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Good morning. Happy Opening Ceremony Day! 🏅
While the Winter Olympics do not include women’s basketball, we hope you’ll be cheering on the athletes in Milan like us!
What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. Katrina McClain Award Short List Is Here 🏀
The award shortlist train continues to roll as the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the midseason candidates for the Katrina McClain Award, given annually to the nation’s top power forward. This year’s top 10 watch list includes recognizable names such as UConn’s Sarah Strong, South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards, and Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke.
WHY IT MATTERS: The award is named after Katrina McClain, one of the most dominant forwards the women’s game has ever seen. Landing on this list puts players in elite company. Recent past winners include WNBA players Aneesah Morrow, Kiki Iriafen, Maddy Siegrist, and Napheesa Collier.
🗳️ Who stands out to you most on the Katrina McClain Award short list right now?
2. Lisa Bluder Honored With Character Award 👏
Former Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder was named one of four recipients of the 2026 Joe Lapchick Character Award, and the only honoree from women’s basketball this year. (Joe Lapchick Character Award Foundation)
WHY IT MATTERS: This award goes beyond wins. It celebrates values like integrity, leadership, courage, and trustworthiness. Bluder checks every box. Over nearly 40 years and close to 900 wins, she earned respect across the sport from players to peers to fans. Honors like this spotlight how you lead, not just how often you win.
3. Washington Post Eliminates Sports Department 📰
The Washington Post announced it is eliminating its sports department as part of a broader round of layoffs this week. (ESPN)
WHY IT MATTERS: This is another clear signal of how difficult the media business has become. The financial model is hard to sustain (we know firsthand!) and as traditional newsrooms shrink, more fans will get sports coverage from influencers and independent creators. That coverage can be fast and accessible, but it is often not held to the same editorial standards. For women’s basketball, that makes trusted, responsible coverage even more important moving forward.
Today’s a Good Day to Watch Women’s Sports
This mug says it all. Every day is a good day to watch women’s sports. Start your morning right.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Mid-Major Moment: North Dakota State sits atop the College Insider mid-major poll, a high honor for non-Power 4 programs.
1K Club: South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards reached 1,000 career points, becoming just the third sophomore in program history to do so.
Road Shock: Minnesota knocked off No. 10 Iowa, 91–85, for its first top-10 road win in more than 20 years.
🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: Looks like plenty of you tuned in. A strong 67% said you watched the UConn-Tennessee matchup, joining the 1.2 million viewers.
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