GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) - The 2021 WNBA Playoffs tip off Thursday night, and the 22 former Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball student-athletes on competing team rosters are the most of any conference.
The ACC has at least one former student-athlete on all eight playoff teams, headlined by five players on the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. The conference’s 22 players are seven more than the next-closest conference.
It marks the third consecutive year that the ACC has had more players on playoff rosters than any other conference.
Notre Dame leads all league schools with nine former student-athletes, while Duke and Louisville each have four.
The first round features the No. 5 seed Phoenix Mercury against the No. 8 seed New York Liberty, and No. 6 seed Chicago Sky playing the No. 7 seed Dallas Wings. In the second round, the No. 3 seed Minnesota Lynx play the lowest-seeded first-round winner and the No. 4 seed Seattle Storm will await the other first-round winner.
The first and second rounds are single elimination, and teams will be reseeded after both rounds.
The Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces are seeded No. 1 and 2, respectively, and receive a double bye into the semifinal round.
The semifinals feature a best-of-five format, with the No. 1 overall seed (Connecticut) playing the lowest remaining seed and the No. 2 overall seed (Las Vegas) meeting the remaining team. The No. 1 and 2 seeds will host Games 1, 2 and 5, and the lower-seeded teams will host Games 3 and 4 in their respective series.
The WNBA Finals remain best-of-five and follow the same 2-2-1 format.
For more information on the 2021 WNBA Playoffs or to view the complete schedule, click
here.
Below is a list of ACC alums on WNBA Playoff teams:
Chicago Sky
Lexie Brown, G, Duke
Dana Evans, G, Louisville
Connecticut Sun
Beatrice Mompremier, F, Miami
Jasmine Thomas, G, Duke
Dallas Wings
Marina Mabrey, G, Notre Dame
Arike Ogunbowale, G, Notre Dame
Las Vegas Aces
Chelsea Gray, G, Duke
Dearica Hamby, F, Wake Forest
Angel McCoughtry, G/F, Louisville
Riquna Williams, G, Miami
Jackie Young, G, Notre Dame
New York Liberty
Natasha Howard, F, Florida State
Jazmine Jones, G, Louisville
Leaonna Odom, F, Duke
Kylee Shook, F, Louisville
Jocelyn Willoughby, G/F, Virginia
Minnesota Lynx
Natalie Achonwa, F, Notre Dame
Kayla McBride, G, Notre Dame
Jessica Shepard, F, Notre Dame
Phoenix Mercury
Skylar Diggins-Smith, G, Notre Dame
Brianna Turner, F, Notre Dame
Seattle Storm
Jewell Loyd, G, Notre Dame
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
FIRST ROUND - SINGLE ELIMINATION
Thu, Sep. 23: Dallas (7) at Chicago (6) – 8:00PM, ESPN2
Thu, Sep. 23: New York (8) at Phoenix1 (5) – 10:00PM, ESPN2
SECOND ROUND - SINGLE ELIMINATION
Sun, Sep. 26: TBD at Minnesota (3) – TBD, TBD
Sun, Sep. 26: TBD at Seattle (4) – TBD, TBD
SEMIFINALS
Tue, Sep. 28: TBD at Connecticut (1) – G1 – 8:00PM, ESPN2
Tue, Sep. 28: TBD at Las Vegas (2) – G1 10:00PM, ESPN2
Thu, Sep. 30: TBD at Connecticut (1) – G2 – 8:00PM, ESPN2
Thu, Sep. 30: TBD at Las Vegas (2) – G2 – 10:00PM, ESPN2
Sun, Oct. 3: Connecticut (1) at TBD – G3 – TBD, TBD
Sun, Oct. 3: Las Vegas (2) at TBD – G3 TBD, TBD
Wed, Oct. 6: Connecticut (1) at TBD – G4* – TBD, ESPN
Wed, Oct. 6: Las Vegas (2) at TBD – G4* TBD, ESPN
Fri, Oct. 8: TBD at Connecticut (1) – G5* – TBD, ESPN2
Fri, Oct. 8: TBD at Las Vegas (2) – G5* – TBD, ESPN2
WNBA FINALS
Sun, Oct. 10: TBD – G1 – 3:00PM, ABC
Wed, Oct. 13: TBD – G2 – 9:00PM, ESPN
Fri, Oct. 15: TBD – G3 – 9:00PM, ESPN2
Sun, Oct. 17: TBD – G4* – 3:00PM, ESPN
Tue, Oct. 19: TBD – G5* – 9:00PM, ESPN2