Kayla Pedersen was aware that when she graduated from Stanford that she held the NCAA Division I women's basketball record for most career starts even if she admitted "I had no clue that they even kept track of that."

During the NCAA tournament she became aware that UConn's Stefanie Dolson broke her mark as she set the standard with 152 career starts.

At Connecticut Sun media day I asked Pedersen, who is in her first full season with the WNBA team, for her reaction to Dolson setting the mark.

"More power to her, that is cool," Pedersen said.

Pedersen's situation as a freshman at Stanford was similar to Dolson's at UConn as graduation losses opened up a chance to start immediately.

"I am extremely blessed to get that opportunity," Pedersen said. "They needed somebody to battle in there and help Jayne (Appel) out. I think a came into a class that (graduated) of a lot of folks and I made the most of that opportunity and I am forever grateful for that."

THREE STATE NATIVES GOING TO U-17 TRIALS
The initial list of invitees to the U.S. U-17 national team trials came out earlier in the month. Today USA Basketball released the list of 162 players who will try out for the team. That list includes three Connecticut natives as Capital Prep teammates Kiah Gillespie and Desiree Elmore are joined by Avon High's Abigail Laszewski.

The trials will run from May 22-26 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. with the 12-member squad playing in the FIBA U-17 World Championships being announced on May 26.