Cathy Engelbert, ’86, announced her retirement as WNBA commissioner effective at the end of the 2026 season.
She spent more than seven years with the league as the first Commissioner of the WNBA. In her role, Engelbert expanded the league from 12 to 18 teams and increased overall viewership of professional women’s basketball.
She also spearheaded a $75 million capital raise to support her growth strategies for the league in 2022, the largest-ever investment round in women’s sports.
According to ESPN, the average value of a WNBA franchise increased from $10 million in 2019 to $460 million in 2026.
Engelbert’s retirement also comes amid debate surrounding the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement rule, which occurs almost every four years. According to ESPN, the new agreement states “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.”
This conversation with the renewal of the agreement comes from the lack of clarity on what defines a woman within the league.
This rule, which was decided upon by players, coaches, and executives, is ambiguous regarding gender identity and has caused a divide about whether transgender athletes can compete in the league.
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