As the excitement for the second half of the WNBA season builds off a record-breaking All-Star Game, it is clear that the spotlight on women’s basketball has never been brighter.
With the rise in popularity across the board, it is no surprise to see a trickle-down effect on other levels of women’s basketball as more people decide to tune in. The Howard women’s basketball team plans to take full advantage of the attention this upcoming season.
With current superstars like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart dominating the game alongside up-and-coming icons Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, women’s basketball is gaining popularity like never before.
The WNBA has broken several attendance and viewership records throughout their season, according to CNBC. This year’s NCAA Tournament semi-final between Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and the perennial powerhouse UConn became the most-watched basketball game in ESPN’s history, regardless of gender, since 2019.
Reflecting on the rise of women’s basketball, former WNBA All-Star and ESPN commentator Chiney Ogwumike wrote in the Players’ Tribune, “I feel like women’s basketball for so long has been the Hunger Games. Every generation has fought to move the game forward. But now we are ‘Catching Fire’…”
The Lady Bison have certainly earned extra attention with their success on the court. Under Coach Tiesha “Ty” Grace, the team has reached the MEAC championship game each of the last four seasons, won the North Division Championship in 2021 and clinched the conference championship in 2022.
In that same season, they secured Howard’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win over Incarnate Word and look to continue their great run this season.
The team is also returning several key players who have led the team to success. One of the major returns for the Lady Bison is senior Destiny Howell, who was the team’s leading scorer with 17 points per game during the 2022–23 season. A torn ACL, however, led to her missing the entire 2023 season.
Howard will also bring back senior guard Iyanna Warren, who earned a spot on the All-MEAC second team last season, and Rookie of the Year Tyana Walker.
The benefits of increased viewership have already paid off for the Howard program. The team’s success and rising popularity have led to some of their games being shown on the national stage.
Several Howard games were featured on ESPN and ESPNU throughout last season, and the team received the opportunity to become the first HBCU to participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis event and play on national TV against high-profile programs like Ole Miss, bringing new eyes to the program.
After the game, play-by-play announcer Evan Stockton praised the Lady Bison, having said, “Overall it’s been a great day for Howard Women’s Basketball. They have stared down Ole Miss, and played a top-25 team about as darn tough as you can play them.”
The increased exposure and on-court success have paid off, with attendance over the last two seasons reaching its highest levels in over seven years, according to Howard University Athletics.
In the 2022 season, the department recorded the team averaging more than 1,000 fans per game, marking the highest attendance average in more than a decade.
The increased popularity has even helped the Howard women’s team off the court, as the program landed a multi-year deal with Black Girl Vitamins as its official sponsor.
In the press release by Black Girl Vitamins, the company planned to not only help the Howard women’s team on and off the court but also to offer monthly $1,000 scholarships to deserving Black female students.
As women’s basketball continues to skyrocket in popularity in both college and the pros, the Howard Lady Bison will look to take advantage of that positive momentum and bring Howard another championship this season.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
