Phoenix Mercury finalize training camp roster, cut rookie Julia Ayrault
The Phoenix Mercury announced their training camp roster and cut former Michigan State guard Julia Ayrault on Thursday.
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury finalized their training camp roster on Thursday.
Training camp will begin on Sunday in Phoenix at the team’s practice facility. It will be the first time the Mercury will hold a training camp at their new facility. Last year the team held camp on the campus of San Diego State University.
Former Michigan State guard Julia Ayrault was also cut on Thursday after signing a training camp deal with the Mercury last week after going undrafted.
The move brings the Mercury down to 19 players. For the 19 players battling for a roster spot in camp, league rules state a team can carry as few as 11 players or as many as 12 players on its opening night roster.
League rules also state no more than 18 players can participate in camp at a particular time, but Kitija Laksa (Famila Schio/Italy), Monique Akoa Makani (Charnay Bourgogne Sud/France), Murjantu Musa (Tarbes Gespe Bigorre/France) and Helena Pueyo (Casademont Zaragoza/Spain) are all competing in their respective playoffs for their European club teams and will arrive to camp late.
Makani and Musa’s teams have both advanced to the French playoff semifinals and could play each other in the final.
Laksa’s team advanced to the Italian league final and is awaiting an opponent.
Pueyo’s Zaragoza begins play in the quarterfinals of the Spanish playoffs on Thursday.
Natasha Mack’s Spar Girona (Spain) finished the regular season in first place, but it was announced Wednesday that Mack will not partake in the Spanish playoffs and will instead participate in Mercury training camp.
Phoenix will play two preseason games, first traveling to play the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday, May 6 before hosting the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, May 11.
Roster cuts are typically done after the last preseason game.
The Mercury will open the regular season at home against Skylar Diggins-Smith and the Seattle Storm on Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m.