✊🏽 HAPPY WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Hi Hoops Fans!

March is upon us. In addition to being tournament time and one month closer to the WNBA season, it also means we can celebrate women of all kinds and cultures!

In today’s newsletter, we recap:

• The new Athletes Unlimited Basketball champion

• Money Moves by Serena Williams and Sabrina Ionescu

• The NCAA Women’s Basketball Poll ahead of Conference Tournament play

Women’s History Fact:

Did you Know…

Before POSE gave audiences a glimpse into drag ball culture, the 1900 documentary film PARIS IS BURNING told the story of Angie Xtravaganza and other NYC house mothers.

"I knew [the ballroom scene] in the sense of how black and brown trans and queer folk gathered in community and performance and gathered to take care of one another in a world that doesn't take care of them," POSE writer and producer told TV Guide.

"I don't think I saw footage of it until I saw Paris Is Burning. So there's no way to separate my exposure to this space beyond that."

We look forward to sharing more about the history of various women throughout the month.

With love,

Erica L. Ayala, Head Black Rosie in Charge (HBIC)

👑 MADDY WEARS THE AU CROWN

From 12th to 1st!

Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegirst dominated in her second season of Athletes Unlimited. The 6’4” forward set a new all-time scoring record with 7,052 points, besting 2024 champion Allisha Gray by 71 points.

The Villanova alumna averaged 24 points and recorded 10+ points in nine of her 12 games.

2025 Athlete Unlimited Final Leaderboard:

1. Maddy Siegrist - 7,052 points

2. Odyssey Sims - 6,595 points

3. Crystal Bradford - 5,304 points

4. Maya Caldwell - 4,860 points

All-Defensive Team

• Elizabeth Williams

• Crystal Bradford

• Alysha Clark

• Odyssey Sims

• Shey Peddy

Defensive Player of the Year:

Shey Peddy

Newcomer of the Year:

Tyasha Harris

Athletes Unlimited will return to Music City next. Last week, the league announced a multi-year deal for AU Pro Basketball in Nashville.

The 2026 AU Pro Basketball season will occur from February 4 to 28 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

 💰MOVES - WOMEN INVESTING IN WOMEN

The Toronto Tempo has a new partner!

Earlier this week, tennis legend and entrepreneur Serena Williams announced she joined the Tempo’s ownership group.

Williams will help with jersey designs, merchandise collaborations, and plenty more. Williams’ involvement will help build even more anticipation for the Tempo’s inaugural season in 2026.

There is much anticipation ahead of the Tempo’s WNBA debut. Both WNBA preseason games in Canada (first Toronto and then Edmonton) sold out as fans created a fun atmosphere for the players on the court and viewers at home.

Interest in the league continues to rise, and having global superstars like Williams connected to the league will help bring even more eyes and investment dollars to the league.

Moving from the court to the pitch, Sabrina Ionescu made a big investment of her own. The Liberty star will be joining Bay FC as a commercial advisor.

Ionescu has had a big start to 2025, playing in Unrivaled, participating in the NBA’s Paris Games, and traveling to Asia as part of her first Nike tour as a signature athlete.

Ionescu is one of the game’s popular players, and she has been able to build on that to expand her reach to exciting new ventures.