Jennifer Azzi comes out as gay, announces marriage

Jennifer Azzi announced Thursday night that she is married to Blair Hardiek, her female assistant coach at USF.

She made the announcement while introducing Warriors president Rick Welts at the Anti-Defamation League's Torch of Liberty Award ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel.

Read more in this story by Diamond Leung (Bay Area Hews Group).

Candice has retired from basketball

Candice announced her retirement from basketball today, as reported by the WNBA in this story.

Candice announced her retirement via an article on The Players’ Tribune: Into the Sunset. She says nothing about her future plans but, "I’m happier than I’ve ever been. When I think about the next chapter in my life, I can’t help but grin from ear to ear."

Azzi's Dons are going dancing

The San Francisco women's basketball team made an historic run to the 2016 West Coast Conference title, taking down the No. 1-seeded BYU Cougars 70-68 at the Orleans Arena on Tuesday afternoon.

Winning as the No. 6, USF is the lowest seeded team to ever win the league title, defeating No. 3 San Diego and No. 2 Saint Mary's en route to the championship. The Dons now stand at 21-11 on the season, and eagerly await the first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1997.

"Wow. What a game. Our team fought so hard again tonight," remarked a smiling Jennifer Azzi.

Read more >>>

UW fires coach Bobbie Kelsey

Five years ago the University of Wisconsin gambled that Bobbie Kelsey’s championship pedigree as a player and assistant coach at perennial powerhouse Stanford could rub off on the UW women’s basketball program.

Friday, the UW conceded that bet hadn’t paid off.

Athletic director Barry Alvarez announced Friday afternoon that Kelsey’s contract had been terminated and the search for her successor was underway.

Read more >>>

Ros is a game changer

NBCBLK is using the 28 days in the month of February to honor 28 of the nation's most talented innovators and game changers — all ages 28 years and younger.

Ros is one of the honorees chosen by members of the NBC News broadcast and digital teams as industry and community leaders who are constantly striving to break barriers and defy stereotypes, redefining what it means to be Black in America today.

Rosalyn Gold-Onwude: Sideline Reporter Holds Court

Catching up with Chiney

The Connecticut Sun announced this week that Chiney seems to be on track to return by training camp.

"Chiney feels great," said her sister, Nneka. "She's been working out, getting herself ready. She's at Stanford right now working out with the team and she's been traveling and commentating [as a sports broadcaster]. When I talk to her about the knee, 'good' is what I hear a lot. She told me the other day that it was weird not feeling any pain after becoming so accustomed to having it."

In her latest gig as a sports broadcaster, Chiney joins LaChina Robinson as hosts of ESPN Radio's "Around the Rim", a show that "brings a fresh perspective on the hottest topics in women's college basketball." Listen>>>

And she and Pac-12 Networks' Ashley Adamson take a look at Friday's top-15 matchup between No. 7 Oregon State and No. 13 Stanford. Watch>>>

Life after concussions

Timothy Bella, reporter for Al Jazeera America, questions, "The NCAA knows even less about concussions among women than it does about those among men; will that change?"

He features Toni Kokenis in his report Beyond football players: The NCAA’s concussion gender gap

Nneka set to attend USA Basketball training camp

Announcement from USA Basketball: Olympic Finalists Set To Attend February 21-23 USA Basketball Women’s National Team Training Camp In Storrs, Connecticut

Nneka is EuroLeague Women Player of the Week

In the penultimate round of Regular Season EuroLeague Women action, Dynamo Kursk shot the lights out and racked up the highest score by any team during the current EuroLeague Women season as they left Uniqa Sopron trailing in their wake with a one-sided 102-68 success in Group B.

The FIBA game report lauds Nneka as the Game Hero: Nnemkadi Ogwumike could barely miss inside the paint and her lethal 9-of-10 shooting effort helped to harvest 22 points, which went nicely with eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks.

Eurobasket News acknowledged her extraordinary performance:

Nigerian-American Power forward Nnemkadi Ogwumike (189-F/C-90) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Dynamo K., receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 13.

The 25-year old player was the main contributor (22 points, eight rebounds and five assists) to her team's victory, helping them to outclass UNIQA Eurol. (#8, 1-12) with 34-point margin 102-68. Dynamo K. maintains the 3rd position in Euroleague .

They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Dynamo K. will need more victories to improve their 9-4 record.

In the team's last game Ogwumike had a remarkable 87.5% from 2-point range. She turned to be Dynamo K.'s top player in her first season with the team. Former Stanford University star has very solid stats this year. Ogwumike is in league's top in points (2nd best: 18.3ppg), rebounds (5th best: 8.9rpg) and averages impressive 61.8% FGP.

Here is the Game card

Bobbie's Rant

The Wisconsin Badgers are 6-14 for the season and have lost their last seven games. Following a loss to Nebraska last week during which Husker guard Natalie Romeo tied a school record for the second time in two weeks with eight three-pointers, Wisconsin coach Bobbie Kelsey (Stanford '96) went on a rant.

Specifically, she expressed her frustration how women's college basketball players need to focus more on shooting and less on their phones. Her advice to aspiring female athletes, repeated several times during the press conference is: "Get your butt in the gym!"

The video has drawn a lot of attention from women’s basketball fans, coaches and analysts. Carly Grenfell (Swish Appeal) comments on Kelsey's advice in:
Bobbie Kelsey's emphatic rant is 100% right