As is her way, Jolene Anderson didn't get emotional Wednesday afternoon when quite possibly the biggest moment of her life arrived.

The University of Wisconsin women's basketball program's all-time leading scorer didn't shed any tears when her name was called as the Connecticut Sun's selection in the second round of the WNBA draft, capping an incredible rise from her small town beginnings.

The same can't be said for Anderson's mother, Julie.

"My mom definitely did (cry)," Anderson said in a phone interview from her hometown of Port Wing, where she watched the draft with a group of about 20 family members. "I knew she was going to, so I didn't look at her."

Anderson, the 23rd overall pick in the draft, fittingly joins the team in the league's smallest market -- the Sun play in Uncasville, Conn., a village that is part of Montville, a town of less than 20,000.

Anderson said Connecticut, which came into the draft in need of guard help after going 18-16 and losing in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last season, was the only team to show much interest in her at the league's pre-draft camp last week in Tampa, Fla.

And after the first round -- which began with the Los Angeles Sparks selecting Tennessee star Candace Parker with the top pick -- played out pretty much how Anderson said she thought it would, she figured she might be hearing her name called soon.

"When the second round started, I said, 'Anything goes right now,' " said Anderson, who arrived back home at 4 a.m. Wednesday morning after traveling to Tampa to receive the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award at Tuesday's Women 's Basketball Coaches Association luncheon. "And if I didn't get drafted, then it wasn't my time."

The Sun, whose roster includes former Minnesota point guard Lindsay Whalen and former UW-Green Bay guard Natalie Berglin, didn't think Anderson would be available at No. 23.

"We had projected her somewhere early in the second round," said Connecticut coach Mike Thibault, a former Milwaukee Bucks assistant under George Karl. "She fell to us. Obviously she's a great scorer, but she's also a great rebounder for a guard."

Anderson is the third UW player to be selected in the WNBA draft, joining Tamara Moore and Jessie Stomski, who were both chosen in 2002.

Anderson will head to Chicago next Thursday for a rookie orientation, and then fly to Connecticut April 19 to start training camp. Oddly enough, she'll see UW coach Lisa Stone and assistant Ty Margenthaler there -- the two had already made plans to meet with Thibault as part of an effort to correct the Badgers' defensive woes.

Anderson's first game as a pro should be in front of plenty of friends and family -- Connecticut's preseason opener is in Minneapolis.

"To play in the WNBA, to do something that you love doing," Anderson said, "I guess it's a dream come true."