SECAUCUS, N.J. – Connecticut star Diana Taurasi was selected with the No. 1 pick of the WNBA draft on Saturday by the Phoenix Mercury, leading an influx of outstanding collegiate talent that officials believe will spur more increased attendance and TV ratings.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a rookie class of collegians with so much hype and so much visibility,” WNBA president Val Ackerman said. The league’s eighth summer season will begin May 20.

“We are unabashedly hoping and expecting that that momentum they brought to our league is going to carry over and help us this season and beyond.” Ackerman also noted, however, that earning spots on the 11-member rosters of the 13 WNBA teams is “tougher than ever.”

“It will be interesting to see how this group of players does against the best players in the world,” Ackerman said of the mix of veterans, rookies, and free agents who will report to training camps later this month.

It was an unexpectedly tougher day than expected at the NBA Entertainment Studio complex for Penn State senior Kelly Mazzante, a consensus first-team all-American who waited until the Charlotte Sting made her their second pick and the 18th choice overall. Charlotte took Stanford all-American Nicole Powell as the overall No. 3 pick in the first round.

“I’m still excited,” Mazzante said after the long wait. “I have a good opportunity. I’m going to a great team. It sounds like it could be a really good fit for me. They have a lot of veteran players I can learn from.” Cheryl Reeve, an assistant with the Sting and a former La Salle star, said, “We couldn’t believe she was still on the board. On one hand we could have taken a post player. On the other, if she’s there, how can you not take her with all the scoring she can do. She’ll be a great pick for us.”

Temple coach and Olympic point guard Dawn Staley is also a member of the Sting.

Jessica Brungo, another Penn State senior, was taken by the Connecticut Sun as the third pick of the second round, and 16th overall selection. The first of the three rounds went quickly after Phoenix officially made Taurasi its own after announcing its intentions last week.

The Mercury, with the league’s worst record at 8-26 last season, won the lottery in December for the rights to the overall No. 1 choice.

“It’ll be fun,” Taurasi said of changing locations after leading Connecticut to three straight NCAA titles. “New players. New setting. New atmosphere. It’ll be nice. Something different.”

Under the collective bargaining agreement with the players association, Taurasi and the next three first round picks will earn $40,800 this season in the first year of a three-year, non-guaranteed contract.

The fifth through eighth choices will receive $37,740, followed by the rest of the first round picks at $33,660. Second-round picks will earn $31,620, while third-round choices and all other rookies will receive $30,600.

Washington, as expected, quickly followed Phoenix with the No. 2 pick and selected Duke senior guard Alana Beard, the consensus college player of the year, before Charlotte chose Powell. The Connecticut Sun fulfilled their draft wish by taking Minnesota senior all-American guard Lindsay Whalen, whose team lost to UConn in the NCAA national semifinals.

The Sun craved Taurasi for obvious local marketing reasons but will have to settle for one visit from her and Phoenix, May 22, for the first WNBA national telecast of the season on ABC.

Most of Taurasi’s Connecticut teammates were here to say their goodbyes, although Taurasi will be with them Sunday for a parade in Hartford to celebrate UConn’s unprecedented twin-NCAA titles, won by the Huskies men and women earlier this month.

The native of Chino, Calif., near Los Angeles, said yesterday’s events were a dream realized.

“You always watched this when you were a little kid,” Taurasi said of watching WNBA and NBA draft days. “You watched someone get drafted, get the jersey. Having the opportunity to go through it, it’s just a lot of fun.”

Taurasi performed well in a brief three-game tryout for the Olympic team right after winning the NCAA title in New Orleans.

“If I get picked, it probably will be one of the greatest moments in my life,” Taurasi said. “And if I don’t, I’m young. I don’t want to say if I don’t get picked this year, I’ll be crushed.”

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