Posts by Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith has covered women’s basketball nationally for more than three decades. A 2024 inductee into the U.S. Basketball Writer’s Hall of Fame, Smith has worked for ESPN.com, The Athletic, the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as Pac-12.com and WNBA.com. She is the 2017 recipient of the Jake Wade Media Award from the Collegiate Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA) and was named the Mel Greenberg Media Award winner by the WBCA in 2019.

After resurgent year ends, Cal immediately pivots to building next NCAA Tournament-worthy team

March 23, 2025

Bears will be “aggressive” in the portal starting Monday after first NCAA appearance in six years.

UC San Diego head coach Heidi VanDerveer talks with her team during a timeout at the Big West Championship Game against UC Davis.

UC San Diego transitions straight into the NCAA field

March 18, 2025

Head coach Heidi VanDerveer representing the family legacy in the NCAA Tournament with the upstart Tritons

UCLA poses holding up the number 4 following their win over South Carolina on Nov 24.

Spokane Region 1: It’s time for the Bruins to define themselves

March 17, 2025

North Carolina State, LSU and Baylor fill out the top seeds in Spokane 1.

JuJu Watkins flexes after the USC trojans take the lead over the UCLA Bruins on February 13, 2025.

Spokane Region 2: USC feeling slighted, yet confident

March 17, 2025

Connecticut looms as No. 2 seed with Oklahoma and Kentucky as the No. 3 and 4.

Former Oregon women's basketball stars Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally wave to the crowd at an Oregon football game.

Kelly Graves, Oregon reflect on NCAA Tournament cancellation five years later

March 12, 2025

Graves: ‘We all thought we were on our way to something special’

Kamie Ethridge celebrates with her players after knocking No. 3 ranked Utah out of the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023. Photo Credit: Powers Imagery

All Cougars and Beavers must do is win

March 5, 2025

Washington State and Oregon State are living in the land of a one-bid league and there is no option but to win the WCC Tournament to move on

The Chase Center scoreboard displays All-Star weekend graphics on Saturday, February 15

NBA All-Star weekend was a miss for WNBA, Valkyries

February 17, 2025

In just three months, the WNBA’s first expansion team in 17 years will tip-off at the Chase Center in San Francisco and it was not nearly as apparent as it could have been at NBA All-Star weekend

Belgium guard Julie Vanloo attempts a right-handed layup as Australia guard Jade Melbourne reaches across Vanloo's body from behind to try to block it.

Golden State Valkyries will go global for their first identity

February 8, 2025

Even the most salary cap space in the WNBA hasn’t been enough of an enticement for top free agents

Stanford guard Tess Heal dribbles the basketball with her right hand in the open court.

Stanford is ‘optimistic’ the NCAA Tournament is still in sight

January 30, 2025

The Cardinal are 10-9, a far cry from their usual standard, but head coach Kate Paye lauds her team’s positivity

Alyssa Thomas drives to the basket

Column: Hey free agents, consider the Valkyries

January 26, 2025

There are plenty of good reasons to join the league’s new expansion team