Jamila Wideman '97 Steps into Washington Mystics GM spot

Jamila Wideman's journey to become Mystics GM

For anybody who watched Jamila Wideman '97 play at Stanford knew immediately that she was a prototypical Point Guard, a Floor General in every sense of the word.  So it was not a surprise when, in February, she was named the General Manager of the Washington Mystics of the WNBA.  She is off to a flying start with a very successful draft that included Kiki Iriafen. Take a look here at Jamila's introductory interview where she talks about being drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks and her vision for the future of the Mystics.

Want to see some Alums in action?

The WNBA is finally coming to the Bay Area with the Golden State Valkyries opening night game on May 16.  With seven players currently on WNBA rosters, here are your chances to see Cardinal Alumni in action at Chase Center!

Los Angeles Sparks         5/16, 8/9       Cameron Brink '24      

      Cam suffered an ACL injury in 2024 and is expected to return to play before the All-Star break in June. 

Washington Mystics       5/21, 8/30     Kiki Iriafen '24 played at USC '25

     Kiki is starting her WNBA career in 2025 with the rebuilding Mystics.  Note that Jamila Wideman '97 is the General Manager for Washington.  Also of note is that Ashten 

Prechtel '23 was one of the last cuts by the Mystics after an impressive preseason.

Minnesota Lynx            6/1, 9/6         Alanna Smith '19 & Karlie Samuelson '17

     In her first season playing for the Lynx in 2024, Smith was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team and was also a member of the Australian Olympic Team that won a bronze medal in Paris.  Samuelson was traded to Minnesota by Washington after posting a career-high 8.4 points per game last season while adding 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest. She shot 39.8% (49-for-123) from the three-point line (13th in the WNBA). 

Seattle Storm                6/14, 6/29      Nneka Ogwumike '12

     This is Nneka's second year with the Storm after being with the Sparks from 2012 until 2023.  She is currently the President of the WNBA Players' Association.

Indiana Fever              6/19, 8/31       Lexie Hull '22

     Lexie had a breakout year with the Fever as her 3-point percentage was 47.1%, making her the league leader in that category.   

Dallas Wings               7/25, 9/4         DiJonai Carrington '20 played at Baylor '21

     Traded to Dallas in 2025 after playing with the Connecticut Sun where she was named the Most Improved Player for 2024 and a member of to the 2024 All-Defensive First Team.

Haley Jones '23 was released by the Atlanta Dream on 5/14.  Here's hoping that she gets picked up by another team in 2025.

Angela Taylor discusses her impressive career after Stanford with the WNBA and women's sports

Longtime SWBB fans fondly remember Angela Taylor as a walk-on who went on to be a full scholarship player and a member the Stanford National Championship teams in 1990 and 1992.  But there is so much more to this unique individual as you will learn in this wide ranging interview with Talent Chasing in September of 2024.  Angela discusses her route to Stanford, her sports management career and much more with Chad Sowash and fellow Card Brian Johnson.  Note--this is a transcript from a podcast (also available here) so some names are a bit mangled and misspelled.

Read more ..

Catching up with Kiana "The Key" Williams

Catching up with Kiana "The Key" Williams

Kiana recently returned from a very successful campaign in China.  She averaged 18.5 points per game while shooting 47.1% from 3 point range.  Along the way she was named to the China WBCA All-Star team in a league that includes players Jonquel Jones, Liz Cambage, Chennedy Carter, Myesha Hines-Allen, Kamila Cardoso and Alanna Smith.  Take a look at this 5:56 video interview of Kiana with KSAT San Antonio where she reminisces about her high school and Stanford careers as well as her goal to return to the WNBA.

Chiney is Going Hollywood!

March 18, 2025 Essence Article-- 

We all knew that Chiney's creativity would not stop after the creation of Nerd Nation.

So it is no surprise that her newly formed production company Victorious has 

announced the first-ever scripted series based on the WNBA titled The W.   The show is a half-hour comedy about a rookie player and her inexperienced agent navigating the trials and tribulations of the world of women’s professional basketball.

Read more...

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/chiney-ogwumike-wnba-the-w-series/

Ashten Prechtel -- World Traveler

 

Nov 2024 SB Nation Article - Since graduating from Stanford in 2023, Ashten Prechtel has pursued her Professional Basketball career around the world.  She is currently playing in Hungary after stints in Dandenong, Australia, Mondeville, France and Dunedin, New Zealand.  All this play is leading towards her dream of playing in the WNBA. 

Read more...

Nov 2024 --- 9:32 Video Interview - Swish Appeal

March 2024 - 2:01 Video

Ashten Prechtel with 25 PTS, 21 REB vs. Tokomanawa Queens

Read more...

Jennifer Azzi may already be in eight Halls of Fame but is in line to add another to her list.

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/local/2025/02/16/jennifer-azzi-naismith-basketball-hall-of-fame-finalist/78894281007/

Joslyn Tinkle's Trial by Fire

Welcome to this new Alumnae Feature!  We will use this space to share news and notes about various goings on relating to former players as they move along in "Real Life".  

Trouble in paradise: Pepperdine assistant Joslyn Tinkle found teaching moments as Malibu wildfire raged

"Missoula's Tinkle, in her first season on the women's basketball coaching staff at Pepperdine, was away on a recruiting trip through Texas and Missouri when the calamitous Franklin Fire began to surround campus in idyllic Malibu, Calif., ultimately burning through more than 4,000 acres and destroying or damaging 28 structures."  Excerpt from a MontanaSport.com article:

Read full article - Joslyn's Trial by Fire - Includes a 2:07 video