Hartford, CT (February 5, 2026) – On Wednesday, February 4, the Connecticut Sun celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day in Hartford, Connecticut at Parker Memorial Community Center From 9:30am-2:00pm, the Sun hosted 70 middle school and high school girls for a community conversation, Women in Sports Panel, and free basketball clinic.

Youth from Weaver High School and McDonough Middle School participated in a celebration of girls and women in sports. The goal of the event was to encourage youth to be involved and stay active as high percentages of middle and high school girls tend to drop out of sports. The event tipped off with both groups participating in an icebreaker to learn more about each other. The attendees then Then the attendees heard from Connecticut Sun analyst Terrika Foster-Brasby about confidence, her journey within sports, and how her career has taken her to places and heights she hadn’t previously imagined she would be in.

After a quick break with snacks and drinks, the event reconvened with the Women in Sports Panel involving women from the Connecticut Sun front office. woman members of the Connecticut Sun front office staff. Featured departments on the panel included Ticket Sales/Operations, Partnerships, Public Relations, Social Media/Content, and Sun Academy Coaches. The panel centered on each person’s journey working in sports as well as their previous involvement playing sports. A topic of discussion included how mental health makes an impact on athletes and the contributing factors to those struggles. The discussion ended with each panelist providing advice to the young girls and a look into how women can be involved in sports without necessarily being an athlete. Connecticut Sun Account Executive Mikayla VanZandt participated in the panel, sharing how her role helps fans experience games firsthand and reflecting on her upbringing and athletic journey in Maine. Connecticut Sun Account Executive Mikayla VanZandt spoke on the panel about how her position helps fans attend games and her experiences growing up and being an athlete in Maine.

“Growing up, I was a female athlete, so coming to a different community, being on the panel to explain our roles and everything we’ve developed over the years, and sharing the importance of this day was not only impactful for these girls but for me as well. It was great for me and everyone to share their backgrounds in sports and how we got to where we are now. To come here and show these young athletes, and some who have never even picked up a basketball, what basketball is was an amazing experience,” said Mikayla VanZandt.

After the panel discussion, Sun Academy coaches and staff led a free clinic to teach the students basketball skills from warmups to shooting drills. The youth then left the event with free pizza and Connecticut Sun goodie bags. The Sun partnered with HoopWave and the City of Hartford Department of Sports and Recreation for this event. HoopWave is a student athlete mentoring program that targets youth development and community health. The City of Hartford Department of Sports and Recreation ensures all Hartford youth have the opportunity to engage in recreational activities by collaborating with community stakeholders to promote and expand recreational opportunities, ensuring accessibility to all residents.

Established in 2003, the Connecticut Sun is a professional women’s basketball team in the Women’s National Basketball Association that takes residence at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. For more information on the team’s community events and initiatives visit https://sun.wnba.com/community. To purchase season tickets, visit www.connecticutsun.com or call 1-877-SUN-TIXX.

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