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Kristofer Habbas of SB Nation Arizona explores the possibility of Phoenix Mercury Samantha Prahalis challenging L.A. Sparks Nneka Ogwumike for 2012 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Of interest might be the weight they each place on winning, which is something that may have a significant influence on this year's race.

Stanford University is one of the best universities academically in the United States, and unlike Harvard's and Yale's locations in New England, Palo Alto has a nice temperate climate all year round. Though it's news from last weekend, the Cardinal clinched its 18th straight Directors Cup Title for 2011-2012, highlighted by winning national titles in women's soccer and women's polo. The men's swimming and women's basketball (led by now Sparks rookie star Nneka Ogwumike) teams were third place and national semifinalists respectively. In addition, the University won its second straight Capital One Cup for overall women's sports dominance. One more note for Stanford Sports comes from last weekend. Nneka Ogwumike was one of the University's Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarship winners, which will be a grant that she can use to a graduate school of her choice. She did not win the Al Masters Award however, which is the university's honor for its "Athlete of the Year." That went to now Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who also graduated with Nneka last weekend.

Epiphanny Prince of the Chicago Sky and Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Spark were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week presented by Boost Mobile, respectively, for games played June 4 – June 10.