Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Photo by: @MTAthletics
Malashka selected in WNBA Draft
4/10/2023 8:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW YORK CITY - Kseniya Malashka has been selected by the Chicago Sky in the third round of the 2023 WNBA Draft on Monday evening, becoming the fifth player in program history to earn a spot in the WNBA Draft from Middle Tennessee State University.
She joins Alysha Clark (2010; Second Round; 17th Pick to San Antonio), Amber Holt (2008; First Round; 9th Pick to Connecticut), Chrissy Givens (2007; Third Round; 31st Pick to Phoenix) and Cheyenne Parker (2015; First Round; 5th Pick to Chicago) as former Lady Raiders to be selected in the WNBA Draft. Clark and Parker are currently active on rosters in the league with Clark having recently signed with the Las Vegas Aces and Parker set to enter her third consecutive season in Atlanta. All five players played under Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach Rick Insell.
Malashka averaged 15.1 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game in 2022-23, playing in a role that brought her off the bench through the season - earning her Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year for the second straight season. She helped lead the Lady Raiders to a 28-5 record, NCAA Tournament appearance, a Conference USA Regular Season and Tournament title, plus a top 25 ranking through a majority of the conference season.
Playing in 128 games during her collegiate career, Malashka scored 1,207 career points and grabbed 550 rebounds. She added an impressive 165 blocks, including 55 in 2022-23. For her career, she shot over 42.6 percent from the field.
Among her most notable performances during her final season in Murfreesboro was a late season, 27-point performance against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 25, 2023. In just 27 minutes, she posted an impressive 27 points that was capped by the game winning basket with two seconds remaining and a clean block at the buzzer to secure the victory.
She also posted several notable games against Power Five and Big East opponents during her time as a Lady Raider.
The VCU transfer continues a trend of several student-athletes that have found a new home at MTSU and enjoyed great success on the floor at MTSU as a transfer student.
MTSU and the WNBA
She joins Alysha Clark (2010; Second Round; 17th Pick to San Antonio), Amber Holt (2008; First Round; 9th Pick to Connecticut), Chrissy Givens (2007; Third Round; 31st Pick to Phoenix) and Cheyenne Parker (2015; First Round; 5th Pick to Chicago) as former Lady Raiders to be selected in the WNBA Draft. Clark and Parker are currently active on rosters in the league with Clark having recently signed with the Las Vegas Aces and Parker set to enter her third consecutive season in Atlanta. All five players played under Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach Rick Insell.
Malashka averaged 15.1 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game in 2022-23, playing in a role that brought her off the bench through the season - earning her Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year for the second straight season. She helped lead the Lady Raiders to a 28-5 record, NCAA Tournament appearance, a Conference USA Regular Season and Tournament title, plus a top 25 ranking through a majority of the conference season.
Playing in 128 games during her collegiate career, Malashka scored 1,207 career points and grabbed 550 rebounds. She added an impressive 165 blocks, including 55 in 2022-23. For her career, she shot over 42.6 percent from the field.
Among her most notable performances during her final season in Murfreesboro was a late season, 27-point performance against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 25, 2023. In just 27 minutes, she posted an impressive 27 points that was capped by the game winning basket with two seconds remaining and a clean block at the buzzer to secure the victory.
She also posted several notable games against Power Five and Big East opponents during her time as a Lady Raider.
- 2021-22
- 17 points, 6 rebounds vs. Vanderbilt on Nov. 15, 2021
- 16 points, 7 rebounds vs. Marquette in OT loss on Nov. 26, 2021
- 18 points in 21 minutes in WNIT vs. Wake Forest on March 21, 2022
- 25 points, 9 rebounds in WNIT Semifinals vs. Seton Hall on March 31, 2022
- 2022-23
- 19 points, 7 rebounds vs. Texas Tech on Nov. 25, 2022
- 15 points, 5 rebounds in 29 minutes in win over 18/15 Louisville on Dec. 4, 2022
- 13 points, 4 rebounds in 24 minutes vs. Colorado in NCAA Tournament on March 18, 2023
The VCU transfer continues a trend of several student-athletes that have found a new home at MTSU and enjoyed great success on the floor at MTSU as a transfer student.
- Dor Saar (Maine to MTSU in Summer 2021 – Currently Playing Overseas)
- Hitting 90 three-point field goals in her one season at MTSU, Saar averaged 11.9 points and dished out 126 assists during the 2021-22 season in leading the Lady Raiders to the semifinals of the Postseason WNIT in 2022.
- Named Second Team All-Conference USA in 2021-22
- Third on the Lady Raider single-season three-point field goal list (90)
- 14th nationally in three-point field goals made in 2021-22 (90)
- Kseniya Malashka (VCU to MTSU in Summer 2020)
- In two seasons with MTSU, Malashka averaged 15.1 points in 2022-23 and 13.6 points in 2021-22 as she helped MTSU secure a school-record 55 wins during her two seasons for the Lady Raiders.
- Twice named the Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year
- Conference USA Regular Season and Tournament Champion in 2022-23
- Savannah Wheeler – returning in 2023-24 (Marshall to MTSU in Summer 2022 – Currently on Roster)
- In her first season at MTSU, Wheeler averaged a team-best 15.1 points per game – starting all 30 games she appeared in.
- First Team All-Conference Selection in 2022-23
- Three-Time Conference USA Player of the Week in 2022-23
- Conference USA Regular Season and Tournament Champion in 2022-23
- Currently has 1,747 career points in 107 career games
- Will enter the 2023-24 season ranked 16th in league history for points scored and just 253 points shy of becoming the 10th player in league history with 2,000 career points
- Reached 1,500 career point milestone during MTSU's win over Charlotte on Jan. 19, 2023 – reaching the feat in her 91st career game
- Wheeler needs 20 three-point field goals to become the 17th player in Conference USA history with 200 or more made three-point field goals
- Will enter the 2023-24 season with a .846 career free throw percentage, ranking in the top 10 in Conference USA history.
- Will enter the 2023-24 season with 509 made free throws, ranking her fourth in Conference USA history in made free throws
- Will enter the 2023-24 season with 602 free throw attempts, ranking her just outside the top 15 in Conference USA history
MTSU and the WNBA
- Alysha Clark (2010; Second Round; 17th Pick to San Antonio)
- Two-time WNBA Champion
- Two-time WNBA All-Defensive Team selection
- Second highest Effective Field Goal Percentage and eighth highest True Shooting Percentage in WNBA history. She has also connected on 38.4 percent of her three-pointers over her 10-year career
- Amber Holt (2008; First Round; 9th Pick to Connecticut)
- 2008 WNBA All-Rookie Team
- Chrissy Givens (2007; Third Round; 31st Pick to Phoenix)
- Cheyenne Parker (2015; First Round; 5th Pick to Chicago)
- Current MTSU assistant coach Nina Davis (Baylor All-American under Kim Mulkey) played in the preseason in 2017 with Los Angeles Sparks and has been a position coach for Kseniya Malashka
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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