WNBA Season on ESPN Begins with Memorial Day Doubleheader

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WNBA Season on ESPN Begins with Memorial Day Doubleheader

WNBA Coin LogoESPN2 will showcase the new WNBA season-opening Memorial Day doubleheader on Monday, May 27, featuring the top four teams from the 2013 WNBA Draft when the Washington Mystics meet the Tulsa Shock at 3 p.m., followed by Chicago Sky at the Phoenix Mercury at 5 p.m.  As part of the presentation, ESPN will begin a season-long look at the transition from college to the WNBA with the and in-depth “3 to See” — Elena Delle Donne (Delaware to Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame to Tulsa Shock) and Brittney Griner (Baylor to Phoenix Mercury). Live microphones on select players will be used during both telecasts.

ESPN Classic will run a Memorial Day weekend marathon from games of the “3 to See’s” college careers. (See schedule below.)

Veteran play-by-play commentator Pam Ward returns with analyst Carolyn Peck and reporter LaChina Robinson to call the Mystics at Shock, while Ryan Ruocco joins ESPN’s WNBA coverage as a play-by-play voice this season, and will be paired with analysts Rebecca Lobo and reporter Holly Rowe for the Sky at Mercury telecast.

Sue Bird – seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA Champion with the Seattle Storm – will join ESPN anchor Max Bretos in ESPN’s studio on Monday. Bird is sidelined for the 2013 season while recovering from left knee surgery.

Date Time (ET) Game Networks
Mon, May 27 3 p.m. Washington Mystics at Tulsa Shock
Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck & LaChina Robinson
ESPN2
  5 p.m. Chicago Sky at Phoenix Mercury
Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo & Holly Rowe
ESPN2

ESPN Classic Memorial Day “3 to See” Marathon

Date Time (ET) Game
Sun, May 26 4 p.m. 2012 NCAA Women’s National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame
Diggins 19 points leads ND to an 83-75 win
  6 p.m. Connecticut at Notre Dame (2013)
Diggins scores 29 points in ND’s 96-87 triple-overtime win
  8 p.m. 2013 NCAA Championship Second Round: Delaware vs. North Carolina
Delle Donne nets 33 points in loss in final home game
  10 p.m. 2012 NCAA Women’s National Championship: Notre Dame vs. BaylorGriner has 26 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in win
  Midnight 2012 NCAA Championship Second Round: Kansas vs. DelawareDelle Donne scores 34 points in loss
Mon, May 27 1:30 a.m. Notre Dame at Tennessee (2013)
Diggins has 33 points, five assists and four steals in victory
  3:30 p.m. 2012 CAA Championship: Drexel vs. Delaware
Delle Donne dominates with 27 points and 10 boards in win
  7 a.m. Connecticut at Baylor (2011)
Griner leads with 25 points, nine rebounds and nine blocks in victory
  9 a.m. Delaware at St. John’s (2013)
Delle Donne tallies 29 points, 16 boards, two assists and two blocks in overtime win
  11 a.m. 2011 NCAA Women’s National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame
Diggins nets 28 points in win over UConn and National Player of the Year Maya Moore
  1 p.m. Baylor at Connecticut (2013)
Griner scores 25 points in win, including 3,000th of her career

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Rachel Margolis Siegal

A part of the Internal Communications team at ESPN, I began with the network in 2010 as part of the College Sports PR team. Always an avid sports fan and not an athlete – I grew up a huge fan of the Hartford Whalers, while also watching my brother compete at different levels. I became the manager of several high school sports teams and continued that hobby into college. While at Quinnipiac, I worked in the Sports Information Department, which led me to a summer internship at the New Haven Ravens, a AA baseball team, and an eventual job with the Athletic Communications Department at the University of Connecticut. After my five-year stint at Connecticut, I spent six years as Director of Communications at the BIG EAST Conference in Providence, R.I. before joining ESPN.
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