NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 – Tina Charles of the New York Liberty and Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in July.

Charles earned Player of the Month honors for the WNBA-leading 10th time in her eight-year career. Fowles, who also won the award in May and June, raised her career total to eight in 10 seasons, the second-most in league history behind Charles.

New York went 5-4 in July behind Charles, who ranked first among East players in scoring (22.2 ppg) and led the WNBA in rebounding (11.2 rpg). In nine games, the 2012 WNBA MVP logged five double-doubles and scored at least 21 points seven times. She also tied for seventh in the East in blocked shots (1.0 bpg).

Charles’ month featured back-to-back 29-point performances, first in a 79-70 win at the Seattle Storm on July 6, and then in an 81-69 road loss to the Phoenix Mercury three days later. In her next game, she scored 23 points and grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds, including 15 defensive boards, in a 78-68 home loss to the Chicago Sky on July 14.

The former University of Connecticut standout posted another double-double on July 19, when she finished with 28 points and 17 rebounds as New York defeated the visiting Connecticut Sun 96-80. Charles recorded 15 defensive rebounds for the second time in three games.

Additional highlights of Charles’ play in July included:

• July 25 at Minnesota: Notched 24 points and 16 rebounds in a 76-75 loss to the Lynx.
• July 28 at Indiana: Scored a game-high 25 points in an 85-84 victory against the Fever.
• July 30 at Chicago: Contributed 15 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals in an 86-82 win against the Sky.

Fowles lifted WNBA-leading Minnesota to a 7-1 record in July, pacing the West in rebounding (9.4 rpg) and ranking second in scoring (21.1 ppg), field goal percentage (.717, 66-of-92) and blocked shots (2.38 bpg).

She scored at least 20 points in four of her eight games, closing the month with two straight 29-point efforts as the Lynx defeated the host Atlanta Dream 90-80 on July 28 and beat visiting Seattle 93-82 on July 30. Fowles added eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals at the Dream, and she registered 12 rebounds and three blocks against the Storm.

The 2015 WNBA Finals MVP opened her month with 20 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in an 88-77 home victory over the defending champion Los Angeles Sparks on July 6.

Additional highlights of Fowles’ play in July included:

• July 14 at Phoenix: Scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in an 88-71 win over the Mercury.
• July 19 vs. Dallas: Recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 100-74 victory against the Wings.

Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Chicago’s Allie Quigley, Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones and Alyssa Thomas, Dallas’ Skylar Diggins-Smith, Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker, Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi, Seattle’s Breanna Stewart and the Washington Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne.

For more information on the WNBA Players of the Month, visit www.wnba.com/awards.

The 2017 WNBA regular season runs through Sept. 3.  For more information on the WNBA and game tickets, fans may visit www.wnba.com.