Just two seasons into their existence as a WNBA franchise, the Golden State Valkyries became the fastest expansion team ever to win a championship. They are inspiring women across the Bay Area, including one of our own professors at SSU.

Talena Sanders, a Sonoma State professor of Communication and Media Studies, said the Valkyries made her a sports fan. She said that when she was a student at the University of Kentucky and Duke University, sports culture was strong. But the men's basketball teams never drew her in the way the Valkyries did.

"This is the first time I've cared about sports," she said. "The Valkyries have made me into a sports person."

Sanders attended her first game after a friend with season tickets offered her tickets when they couldn't go. "I just got hooked right away. It's such a beautiful, inclusive environment—the identity of the team and the whole energy of the games. It's like this wonderful party, and it's celebrating the accomplishments of women."

She said she signed up for season tickets as soon as she could. "Fifty percent of my identity is being a Valkyries and WNBA fan at this point. So they've really turned me into a believer."

One thing Sanders values about the team is the inclusive environment it fosters. "I love that our team is full of out queer people," she said. "I identify as a pansexual person, and I really appreciate their representation. I especially love that our MVP, Gabby Williams, and coach, Natalie Nakase, have spoken out publicly in support of trans people."

The team's collective effort is another inspiring element for Sanders. "This team doesn't operate on a star system," she said. "Everyone has a role, and the whole team works together. They're so connected, and there's so much chemistry. And I like that there's not this kind of celebrity-style stan fandom around a star."


SSU prof. Talena Sanders attending the Golden State Valkyries Parade on 11/4/26. Photo Courtesy of Talena Sanders.
The phenomenon surrounding the Valkyries can be seen as a sign that investing in women's sports is a winning proposition. Sanders said the team's success—from business, marketing and communications, and athletic perspectives—and the broader support for women and their leadership must be meaningful for women and girls.

With sports returning to SSU in fall 2027 after being absent since the 2025 budget cuts, the excitement around women's sports couldn't have come at a better time for the campus. Molly Marrin, the newly hired head coach of the returning Seawolves women's basketball team, said in a Seawolf Sitdown interview with Amy Gutierrez that the momentum in women's basketball has been incredible. "To be first in the WNBA in attendance and to sell out [Chase Center] is unbelievable," she said.

With so many people choosing to attend Valkyries games among the many things to do in the Bay Area, Marrin said, the team's attendance is a data point showing how women's basketball can grow in the Bay Area and North Bay. She said she believes this presents an opportunity for Sonoma State.

"What's unique about Sonoma State in the area is that there's not a lot of competition," she said. "I was in Denver, and there are 10 universities within 20 minutes of each other. So Sonoma State doesn't have that. There's an opportunity to grow and connect with the community. The goal is to pack the gym for every game."

For Sanders, the Seawolves' return means she can bring her Ballhalla energy to the Wolves' Den. "I will definitely be there to support our women's sports teams when they come back, and I hope the interest in women's sports will extend to our campus community, too."