Elissa Cunane is back on a WNBA roster. Minnesota Lynx sign former NC State star
Elissa Cunane is getting another shot in the WNBA.
The Minnesota Lynx signed the former N.C. State center on Tuesday, the team announced.
Shortly before Cunane’s signing, the Lynx announced that center Natalie Achonwa was out indefinitely with a hamstring strain.
Cuane was signed to a hardship contract, which allows WNBA teams to exceed the 15-person maximum when four or more players are injured or sick for more than two weeks. Cunane will be available to play for the Lynx (2-7) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the Atlanta Dream.
Cunane, the 6-foot-5 center from Summerfield, was a second-round pick (17th overall) for the Storm in the WNBA draft. She was cut by Seattle before the start of the season. Cunane played 14 minutes in a preseason win over Los Angeles, finishing with three points. She had six points in 12 minutes against Phoenix in her second preseason appearance.
During her four years in Raleigh, she left her stamp on the program. Cunane ranks sixth in school history in career points (1,855), seventh in double-doubles (34) and fifth in rebounds (986).
She is the school record holder in made free throws (513) and played in 125 games for the Wolfpack, starting 101. A consensus All-American by the Associated Press in 2021-22, Cunane leaves Raleigh with a career average of 14.8 points per game and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 54 percent from the floor. Her senior season she averaged 13.7 points on 53.1 percent shooting (182-of-343) and 7.6 rebounds. Cunane shot 83.5 percent from the charity stripe (116-of-139) and averaged 1.3 assists per game.
She earned second team All-American honors from the AP and the USBWA. Cunane was a consensus first team All-ACC honoree for the third straight year. In March she was named the ACC tournament’s Most Valuable Player for the second straight season.
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Elissa Cunane is back on a WNBA roster. Minnesota Lynx sign former NC State star."
