The 2021 WNBA Playoffs tipped off Thursday night, and the 22 former ACC women’s basketball student-athletes on the competing team rosters are the most of any conference.
The ACC has at least one former student-athlete on all eight playoff teams, headlined by five players on the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. The conference’s 22 players are seven more than the next-closest conference.
It marks the third consecutive year that the ACC has had more players on playoff rosters than any other conference.
Notre Dame leads all league schools with nine former student-athletes, while Duke and Louisville each have four.
The first round features the No. 5 seed Phoenix Mercury against the No. 8 seed New York Liberty, and No. 6 seed Chicago Sky playing the No. 7 seed Dallas Wings. In the second round, the No. 3 seed Minnesota Lynx play the lowest-seeded first-round winner and the No. 4 seed Seattle Storm will await the other first-round winner.
The first and second rounds are single elimination, and teams will be reseeded after both rounds.
The Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces are seeded No. 1 and 2, respectively, and receive a double bye into the semifinal round.
The semifinals feature a best-of-five format, with the No. 1 overall seed (Connecticut) playing the lowest remaining seed and the No. 2 overall seed (Las Vegas) meeting the remaining team. The No. 1 and 2 seeds will host Games 1, 2 and 5, and the lower-seeded teams will host Games 3 and 4 in their respective series.
The WNBA Finals remain best-of-five and follow the same 2-2-1 format.
For more information on the 2021 WNBA Playoffs or to view the complete schedule, click here.
ACC alums on WNBA Playoff teams
Chicago Sky
- Lexie Brown, G, Duke
- Dana Evans, G, Louisville
Connecticut Sun
- Beatrice Mompremier, F, Miami
- Jasmine Thomas, G, Duke
Dallas Wings
- Marina Mabrey, G, Notre Dame
- Arike Ogunbowale, G, Notre Dame
Las Vegas Aces
- Chelsea Gray, G, Duke
- Dearica Hamby, F, Wake Forest
- Angel McCoughtry, G/F, Louisville
- Riquna Williams, G, Miami
- Jackie Young, G, Notre Dame
New York Liberty
- Natasha Howard, F, Florida State
- Jazmine Jones, G, Louisville
- Leaonna Odom, F, Duke
- Kylee Shook, F, Louisville
- Jocelyn Willoughby, G/F, Virginia
Minnesota Lynx
- Natalie Achonwa, F, Notre Dame
- Kayla McBride, G, Notre Dame
- Jessica Shepard, F, Notre Dame
Phoenix Mercury
- Skylar Diggins-Smith, G, Notre Dame
- Brianna Turner, F, Notre Dame
Seattle Storm
- Jewell Loyd, G, Notre Dame
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