Spotlight Opinion: WNBA thrived despite Cathy Engelbert. She won't be missed NANCY ARMOUR USA Today Sep 6, 2026 23 hrs ago × SNTV FILE: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to retire in December Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The most damning judgment of Cathy Engelbert’s legacy as WNBA commissioner is that the league is thriving in spite of her, rather than because of her.kAmt?86=36CE 925 E96 8@@5 7@CEF?6 E@ 36 4@>>:DD:@?6C 2E 2 E:>6 H96? :?E6C6DE :? H@>6?’D DA@CED :D 6IA=@5:?8 2?5 r2:E=:? r=2C< 92D 42AE:G2E65 E96 4@F?ECJ] x?DE625 @7 >@G:?8 962G6? 2?5 62CE9 E@ 42A:E2=:K6 @? E92E[ t?86=36CE 2=:6?2E65 96C A=2J6CD[ 5C28865 96C 766E @? =628F6 6IA2?D:@? 2?5 492CE6C 7=:89ED[ 2?5 H2D =2C86=J D:=6?E H96? :?E6C?6E EC@==D 2?5 325 24E@CD DA6H65 C24:D> 2?5 92E6 2?5 EC:65 E@ >2<6 2 >@4<6CJ @7 E96 =628F6]k^AmkAm$96 92D 366? F?23=6 E@ >66E E96 >@>6?E D96 H2D 8:7E65[ 2?5 D96 H:== ?@E 36 >:DD65]k^Am People are also reading… Kyle Harrison did himself no favors in Brewers' loss to Cubs by tipping pitches Gateway helps graduate help family Gateway shows graduate the way to reaching career and life goals Lake Geneva Police Department’s expenses expect to increase by $411,000 in 2027 Bucks sign 7-foot center ahead of training camp Recently acquired Packers running back makes for strong culture, scheme fit Yerkes Foundation hosting 'Cosmic Construction' fundraiser UW-Whitewater police find no threat after shelter-in-place alert Packers sign veteran free agent to reinforce tight end room Pitcher providing little evidence Brewers should have confidence in him for playoffs Kenosha Laborfest set to return in lakside park on Labor Day Residents receive information about proposed transmission line project Prominent UW-Madison professor agrees to resign after investigation Rookie wide receiver looks to continue Packers' decades-long tradition Lake Geneva Avian Committee hosting annual Swift Night Out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks at the start of the 2026 WNBA Draft on April 13 in New York City. Brad Penner, Imagn Images kAm“x C6E:C6 <?@H:?8 H6 92G6 3F:=E D@>6E9:?8 3:886C[ DEC@?86C 2?5 >@C6 6?5FC:?8 E92? H6 4@F=5 92G6 :>28:?65[” t?86=36CE D2:5 :? E96 uC:52J DE2E6>6?E 2??@F?4:?8 96C C6E:C6>6?E 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 D62D@?]k^AmkAm“x 2> 8C2E67F= E@ E96 (}qp 2?5 }qp E62> @H?6CD 2?5 DE277[ A=2J6CD[ :?G6DE@CD[ 72?D 2?5 E96 A@H6C9@FD6 =628F6 @77:46 DE277[ H9@ 36=:6G65 :? H92E E9:D =628F6 4@F=5 364@>6[Q D96 25565] Qx C6E:C6 H:E9 :>>6?D6 8C2E:EF56 2?5 EC6>6?5@FD @AE:>:D> 7@C E96 7FEFC6 @7 E96 (}qp[ H:E9 E96 36DE J6E E@ 4@>6]Qk^AmkAm(:E9 t?86=36CE :? E96 C62CG:6H]k^Am kAmr2E9J t?86=36CE 4@F=5 92G6 =67E 2 =2C86C >2C<]k^Am kAm%96C6 2C6 4@>>:DD:@?6CD H9@ 2C6 EC2?D7@C>2E:G6] %96 }qp’D s2G:5 $E6C? 4@>6D E@ >:?5[ 4=62?:?8 FA E96 =628F6VD 5CF8 AC@3=6>D 2?5 7@DE6C:?8 8=@32= 8C@HE9 @7 E96 82>6 3J 3=6DD:?8 E96 sC62> %62>’D A2CE:4:A2E:@? 2E E96 `hha ~=J>A:4D] %96C6 2C6 4@>>:DD:@?6CD H9@ 2C6 42C6E2<6CD[ H:D6 6?@F89 E@ C64@8?:K6 2 8@@5 E9:?8 2?5 ?@E >6DD :E FA] %96C6 2C6 4@>>:DD:@?6CD H9@ 2C6 4@==23@C2E:G6[ D66:?8 E96>D6=G6D 2D A2CE?6CD H:E9 E96 A=2J6CD C2E96C E92? @G6C=@C5D]k^AmkAmt?86=36CE H2D ?@?6 @7 E9@D6]k^Am kAmxE :D ECF6 E96 ( :D 2 G2DE=J 5:776C6?E =628F6 E92? H96? t?86=36CE E@@< @G6C :? a_`h] %96 D2=2CJ 42A 32==@@?65 2=>@DE c__T :? E96 =2E6DE 4@==64E:G6 32C82:?:?8 28C66>6?E[ H:E9 E96 >:?:>F> A=2J6C D2=2CJ ?@H Saf_[___[ 2 72C 4CJ 7C@> :ED AC6G:@FD See[_fh 7=@@C] !FCA@D6\3F:=E AC24E:46 724:=:E:6D 2C6 ?@H E96 ?@C>[ C2E96C E92? 2 H:D9] %62>D 2C6 7:==:?8 }qp 2C6?2D 2?5 C2E:?8D 2C6 C:G2=:?8 E96 >2;@C >6?’D DA@CED]k^Am kAmqFE E9:D :D 2 4C65:E E@ E96 =628F6VD A=2J6CD[ ?@E t?86=36CE]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ p|$[ E96 (VD :?56I65 G:6H6CD9:A — E9:?< >2C<6E D92C6 @7 C2E:?8D 7@C 2== DA@CED — 3682? C:D:?8 :? a_`c 2?5 92D 8C@H? :? 2== 3FE @?6 J62C[ a_`f[ D:?46 E96?] p’;2 (:=D@?[ qC62??2 $E6H2CE[ $F6 q:C5 2?5 s:2?2 %2FC2D: H6C6 4@>A6E:E:G6 2?5 6?E6CE2:?:?8[ 2?5 72?D[ @H?6CD 2?5 DA@?D@CD 2=:<6 H6C6 E2<:?8 ?@E6]k^Am kAm%96? 42>6 r=2C<[ H9@D6 AFCDF:E @7 E96 }rpp D4@C:?8 C64@C5 2?5 =@8@ bD >256 96C 2 ?2E:@?2= :4@? :? 2 H2J 76H H@>6? 2E9=6E6D 925 366? AC6G:@FD=J] p?86= #66D6[ !2:86 qF64<6CD 2?5 ~=:G:2 |:=6D 92G6 @?=J 3C@256?65 E96 =628F6VD 2AA62=]k^Am kAmxE’D ECF6 t?86=36CE C64@8?:K65 E9:D]k^Am kAmQ$96 3C@F89E 2 D:8?:7:42?E 2>@F?E @7 3FD:?6DD 6IA6C:6?46 E@ E96 =628F6 2?5 96=A65 >2<6 E96 42D6 7@C E96 G2=F6 @7 %96 ( 2?5 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ :? 7C@?E @7 :E[Q (}q!p 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C %6CC: r2C>:4926= y24<D@? D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am kAmqFE :EVD 2=D@ 72:C E@ 2D< H96E96C t?86=36CE 5:5 6?@F89 7@C E96 (]k^AmkAm%96 (}qpVD Sb]` 3:==:@? >65:2 C:89ED 562=n %96C6 2C6 D@>6[ y24<D@? :?4=F565[ H9@ E9@F89E :E H2D F?56CG2=F65 2?5 BF6DE:@?65 H9J t?86=36CE 5:5?’E :?D:DE @? :E 36:?8 ?68@E:2E65 D6A2C2E6=J 7C@> E96 }qpVD >F49 =2C86C 562=]k^AmkAmQ(6 92G6 H@?56C65 7@C >@?E9D 9@H E96 }qp H@F=5 G2=F6 E96 (}qp :? :ED >65:2 C:89ED 562=[Q y24<D@? D2:5 H96? E96 :?:E:2= 562= H2D 2??@F?465 :? a_ac] Q(:E9 2 C6A@CE65=J Sfd 3:==:@? 562= @? E96 E23=6[ E96 W}qpX :D :? 4@?EC@= @7 :ED @H? 56DE:?J] |@C6 AC64:D6=J[ E96 }qp 4@?EC@=D E96 56DE:?J @7 E96 (}qp]Qk^Am kAm%96 6IA2?D:@? @7 E96 =628F6 7C@> `a E62>D E@ 2? 6G6?EF2= `gn t?86=36CE 5C28865 96C 766E — E96 ( H6?E `f J62CD 36EH66? 6IA2?D:@? E62>D — 6G6? 2D E96 }(${ H2D D9@H:?8 E96C6 H2D 2 >2C<6E 7@C >@C6 H@>6?VD E62>D 2?5 E96 v@=56? $E2E6 '2=<JC:6D H6C6 2 3=@4<3FDE6C 7C@> E96 DE2CE]k^AmkAm%96 492CE6C 7=:89EDn p=D@ 2 J62C E@@ =2E6[ 2?5 @?=J 27E6C :?4:56?ED H96C6 A=2J6C D276EJ H2D 2E C:D<]k^Am kAm|@DE 68C68:@FD[ E9@F89[ 92D 366? t?86=36CE’D 5:DC682C5 7@C 96C A=2J6CD 2?5 96C :?23:=:EJ E@ AC@E64E E96>]k^Am kAm$96 5:5?’E E2<6 E96 G:EC:@= 2?5 92E6 A=2J6CD H6C6 6IA6C:6?4:?8 D6C:@FD=J 2E 7:CDE[ 5@H?A=2J:?8 :E 2D 2 C67=64E:@? @7 C:G2=C:6D 2?5 2 A@E6?E:2= >2C<6E:?8 3@@?] #2E96C E92? :>>65:2E6=J 42==:?8 @FE E96 7:C6DE@C> @G6C EC2?D86?56C A=2J6CD 2D E96 723C:42E65 :DDF6 :E :D[ 96C =6?8E9J D:=6?46 2==@H65 325 24E@CD E@ 4@\@AE E96 (}qp 2D 2 DE286 7@C E96:C A6C7@C>2E:G6 ?@?D6?D6]k^Am kAmq642FD6 @7 t?86=36CE’D :?24E:@?[ E96D6 :DDF6D — @?6 G6CJ C62= 2?5 E96 @E96C 4@>A=6E6=J 723C:42E65 — 92G6 4@?E:?F65 E@ 76DE6C 2?5 567=64E 2EE6?E:@? 7C@> E96 G6CJ 82>6 D96 :D DFAA@D65 E@ 36 492>A:@?:?8]k^Am kAm%96 32C6 >:?:>F> 7@C 6G6CJ 4@>>:DD:@?6C :D E@ =62G6 2 =628F6 36EE6C E92? J@F 7@F?5 :E] t?86=36CE 42? 2E =62DE D2J E92E[ 6G6? :7 D96V== 36 C6>6>36C65 >@DE 7@C 2== E96 H2JD D96 76== D9@CE]k^Am Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story FILE: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to retire in December FILE: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to retire in December Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Watch Now: Related Video "We gotta go": Luke Fickell on calling a timeout late in blowout loss to Notre Dame Badgers OLB Sebastian Cheeks on what Wisconsin's defense lost in second half vs Notre Dame Badgers OLB Sebastian Cheeks on what Wisconsin's defense lost in second half vs Notre Dame Luke Fickell breaks down Colton Joseph's debut as Wisconsin's quarterback Luke Fickell breaks down Colton Joseph's debut as Wisconsin's quarterback Badgers QB Colton Joseph on his pick-six, encouraging signs vs. Notre Dame Badgers QB Colton Joseph on his pick-six, encouraging signs vs. Notre Dame Watch Now: Related Video "We gotta go": Luke Fickell on calling a timeout late in blowout loss to Notre Dame Badgers OLB Sebastian Cheeks on what Wisconsin's defense lost in second half vs Notre Dame Badgers OLB Sebastian Cheeks on what Wisconsin's defense lost in second half vs Notre Dame Luke Fickell breaks down Colton Joseph's debut as Wisconsin's quarterback Luke Fickell breaks down Colton Joseph's debut as Wisconsin's quarterback Badgers QB Colton Joseph on his pick-six, encouraging signs vs. Notre Dame Badgers QB Colton Joseph on his pick-six, encouraging signs vs. Notre Dame
FILE: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to retire in December FILE: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to retire in December
