The Charlotte Sting acquired former Penn State women's basketball standout Helen Darling. The deal was announced yesterday by Sting general manager and head coach Trudi Lacey. In a sign-and-trade deal, the Sting received Darling and a second round pick (No. 24 overall) from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Charlotte's second round pick (No. 17 overall) in the 2005 WNBA Draft. A restricted free agent, Darling signed a multi-year contract. Per team policy, further details were not disclosed.

Darling, a four-year veteran of the WNBA, played three seasons with the Cleveland Rockers before joining the Minnesota Lynx last season.

She was drafted by Cleveland with the 17th overall selection in the 2000 WNBA Draft and later taken by Minnesota with the seventh pick in the 2004 Dispersal Draft, held when the Rockers ceased operations following the 2003 season. In 131 career games, Darling has posted 4.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

A 2000 graduate of Penn State University, Darling was named a Kodak All-American as a senior, won the Naismith Award for small player of the year and became the first player in school history to be named Big Ten Player of the Year. She joins fellow alumni Kelly Mazzante, who graduated from PSU in 2004, on the Sting roster.