Forward Lauren Manis of the Holy Cross women's basketball team has been selected by the Las Vegas Aces in the 2020 WNBA Draft. Manis was drafted in the third round as the 33rd overall pick on Friday, April 17.
Manis becomes the first player in Crusader history to be selected in the WNBA Draft and just the second player in Patriot League history to be drafted.
"I am so thankful and humbled to be selected by the Las Vegas Aces," Manis said. "This is a dream come true, and I can't wait to meet the rest of the Aces family. Thank you to the Holy Cross community for all the love and support during my four years."
One of the greatest players ever to don a Crusader uniform, Manis finished her Holy Cross career with 2,020 points and 1,188 rebounds, breaking the school and Patriot League records in rebounds and becoming the first basketball player in school history – men's or women's – with 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. She ranks third in program history in career points and second with 58 career double-doubles.
During her senior season, Manis averaged 18.6 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting 46.3 percent from 3-point range. She ranked fourth among all Division I players with 20 double-doubles this season, and ranked fifth with 344 total rebounds.
Manis led the Crusaders to a 19-11 record and 11-7 mark in conference play to help Holy Cross tie for third place in the Patriot League standings and earn a home quarterfinal game in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2015. She averaged 22.8 points and 12.7 rebounds per game over the final seven games of the regular season.
She was a five-time Patriot League Player of the Week selection en route to earning a spot on the All-Patriot League first team and All-Defensive team in 2019-20. Manis was named to the first team for the third consecutive season, and became a four-time All-Patriot League selection.
Manis is just the eighth player in league history to earn a spot on the first or second team in all four years of her career, and the first Holy Cross player to be a four-time All-Patriot League honoree.
