HONOLULU--University of Hawai`i Wahine basketball player Christen Roper looks to fulfill her professional dream after signing a free agent contract with the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs. The 6-5 center will travel to her home state of California with training camp set to begin Wednesday night.

“I’m excited and nervous at the same time,” Roper said. “It’s thrilling to get a chance to continue playing professionally right away in the WNBA, as opposed to going overseas. I’m going to do whatever the coaches tell me to do, be aggressive and block some shots.”

A total of 19 players, including returning veterans, will attend the camp and compete for 14 roster spots. Sacramento plays it's first preseason game on May 11th at Seattle, while the WNBA's regular-season begins on May 22.

"It's an excellent opportunity for Christen," UH head coach Vince Goo said. "It's an invitation-only workout so you know they're very interested. Hopefully they stay interested and she remains up there a long time."

Fifth-year veteran Tangela Smith started all 32 games at center for the Monarchs last year and the team drafted All-American center Chantelle Anderson of Vanderbilt with the second pick of the 2003 draft. According to Goo, the squad is looking for one more player in the middle. The Monarchs finished in 6th place in the Western Conference last year with a 14-18 record.

Roper appeared in 117 career games in her four seasons as a Rainbow Wahine. The native of Ojai was the most dominate defensive player ever at UH and is the school's and Western Athletic Conference's all-time leading shot blocker. She is also one of only three players (along with departing seniors Natasja Allen and Michelle Gabriel) to participate in postseason play in each her four seasons at Hawaii.

Roper is attempting to become just the second player in school history to play in the WNBA. Former UH All-American Judy Mosley was selected by Sacramento in the league's inaugural draft in 1997 and played for both the Monarchs and the Los Angeles Sparks.

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