Kailey Klein Signs Training Camp Contract With Connecticut Sun
    Former Viking Standout Joins WNBA Squad
    Kailey Klein

    Kailey Klein

    April 27, 2010

     

    Contact: Greg Murphy

    CLEVELAND, Ohio - Kailey Klein, who led Cleveland State to Horizon League Championships in 2008 and 2010, signed a training camp contract with the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA on Tuesday, April 27.

    Klein flew out of Cleveland on Tuesday morning and was at practice later in the day. She is one of seven undrafted players who are in camp vying for spots on the Sun roster.

    "I am so happy for Kailey to have this opportunity and it shows what an enormous impact that she had during her four years at Cleveland State," head coach Kate Peterson Abiad said. "Kailey consistently put up huge numbers during her career, but one of the biggest reasons she received this opportunity is because she took our program to the NCAA tournament in two of the last three years and put Cleveland State on the national map for people to see.

    "When I received the call on Monday that Connecticut had a spot for her, I felt a rush of excitement and couldn't wait to tell her. The first thing I asked was how fast she could pack.

    "My initial thoughts were what this meant for Kailey, but her first thoughts were what it meant for Cleveland State. She has shown that players in this program and other mid-majors can earn opportunities like this."

    Klein will be in training camp for at least the next 10 days, including exhibition games on Tuesday (May 4) and Friday (May 7).

    The regular season begins on May 15th at 3:30 p.m., when the Sun hosts the Chicago Sky.

    Klein recently concluded her career at CSU as arguabley the top player in program history, finishing her senior year ranked first in the Horizon League in scoring (19.0) and sixth in rebounding (7.3).

    She saved her best for last, scoring 80 points in three Horizon League tournament games, earning MVP honors and helping the Vikings win the league title and automatic berth to the NCAA tournament for the second time in the last three years.

     

     

    Klein's 80 points were a league tournament record, helping her become just the second player in league history to earn tournament MVP honors more than once (2008 & 2010).

    She finished her career as the all-time leading scorer in CSU history with 2,140 points, ranking second all-time in the Horizon League. She is one of just three players in league history to score 2,000 career points.

    In addition, Klein ranks first in school history free throws made (605), free throws attempted (762) and minutes played (4,097), third in field goals made (686), field goals attempted (1,591), three-pointers made (163) and offensive rebounds (279), fifth in three-pointers attempted (490) and eighth in assists (311) and rebounds (733).

    A three-time first team All-Horizon League selection, Klein was also the 2008-09 Horizon League co-Player of the Year and became just the second player in school history to lead the team in scoring in each of her four seasons.

    She earned nine Horizon League Player of the Week awards during her career, tying her for the second most all-time, and averaged 20.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in eight career games against BCS schools.