Morenike Atunrase
- Sport: basketball
- Team: San Antonio Silver Stars
- Position: shooting guard
- Nationality: USA
- Birth date: 1986-04-14 (22 years)
- Place of birth: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Morenike Olayinka Atunrase was born on April 14, 1986 in New Orleans. Her mother is Cheron Grayson-Atunrase of Dallas, Texas; her father, Adebowale Oladele Atunrase.
High school
Morenike attended Southwood Highschool in in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. She was named Louisiana's Most Valuable Player in 2002 and 2003 during her sophomore and junior seasons, and earned Shreveport Times Player of the Year honors and MVP accolades as a senior in 2004, when she averaged 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals.
Morenike graduated in the top five percent of her high school class, and was a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club, and Lariat Ad staff. She was President of Close Up, Secretary of Mu Alpha Theta, President of the Black Students Association and a member of Quill and Scroll.
University
Morenike attended Texas A&M as a community health major. She played basketball for the Aggies from 2004-2008 under coach Gary Blair.
In her freshman year (2004-2005), Morenike was a Consensus Big 12 Freshman of the Year. She was the only freshman to rank in the top four among Big 12 freshman in scoring, rebounds, steals and blocks, and was that league's freshman leader in total points, steals and blocked shots.
In her sophomore year (2005-2006) she started in 29 of 32 games, and was All-Big 12 First Team selection by the league's head coaches and by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
She set the school record for most blocks in a single season with 58 in 2006, breaking her own record for blocks in a season set as freshman. She led the Aggies in points, points average, blocks, steals, free throws made, free throws attempted, three-pointers made and field goals attempted.
In her junior year, Morenike started 19 times out of 26 games played, missing five games due to a foot injury. Nevertheless she was the team's third-leading scorer at the end of the season.
An off-season injury continued to plague her into her senior year, and after missing the first nine games of the season, she lost her starting spot, but happily came off the bench, and soon started to show flashes of her old brilliance. She was awarded the Big 12 Sixth Man Award.
WNBA
In the 2008 WNBA Draft, Atunrase was the #24 pick by the Atlanta Dream. Immediately following the draft, she was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars. (The Stars also acquired Ann Wauters and a 2009 second round draft pick as part of the trade.)
High school
Morenike attended Southwood Highschool in in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. She was named Louisiana's Most Valuable Player in 2002 and 2003 during her sophomore and junior seasons, and earned Shreveport Times Player of the Year honors and MVP accolades as a senior in 2004, when she averaged 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals.
Morenike graduated in the top five percent of her high school class, and was a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club, and Lariat Ad staff. She was President of Close Up, Secretary of Mu Alpha Theta, President of the Black Students Association and a member of Quill and Scroll.
University
Morenike attended Texas A&M as a community health major. She played basketball for the Aggies from 2004-2008 under coach Gary Blair.
In her freshman year (2004-2005), Morenike was a Consensus Big 12 Freshman of the Year. She was the only freshman to rank in the top four among Big 12 freshman in scoring, rebounds, steals and blocks, and was that league's freshman leader in total points, steals and blocked shots.
In her sophomore year (2005-2006) she started in 29 of 32 games, and was All-Big 12 First Team selection by the league's head coaches and by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
She set the school record for most blocks in a single season with 58 in 2006, breaking her own record for blocks in a season set as freshman. She led the Aggies in points, points average, blocks, steals, free throws made, free throws attempted, three-pointers made and field goals attempted.
In her junior year, Morenike started 19 times out of 26 games played, missing five games due to a foot injury. Nevertheless she was the team's third-leading scorer at the end of the season.
An off-season injury continued to plague her into her senior year, and after missing the first nine games of the season, she lost her starting spot, but happily came off the bench, and soon started to show flashes of her old brilliance. She was awarded the Big 12 Sixth Man Award.
WNBA
In the 2008 WNBA Draft, Atunrase was the #24 pick by the Atlanta Dream. Immediately following the draft, she was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars. (The Stars also acquired Ann Wauters and a 2009 second round draft pick as part of the trade.)
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