SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Atlanta Dream selected Angel McCoughtry with the first pick in the WNBA draft on Thursday.

The Louisville forward averaged 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds during her last three years and led the Cardinals to the NCAA championship game Tuesday against winner Connecticut.

She joins a vastly improved Atlanta team a year after they finished 4-30 in their inaugural season while setting the WNBA record for losses. The Dream have added former All-Stars Chamique Holdsclaw and Michelle Snow, as well as Nikki Teasley and Sancho Lyttle in the offseason.

Washington took Maryland's Marissa Coleman with the No. 2 pick, and Terrapins teammate Kristi Toliver was selected next by Chicago.

Coleman averaged 18.1 points and 8.6 rebounds, while Toliver had a team-high 18.4 points, 4.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds to help Maryland reach the NCAA regional finals.

The Minnesota Lynx picked Connecticut's Renee Montgomery with the fourth pick. Montgomery had career-bests of 16.5 points and 5.1 assists this season while helping the Huskies finish the season 39-0 for their sixth national championship.