Chicago, Ill. - Women's Basketball Head Coach Carissa Sain joined several of her area peers as WNBA All-Star Game Host Committee Ambassadors last week, helping run "growing the game" initiatives leading up to last Saturday's 2026 WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

Sain was selected along with 13 other women's basketball collegiate head coaches from across the area to help facilitate events that promoted both the all-star game as well the impact the game of basketball has on girls and young women.

One of those events was a part of the WNBA's LIne 'Em Up initiative, in which several basketball courts at parks across the country were painted with the "fire orange" WNBA three-point line to give girls and women competitive equity with their male counterparts on their local playing surfaces. Several parks in the Chicago area had the WNBA three-point line painted on the basketball courts, including Foster Park in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, where Sain, along with several of her peers, helped facilitate a basketball clinic last Tuesday.

See the CBS News Chicago story below:



Sain appreciated the opportunity to be selected as a host ambassador, to represent Illinois Tech, and to help make an impact on the future generation of women's basketball.

"It was a wonderful opportunity for Chicago to host the All Star game for the second time in five years," said Sain. "To be a part of a group who welcomed the WNBA and so many people to our city was a true honor. My favorite part about being a host ambassador was working with the Sky's Line Em Up foundation to help run a couple basketball clinics for young girls. It's always fun to help generate excitement around the game of basketball and doing so in conjunction with the All Star Game was no exception!"

Other area head coaches joining Sain as host committee ambassadors included Michelle Gardner-Bilek of UChicago, Dodie Dunson II of Lewis University, as well as NACC peers Tethnie Carrillo of Dominican University and Oliver Wiseman of Benedictine University.

A WNBA All-Star Game record 19,783 fans attended the game at the United Center last Saturday, as Team Spoon defeated Team Coop 129-122. New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones was named the game's MVP with 22 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists.