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Mercury's Kathryn Westbeld reflects on rematch with sister Maddy before facing Sky
Mercury's Kathryn Westbeld reflects on rematch with sister Maddy before facing Sky

Yahoo

time27-06-2025

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Mercury's Kathryn Westbeld reflects on rematch with sister Maddy before facing Sky

The post Mercury's Kathryn Westbeld reflects on rematch with sister Maddy before facing Sky appeared first on ClutchPoints. WNBA players rarely get a chance to experience a memorable personal moment in between all the gameplay, but for Kathryn Westbeld and her sister Maddy, they're getting a chance to run back their historic feat. The Westbeld sisters are sharing the court for the second time in the 2025 WNBA season on June 22 when Kathryn's Phoenix Mercury take on Maddy's Chicago Sky. Advertisement 'Being her older sister, I obviously want the absolute best for her, and for her just to be here with me at the same time, I know it's … divine timing,' Kathryn said pre-game. 'I've been … you know, out of college for six years, and to come back here and both be rookies at the same time, it's just something that's really special,' the elder Westbeld continued. 'And to just be able to share it with her, and at this stage, is something that's unexplainable. But we're just both happy to be here.' The feeling was clearly mutual, as the 22-year-old Maddy expressed a mutual respect for her older sibling. 'Personally, I'm very humbled. She's killing it in the league right now, so I'm just so blessed to be able to watch it firsthand,' Maddy said of Kathryn. The WNBA's only current pair of sisters took the court against each other for the first time on May 27. Ahead of the first tip-off, the Sky forward opened up on the sentimental meaning of the matchup with her big sister. Advertisement 'Honestly, I keep calling it divine timing because this is both of our first years in the league, and so I just couldn't be more proud of her,' the younger Westbeld said. Maddy was the Sky's 16th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, while the Mercury forward is just making her way back to the league after going undrafted in 2018 and building a solid overseas career. Kathryn claimed an NCAA title during her senior year at Notre Dame in 2018 before spending that year's training camp with the Los Angeles Sparks. The 29-year-old then went on to play professionally in Puerto Rico, Spain, Australia, France, Italy, and Hungary. Maddy also spent five years with the Fighting Irish, winning three All-ACC honors. Related: Why Kahleah Copper is comparing Mercury to Sky championship team Related: Kahleah Copper gives Mercury teammates their flowers after breaking 3-point record

WNBA Reacts to Angel Reese, Sky Players' Outfits for Dream Game
WNBA Reacts to Angel Reese, Sky Players' Outfits for Dream Game

Yahoo

time16-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

WNBA Reacts to Angel Reese, Sky Players' Outfits for Dream Game

WNBA Reacts to Angel Reese, Sky Players' Outfits for Dream Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Sky are in action on Friday night as they look to secure their first win in three games. They also hope to improve on their 2-6 record as they battle the Atlanta Dream in a road game at Gateway Center Arena. Advertisement Angel Reese and Co. have put in the work before the game. They've come prepared and are looking to reap the benefits of their hard work behind the scenes. As always, Reese and the rest of her teammates were also dressed for the occasion. The players strutted their stuff as they entered the arena before the game. The WNBA took notice of their outfits, opting to use Reese and her eye-catching ensemble as the cover photo of its social media post. "Arriving in style 🔥" the WNBA wrote on Instagram. View the original article to see embedded media. Reese was the main attraction of the post, as the 23-year-old came to the game in a cropped long-sleeve sweatshirt. It matched the color of her gray baggy cargo pants, which came with a layered waist accessory. Advertisement The former LSU star went for clear, open-toe heels for her footwear to complete her high-fashion meets street-wear look. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) during a Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Other players featured in the WNBA's post include Maddy Westbeld, Michaela Onyenwere, Elizabeth Williams, Hailey Van Lith, Ariel Atkins, Kamilla Cardoso and Rachel Banham. Reese and Co. will need to be at their best in this one as they hope to take down a 6-3 Dream side that is currently sitting at the No. 3 spot in the league standings. Chicago, however, enters this game with the third-worst record in the league. Related: Chicago Sky Coach Responds to Angel Reese's Comments About Him After Blowout Loss Related: Angel Reese Hilariously Got Into It With Former Chicago Sky Star Related: Angel Reese Issues Statement After Chicago Sky's Troubling News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.

Maddy Westbeld Talks Notre Dame, Adjusting to the WNBA and Sibling Rivalry
Maddy Westbeld Talks Notre Dame, Adjusting to the WNBA and Sibling Rivalry

Newsweek

time28-05-2025

  • Sport
  • Newsweek

Maddy Westbeld Talks Notre Dame, Adjusting to the WNBA and Sibling Rivalry

The sky is the limit for Maddy Westbeld. The 6'3" athlete made waves during her Notre Dame tenure as a sweet-shooting post player with the skills to fill the box score. She became one of the most honored players in Irish history, pushing into the storied program's top 10 for rebounds, blocks, starts, and minutes played. That success, combined with her balanced skill set, led to Westbeld being selected 16th by the retooling Chicago Sky, headed by their star post players Kamilla Cardoso and Unrivaled champion Angel Reese. Sitting down with Newsweek, the new WNBA player reflected on draft night and her professional experiences so far. "I was in Dayton, Ohio, with my family, a lot of hometown friends, a lot of high school, old teammates, old AAU teammates. So it was a really, really big full circle moment for me," Westbeld recounted. "When it came to draft night, all I felt was gratitude. It was like, regardless of what happens, I made it to this point. When my name got called, it was so loud in the room because there were so many people there. It was just overwhelmingly grateful. I think that's the only thing that I can explain and describe it as." Maddy Westbeld #21 of the Chicago Sky and Manu Alves #21 of the Brazil National Team wait for a free throw during the second half of a preseason game at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on... Maddy Westbeld #21 of the Chicago Sky and Manu Alves #21 of the Brazil National Team wait for a free throw during the second half of a preseason game at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on May 02, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. MoreAlong with Sonia Citron, the 3rd pick of the 2025 WNBA draft, Westbeld was one of two players from Notre Dame to be selected, joining a deep pool of talented players from the school, like Arike Ogunbowale, Marina Mabrey, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Jackie Young. The South Bend school, though, has become known as "Guard U." Westbeld may be one of the few Fighting Irish pros to play in the post, but that's not a problem. If anything, her college experience is still a source of pride. "I take a lot of pride in the fact that I'm a post coming from there, because the W has amazing guards," she explained. "They have amazing posts. And so for me to be able to play with the dynamic guards that I was playing with, in Hannah [Hidalgo] and Liv [Miles] and Sonia [Citron] and you go down the line, I feel like it has equipped me for being able to play with such versatile, dynamic players like Mo [Jefferson], like Hailey [Van Lith], like Sloot [Courtney Vandersloot]." All Sorts of New Challenges Though the quick turnaround to start the season has been "long" and "tough on the body," Westbeld has leaned on her team's veteran presence to teach her the ins and outs of the WNBA. "I truly have some of the best vets in the league, just for their willingness to help. [Elizabeth Williams] today, after practice, was sitting there passing for me, you know, just getting shots up, and I know she doesn't have to do that. She's hanging around after practice, passing for a rookie," she said. Leaning on veterans like Rachel Banham and Bec Allen has also helped Westbeld adjust to the learning curve that comes with the highest level of play. "You know, they know how difficult it is, and it's really little details. I'm asking them, 'What does one specific thing mean?' There's so many new terms. There's so many little things that you can really tell you're on a new level. And so with that, come challenges," Westbeld said. And while rookies still do land at the bottom of the metaphorical food chain, everyone is ultimately pulling in the same direction. "You make it to this level, and you know there's definitely a pecking order, but at the same time, the character of the people on this team is really, really important," the Ohio native added. But there's more to life than just what happens on the court; going pro also means adjusting to a new day-to-day reality. Chicago, for example, is quite a bit different than South Bend. While that transition may come with growing pains, the physical relocation was made less stressful by the regular trips Westbeld and her teammates made to the Windy City during their days off in the summer. "I kept saying I feel like I manifested this for myself, because me and my teammates would come here all the time," she remembered. "After I got drafted, the energy of me coming straight into the city, knowing that this was about to be my home, it was like, I don't know, it was just a different feel, and it was so beautiful. And I was so overwhelmed with gratitude." Stepping up from college to the pros, though, provides another challenge in terms of on-court physicality. That might sound daunting, especially for a player who goes to work under the rim, but Westbeld is excited to embrace it. "I think going into college, I was very much a physical player," she explained. "You know, I had a little bit of everything, but I really honed in on my physicality. And I think throughout my college career, people would kind of scout against that, try to take charges on me and whatnot. So to adapt to that, I became more of a finesse post. The identity of the W is just the physicality and the pace of it. I'm really, really excited to embrace that part of my game again." 1 Special Matchup The WNBA season offers Westbeld ample opportunity to play against the wealth of legendary Notre Dame alumni, including her mentor, Jewell Loyd. "She was always texting me after my games, telling me good job, telling me to hold my follow-through," laughed Westbeld. While there is no shortage of Notre Dame royalty in the WNBA, no matchup means more to Maddy than the game against her sister Kathryn, who joined the Phoenix Mercury's starting lineup this season after playing the previous season with KSC Szekszárd of Hungary. "We're six years apart and so never got to play together or against each other. And now having the opportunity to play against each other, it's like, I don't know. We keep telling each other we're about to meet each other at the rim, and we really are. I'm excited for it," said Westbeld, beaming. A little sibling rivalry doesn't preclude Maddy from being effusive in her praise of her sister Kathryn. "She's always been my mentor. And the fact that now we're kind of on the same playing field, level playing field. I think it's just a testament to both of our hard work and the fact that we stuck with it, and the fact that she stuck with it," Westbeld said. "I think her story alone is the embodiment of perseverance and the embodiment of just endurance. Her story is incredible, so I'm so excited to see her, and I'm just so proud of her." The key factor to preparing for that massive match-up? A good outfit. "People always say, 'You look good, you feel good, you play good.' And that is really true. I think the way that you do anything is the way that you do everything." Even the tunnel walk sparks the competitive drive in Westbeld. "A tunnel fit is just another opportunity to stand out, and fashion, in general, is something that I'm really into," she added. "It's been cool to see all the trends, and you know how W players are already popping out, I feel like it's a competition off the court." And whether she's popping out in the tunnel or on the court, Westbeld is ready to show the world what she can do. "I feel like I'm unguardable one-on-one. I'm excited to see what sticks."

Fairmont alum Maddy Westbeld drafted No. 16 overall in 2nd round to Chicago Sky
Fairmont alum Maddy Westbeld drafted No. 16 overall in 2nd round to Chicago Sky

Yahoo

time15-04-2025

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Fairmont alum Maddy Westbeld drafted No. 16 overall in 2nd round to Chicago Sky

KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN) – Former Fairmont Firebird and Notre Dame forward Maddy Westbeld was drafted No. 16 overall to the Chicago Sky in the second round of the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday night. Westbeld will join former rookie Angel Reese and fellow 2025 draft pick Hailey Van Lith (TCU) in Chicago. The 2020 Fairmont graduate was the Gatorade Ohio Girls Basketball Player of the Year, a McDonald's All-American and Ohio Ms. Basketball Award winner. Westbeld was ranked No. 23 overall in the 2020 class and fifth at her position. The 2020 OPSWA Division I Player of the Year and two-time GWOC Player of the Year led the Firebirds to a 25-3 record and regional finals appearance. Westbeld, a 6-foot-3 forward, played five seasons for the Fighting Irish and helped lead them to four straight Sweet 16 appearances. The former Firebird star earned ACC Rookie of the Year and earned First-Team All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman Team honors at Notre Dame. She made the Second Team All-ACC in both her junior and senior seasons and was named to the All-ACC Tournament First Team her senior year. Westbeld is one of the most decorated Notre Dame women's basketball players in program history, ranking near the top of the record books in five categories. She finished her college career with 940 rebounds (7th in program history), 145 career blocks (8th), 138 career starts (tied for 3rd), 4,100 career minutes (6th) and 1,710 career points (13th). Maddy's sister, Kathryn Westbeld, played for Notre Dame between 2015-2018 and scored 1,076 points, making them the only sister duo in program history to each score over 1,000 career points. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Kettering Fairmont graduate picked No. 16 overall in WNBA draft
Kettering Fairmont graduate picked No. 16 overall in WNBA draft

Yahoo

time15-04-2025

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Kettering Fairmont graduate picked No. 16 overall in WNBA draft

Kettering native and University of Notre Dame graduate Maddy Westbeld is heading to Chicago. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Westbeld was the No. 16 pick overall by the Chicago Sky in the WNBA draft on Monday. Advertisement She graduated from Fairmont High School in 2020 and was the Gatorade Ohio Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Westbeld declared for the draft earlier this week, according to a previous News Center 7 report. 'Thank you for everything thus far, but babygirl, this is only the beginning and you have so many gifts yet to realize. I am blessed to announce I am declaring for the 2025 WNDA Draft. Thank you God,' Westbeld said in the post. TRENDING STORIES: The 6-foot-3 forward played five seasons for the Fighting Irish and racked up several honors along the way. In her first year, Westbeld was named ACC Rookie of the Year and earned First Team All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman Team honors. Advertisement She made the Second Team All-ACC in both her junior and senior seasons and was named to the All-ACC Tournament First Team her senior year. She finished her career at Notre Dame with 940 rebounds, the seventh-best in program history. She also scored 1,710 career points, 13th-best in program history. Her sister, Kathryn Westbeld played for Notre Dame between 2015-2018 and scored 1,076 points, making them the only sister duo in school history to each score over 1,000 points. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

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