Uncasville, CT – On Sunday, July 27 the Mohegan Tribe and the Connecticut Sun celebrated local Tribes of Connecticut and New England for the Indigenous Peoples’ Game, presented by Yale New Haven Health. The Connecticut Sun took on the Golden State Valkyries at Mohegan Sun Arena, the first-ever matchup between the two teams in Connecticut.

To tip off the celebration, Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles received the Gladys Tantaquidgeon Award for her work in raising awareness about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) through the Hopey’s Heart Foundation. The award specifically recognizes her character, integrity, and leadership and honors her commitment to community impact. Charles’ foundation, Hopey’s Heart, has provided over 490 AED devices to schools, recreation centers, and underserved communities across the country. She is on track to place her 500^th AED this season, a milestone in her mission to expand access to life-saving equipment. Hopey’s Heart also provides health education and safety training while pledging monetary donations for each rebound Tina records during the 2025 season.

After the awards presentation, Tina Charles and former Sun guard and current Valkyries player, Veronica Burton, participated in a ceremonial tip-off, with Marie Pineault from the Mohegan Tribe of Elders executing the honor. Then Corrie Meehan, a member of the Mohegan Tribe, performed a blessing to welcome the newest WNBA expansion team to the league and Mohegan Sun for the first time ever.

Halftime of the inaugural matchup included the Rez Dogs and tribal performers playing Native American traditional drum music and performing indigenous style dancing, respectively. Fans in attendance enjoyed the performance and select fans also received a t-shirt featuring a design celebrating the night.

The Connecticut Sun defeated the Golden State Valkyries with a final score of 95-64, with Tina Charles scoring 24 points and Bria Hartley and Marina Mabrey scoring 15 points each.