Upshot League expanding to Nashville in 2027

New women's basketball team will play at Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:51pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented, geometric representation of a women's basketball game, with sharp planes of navy, green, and orange intersecting to create a dynamic, abstract composition.The Upshot League's expansion to Nashville will bring a new era of professional women's basketball to the city, with a dynamic, community-focused team playing in the iconic Memorial Gym.Today in Nashville

The Upshot League, a women's professional basketball league, is expanding to Nashville, Tennessee in the summer of 2027. The new Nashville team will play 17 home games at Vanderbilt University's Memorial Gym and 17 away games. The league plans to host a draft following the WNBA Draft next year, providing additional developmental opportunities for players.

Why it matters

The addition of a professional women's basketball team in Nashville is exciting news for the city, which has a strong basketball culture and fan base. The Upshot League's expansion to Nashville will give local fans another high-level team to support and provide more opportunities for women athletes to showcase their skills.

The details

The Upshot League will tip off its inaugural season in May 2027 with four initial teams: Jacksonville, Savannah, Greensboro, and Charlotte. Baltimore and Nashville will join the league that year. The Nashville team will practice at a location still to be determined. The team name and head coach will be announced later this year.

  • The Upshot League will expand to Nashville in the summer of 2027.
  • The league will host a draft following the WNBA Draft next year.
  • The team name and head coach will be announced before the end of 2026.

The players

Nancy Vanreece

President and CEO of Upshot Nashville.

Teresa Phillips

Former Tennessee State University Athletic Director and Upshot Nashville consultant.

Donna Orender

Upshot League Commissioner.

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What they’re saying

“The idea of having athletes unlimited in February, having us in the summer, and having Vanderbilt in the autumn — it is a basketball town year-round.”

— Nancy Vanreece, President and CEO of Upshot Nashville

“Some of the earliest women's basketball that was played in Nashville really came out of Nashville, so we're piggybacking off of their back and hopefully will create a lot of opportunities for players.”

— Teresa Phillips, Former Tennessee State University Athletic Director and Upshot Nashville consultant

“We will see excellence; we'll see excellence on the court and the arena. There is such a caring about athletes first but also community first.”

— Donna Orender, Upshot League Commissioner

What’s next

The Upshot League will host a draft following the WNBA Draft next year, and the Nashville team will announce its name this summer and the head coach before the end of 2026.

The takeaway

The expansion of the Upshot League to Nashville is an exciting development for the city's basketball fans and will provide additional opportunities for women athletes to showcase their skills at the professional level.