournament record with the three titles and two semifinal appearances. She was named the 2009 NAIA Tournament Most Valuable Player and was selected All-National Tournament in each of her four years.

Owino scored the game's first four points, and back-to-back three-pointers from Kayla Hudson and Kaitlin Dudley capped a game-opening 15-3 run for Union. The Lady Bulldogs ran the first-half lead up to 13 points three separate times before Chytearra Kintchen scored five straight points to spark a 12-3 Lambuth run that cut Union's lead to 29-25 with 1:22 to play before halftime. However, Dudley knocked down a triple with 1:03 left, and Hudson hit a trey with less than 10 seconds to give the Lady Bulldogs a 35-25 halftime lead.