Stefanie Dolson

At 32 years old, Stefanie Dolson has this physical status:

Stefanie Dolson (born January 8, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the WNBA (WNBA).

In the 2014 WNBA Draft, she was drafted sixth overall.

Dolson starred for the UConn women's basketball team and won back to back national championships in 2013 and 2014.

Personal life

Dolson, a descendant of the 17th century Minisink, NY-area settler and beaver-pelt trader James Dolson for whom a major commercial highway has been named, has five sons, one of whom died during the American Revolution. Steve and Kristal Dolson's daughter. Dolson has two older sisters Ashley and Courtney, as well as one younger brother Jake.

Dolson came out as a member of the LGBTQ group in 2016. In an interview with ESPN Magazine, she spoke out about her sexuality, saying, "Not everybody in the WNBA needs to be out, but I feel called to live a full life in the open." I know who I am and I don't care if people judge me. I'm 6-5 and dye my hair purple. I love fashion so much. My motto is: If they're going to stare, they might as well look at something amusing. A lot of girls are having trouble being who they are. We need people who are out so that those girls know it's OK to be themselves, regardless of stereotypes. "I give them something to look forward to, and if they identify, I can encourage them to advocate equality and LGBT issues."

During the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dolson was on the "Away" roster.

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High school career

Dolson attended volleyball and basketball at Minisink Valley High School in Slate Hill, New York, and was a member of the National Honor Society. She averaged 18.9 points, 16.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 6.2 blocks in her junior year. She averaged 22.8 points, 17.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 5.2 blocks as a senior.

Dolson coached Minisink Valley High School for four straight New York State Public High School Athletic Association Section 9 championship game appearances and finished her career at Minisink Valley High School with 1,951 points and 1,607 rebounds. She was a McDonald's High School All-American and competed in the All-Star tournament, where she had 12 points and eight rebounds in McDonald's All-American Game.

College career

Dolson, the All-American center, earned a starting spot in her freshman year at UConn. In the 2011 Big East championship game against Notre Dame, she tied her career high of 24 points. Dolson and teammate Bria Hartley were later promoted to the Big East Rookie Team.

She was instrumental in the Huskies' revival in 2004, dropping down 6.0 grabs per game and being the top blocker with 57. Dolson had 20 double-figure appearances, with four of them winning 20 games. Dolson began the season on a bang, going 6-for-6 from the floor for 12 points and adding seven rebounds against Holy Cross on 11/13. In the Final Four on April 1, she scored a team-high 20 points after going 10-for-16.

Dolson played and started 38 of UConn's 39 games and finished third on the team with 13.6 points, while the squad's leaders had 7.1 rebounds per game. At 26.8 minutes per game, she was third on the team and led the team with a.598 field goal percentage, which was the second-highest total on record. Dolson, third in third place among three Huskies to dish at least 100 assists, came in third with 117 assisters. She had four double-double performances in the year despite having only two to her credit. Dolson scored a career-high 25 points twice, the first time in UConn's 87-62 victory over Syracuse on January 19 and then again over the United StatesF on March 2 for the first time. In the 61–59 loss to Notre Dame in the BIG EAST Championship Final on March 4, she made her third straight All-BIG EAST Tournament squad with an 18-point, 14-rebound effort. Dolson was a member of the 2013 National Championship team, and she helped her team win the 2013 National Championship.

Dolson played and started in all 40 of UConn's games, averaging 12.5 points and a team-best 9.3 rebounds per contest, while her opponents averaged 56.4 percent from the floor and placed fourth on the team at 3.4 assists per game. She became just the second Husky woman to achieve triple digits with a 24-point, 14-assist effort against Oregon on November 20, and she set career records in rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals during the 2013-14 campaign. Dolson finished with 371 points, just one shy of tying UConn's single-season rebound record held by Tina Charles. She blocked 93 shots, the third-highest figure by a Husky senior. Dolson was named the inaugural 2013-2014 American Athletic Conference and WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year, as well as the 2013-2014 Lowe's Senior Class Award. Dolson helped her team win their undefeated 40-0 season and the 2014 National Championship, was named to the 2014 NCAA All-Tournament Team, and she was later inducted into the Huskies of Honor on senior night.

Dolson led UConn to a 144–11 record in four years, including four Final Four appearances and back-to-back National Championships. One of only three Huskies triple-doubles in school history. With at least 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, one of only five Huskies, along with Tina Charles, Rebecca Lobo, Maya Moore, and Jamelle Elliott. Dolson's career culminated in 1,797 points, fourth with 1,101 career rebounds and fourth in both blocks (254) and field goal percentage (58.8 percent). Dolson earned a spot on the All-Conference Tournament Team in all four years at UConn, and the All-Conference Tournament Team earned a spot on the All-NCAA Tournament Team in 2014.

Professional career

By Washington Mystics, Dolson was drafted sixth overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft. Bria Hartley, a UConn teammate, was drafted right after the Seattle Storm and then transferred to the Mystics later. The UConn duo of Dolson and Hartley combined for 34 points off the bench on June 1, 2014, in a triple-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Sparks, and Dolson earned her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Dolson was out for her second double-double in her second career appearance, with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a regular season loss to the Chicago Sky on August 14, 2014, her second career double-double. The Mystics finished third in the Eastern Conference but the Indiana Fever took the first round of the playoffs.

Dolson had a dominating show in the 2015 WNBA season opener against the Connecticut Sun, scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds in a winning effort. She was drafted as a reserve in the 2015 WNBA All-Star Game later this season. Dolson averaged career-highs in scoring and rebounding through the season. The Mystics were again in the playoffs, with the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, but they were denied in three games to the New York Liberty. Dolson continued to excel as a member of the Mystics' starting lineup in the 2016 season. She scored a career-high 23 points against the New York Liberty in a victory over the New York Liberty. She had also set career-highs in field goals made and three-pointers made during the game, but the Mystics would not qualify for the playoffs with a disappointing 13–21 record.

Dolson, a three-year veteran with the Mystics, was traded to the Chicago Sky with teammate Kahleah Copper, and the second overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft for Elena Delle Donne.

In a 70-61 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on May 14, 2017, Dolson scored 9 points and 2 rebounds on her first appearance with the Sky. Dolson scored a career-high of 23 points, eight rebounds, and a new career-high of 5 blocks in a 7–71 victory over the Atlanta Dream on May 21, 2017. In an 86-80 loss to the Phoenix Mercury, Dolson reached a new career high of 29 points on July 28, 2017. Dolson hit new career highs in scoring and rebounding with 14.5 ppg and 5.8 rpg, but the Sky lost 12-22 and fell from playoff contention.

Dolson resigned with the Sky in February 2018 to a multi-year contract in a free agency. The Sky missed out on the playoffs in 2018 after finishing with a 13-21 record.

Dolson appeared for WBC Spartak Moscow Region in Russia in the 2014-15 WNBA off-season. Dolson appeared for Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi in Turkey during the 2015-16 WNBA off-season. Dolson briefly played in China for the Sichuan Whale during the 2016-17 WNBA offseason. Dolson debuted in 2017 and was signed by Dike Napoli of the Italian League for the 2017-18 WNBA offseason. Dolson signed with the Henan Phoenix of the Chinese League in October 2018 for the 2018-19 off-season.

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Awards and honors

• Two-Time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
• 2010–11 BIG EAST All–Rookie Team
• 2010–11 BIG EAST All–Tournament Team
• 2011–12 Wooden Award Preseason Top–30
• 2011–12 Preseason Wade Watch List
• 2011–12 Preseason All–BIG EAST Honorable Mention
• 2011–12 Preseason Naismith Award Watch List
• 2011–12 BIG EAST All–Tournament Team
• 2011–12 All–BIG EAST Honorable Mention
• 2011–12 NCAA All–Kingston Regional Team
• 2012–13 Wooden Award Preseason Top–30
• 2012–13 Naismith Award Preseason Watch List
• 2012–13 BIG EAST All–Tournament Team
• 2012–13 All–BIG EAST First Team
• 2012–13 Associated Press All–America Third Team
• 2012–13 USBWA All–America Team
• 2012–13 WBCA/State Farm All–America Team
• 2013–14 Senior Class Award
• 2013–14 AAC Defensive Player of the Year
• 2013-14 WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year