Nashville Becomes UPSHOT League 6th City

 

Guru note - Passing this announcement

NASHVILLE, TN — On April 9, 2026, Nashville marked a defining moment in its evolution as a national sports city Thursday. 

From the stage of the historic Ryman Auditorium, the UPSHOT League officially announced their sixth team, introducing a new wave of energy coming to Nashville and bringing the future of women’s basketball with it.

The UPSHOT League, a groundbreaking professional women’s developmental basketball league, with notable leadership from legends in the game, Cheryl Miller, Ann Meyers Drysdale and Tamika Catchings, has officially selected Nashville as its sixth team and the second expansion city, positioning the city at the center of a movement redefining opportunity, access, and visibility for athletes across the country.

Renowned sports executive Donna Orender, a past WNBA President who starred at Queens College in New York and succeeded inaugural WNBA president Val Ackerman, delivered the official league announcement, cementing the historic moment that positions Nashville on a broader stage in women’s athletics.

“Today is a celebration of Nashville as an already thriving world-known sports city. It is about more than women’s professional basketball arriving in a new market, it’s about women’s professional basketball being woven into the fabric of this city. The UPSHOT League and this great ownership are not simply launching a team here, together we are creating opportunity, and building a new home, as grateful and contributing members of this community.” - Donna Orender, Founder & Commissioner of The UPSHOT League.

UPSHOT Nashville will reveal the name of the team in July 2026 and take over the court at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Auditorium in May 2027, providing 11 players a chance to play professional, competitive traditional 5 on 5 basketball. 

Candice Storey Lee of Vanderbilt University underscored the significance of this milestone:

“Initiatives like the UPSHOT League represent an important step toward building a broader sports ecosystem. Which brings us to Nashville, this city has become one of the most dynamic sports cities in the country. In just the last decade, we've seen tremendous growth in professional sports, incredible fan engagement, and a community that consistently shows up. And when a city shows up the way this one does, it becomes the kind of place where bold ideas can take root and thrive. Bringing a new professional women's basketball venture into this environment is not just exciting, it feels like the natural next step.”

Founded by Andy Kaufmann, Donna Orender and Mark Walsh,The UPSHOT League is a new professional developmental women’s basketball league, launching in May 2026, designed to offer paid opportunities for players. 

Led by former WNBA president Donna Orender, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who played for the Philadelphia Rage in the ABL,  as head of Basketball Operations, the league features four inaugural teams—Jacksonville Waves, Savannah Steel, Greensboro Groove, and Charlotte Crown—serving as a domestic alternative to overseas play. 

The fifth team will be Baltimore, MD and more franchises are anticipated.

Nashville now joins the lineup solidifying its place as a rising hub for women’s sports and cultural momentum.

The Nashville launch will ignite a summer of impact for women’s basketball, powered by a strategic “Dribble Campaign” designed to both partner with and impact communities across the city. This campaign will activate local organizations, youth programs, cultural institutions, and fans, ensuring the league shows up not just on the court, but in the fabric of Nashville itself.

“This is bigger than basketball,” said Mark Walsh, co-founder of the league and Managing Partner of the Nashville franchise. “This is about building a system where talent meets opportunity, and where cities like Nashville become part of a national movement to invest in women’s sports in a meaningful way.”

58% of the investors in this franchise are women including 21 of the 38 Nashvillians who have stepped up to be part of this historic moment.

“It’s great to welcome a women’s professional basketball team to Nashville as an exciting addition to our sports scene and another way to bring people together,” said Deana Ivey, president and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “This new league will offer fun, affordable and family-friendly experiences for both residents and visitors and continues to build on Nashville’s momentum as a sports destination.”

“The growth of women’s sports is a critical part of Nashville’s next chapter. This announcement reflects the kind of intentional, inclusive growth we are advancing through Partnership 2030, our regional economic development strategy—expanding opportunity, investing in talent, and continuing to build a community where everyone has the chance to succeed.” - Stephanie Coleman, President and CEO of Nashville Chamber of Commerce

This invite only announcement is more than a franchise debut. It is a signal of where the future of sports is headed in Nashville, where women’s athletics, its cultural energy, and community investment align to create a new model of growth.

Nancy VanReece, former councilmember and part of the Metro Sports Authority’s committee to bring professional women’s sports to Nashville, has been named as President/CEO. VanReece is a respected Nashville leader whose career has been rooted in advocacy, civic leadership, and advancing equity across industries. Her appointment reflects a deliberate commitment to building a league grounded not only in competition, but in community.

Over the past decade, Nashville has emerged as one of the most dynamic sports markets in the country, driven by rapid expansion, passionate fan engagement, and bold civic investment. The arrival of Nashville’s New Home Team represents the next phase of that growth, one that fully embraces women’s professional sports as a central part of the city’s identity and economic future.

“This is not an add on to Nashville’s sports story, it is a continuation of its momentum,” said VanReece. “We are building something that reflects the energy of this city while creating new pathways for athletes, fans, and future generations. In Nashville, we don’t just sit on the sidelines and cheer, we don’t wait for things to happen, we make things happen.

Leadership Voices Take the Stage

Thursday’s announcement featured  remarks from Mayor Freddie O'Connell, reinforcing the city’s commitment to forward thinking sports development and inclusive economic growth.

Additional leadership, including Mark Walsh, joined  in outlining the league’s long term vision and impact.

More Than a League, A Movement in Motion

Announced in January 2025, the UPSHOT League is a new professional women’s developmental basketball league, created to expand opportunities for players across the United States. This new league will feature a 34 game regular season, with 17 home and 17 away matchups.

At its core, the UPSHOT League is designed to serve as a professional development league, creating 11 new roster positions with each team,and expanding the pipeline for women athletes to compete, grow, and remain in the game at the highest levels.

ABOUT THE UPSHOT LEAGUE

The UPSHOT League is a professional women’s basketball league built to expand opportunity, elevate talent, and redefine how communities connect with the game. With Nashville as its sixth and most anticipated market, the league is committed to creating a model where sport, culture, and impact move together.

ABOUT UPSHOT NASHVILLE

UPSHOT Nashville is the sixth team in the UPSHOT League. It will take office on Music Row in Nashville April of 2026 and will be led by team President/CEO Nancy VanReece.

Staffing will be added throughout the year. Playmakers Nashville has been selected as the non profit partner. The team name will be announced in July 2026 and a team coach and assistant coach will be selected by January 2027. Seasonal staffing will work April - September during the season, which will run concurrently with the WNBA.