Sioux Falls, South Dakota’s first WNBA game hit the mark on several levels. As a testament to that, everyone involved – players, coaches, and especially fans – want it to happen again.
Before a sold-out crowd at the Sanford Pentagon, the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Chicago Sky 108-104 in the preseason opener for both teams on April 25. It served as a centerpiece for a memorable community happening at a facility that has had its share of them over the years.
“Our events team – Jesse Smith and Brock Reynoldson and all of our people continue to come up with new ideas,” Sanford Sports president Steve Young said. “This was just one more evolution. Our Sanford team continues to be innovative, they continue to make connections and most importantly, they continue to deliver amazing experiences.”
It marked the return of Nate Tibbetts, a Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School and University of South Dakota basketball player who is head coach of the Mercury. The homecoming included also included Phoenix assistant coach Megan Vogel, an all-time great at South Dakota State who scored 1,850 career points for the Jackrabbits.
The Mercury’s visit to Sioux Falls began with a youth basketball clinic on April 24 that had its own share of memories thanks to the high level of energy and enthusiasm brought to the courts by Phoenix players. They took an active role in bringing the sport to the kids on what for the players was a long and hectic day.
Kahleah Copper was a gold medal winner for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics who is beginning her 11th WNBA season. Copper led the Mercury with 19 points in their win vs. Chicago but will likely be remembered more for embracing the spirit of her visit to the Pentagon.
“I’m big on community. I’m big on giving back. I love kids,” she said at the post-game interview session. “I enjoy the clinics and giving the little girls your time. How often do they get to interact with WNBA players? We were able to share space, learn and have fun – so why not give them all the energy I can?”
Photo by Phoenix Mercury
A special day
On clinic day, Copper met 11-year-old Madelyn Garrigan, who traveled with her sister Gracie and their mom Cally across the state from Faith, South Dakota.
When Madelyn received Copper’s autograph, she thanked her by name — a detail that surprised Copper but made sense. Along with her mom, Madelyn had closely followed last year’s WNBA Finals, which pitted the Las Vegas Aces and their coach, Rapid City native Becky Hammon, against the Mercury.
“Thanks, Kahleah” was about to turn into quite an experience.
When Copper asked Madelyn if she was going to attend the game the next day, Madelyn told her the Pentagon was sold out. Her family would make a trip to see the Mercury during the season in Minneapolis.
The WNBA star knew it was time to make a move. She alerted the Pentagon staff that the Garrigans were without tickets. Young took care of it from there with front-row seats.
That was not the end of it, though. After the game, Copper sought them out.
“This sweet little girl was in line for an autograph and she said, ‘Thanks Kahleah,’” Copper explained at courtside moments before presenting her with game-worn purple shoes.
“I’m like, ‘Wait, how do you know my name?’” Copper continued. “She said she watches all my games. I asked her if she was coming (Saturday) and she said, ‘No, it was sold out. But I’ll see you in Minnesota,’ just like it was nothing. And then I thought, ‘Oh, she’s for real. A big fan, a huge fan and you have to reward the big fans.’”
Copper went on to present her with the shoes, pose for a picture and accept a card from Madelyn.
“It was really cool,” Madelyn said. “Just a great experience. I never thought something like this would happen to me.”
After receiving the shoes, Madelyn bought a case with LED lights for them on the way home.
“Seeing the amazement through my daughters’ eyes was something I’ll never forget,” Cally said. “It was crazy how big a moment it was, especially after we realized how many people were seeing it on social media.”
Photo by Phoenix Mercury
Finding a game
The Pentagon, which opened in 2013, celebrated its 100th Division I college basketball game in November of 2025. It has also become a venue for nationally ranked volleyball programs, most recently as host to Nebraska vs. Iowa State in front of a sellout crowd earlier in April.
Landing a WNBA game was another example of pushing the envelope.
It started as an attempt to schedule an appearance by the New York Liberty for a preseason game several years ago. Though it didn’t end up happening, when Tibbetts got the head coaching job with the Mercury, Young texted his congratulations to his friend and mentioned that Sanford was hoping to bring in WNBA teams for a preseason game.
“Coach Tibbetts was obviously busy getting settled and building his team but loved the idea and after our phone call, he handed us off to his front office,” Young said. “Once that happened, Jesse Smith took it from there and over the course of a few years stayed engaged and persistent, alongside Adam Metzendorf from the Mercury. The two of them got us to where we are today.”
Photo by Phoenix Mercury
South Dakota’s history
In the crowd was longtime WNBA fan Sarah VanLaecken, a hall-of-fame track athlete at USD whose children are basketball players. VanLaecken’s younger sisters, Jeana Krome and Jena Kubesh, aka the legendary Hoffman twins from Mitchell, are also basketball moms and were at the game.
“It was great to see this in our home state, in our community,” VanLaecken said. “It was great to see the energy that Nate Tibbetts brought to this. It’s something to be celebrated how far women’s sports as come. As an athlete, and now parent and coach of female athletes, it’s really, really rewarding to see the amount of excitement surrounding women’s sports.”
During the youth clinic, Kacey and Maddy Comstock were participating alongside the Mercury players and Sanford Sports Academy coaches. Their mother who signed them up for the clinic was Brenda (Davis) Comstock, an SDSU hall-of-fame basketball player who was part of a national championship for the Jackrabbits in 2003.
“It was really fun and I learned a lot,” Maddy said. Sister Kacey added: “The ball-handling was my favorite. It was cool meeting the players. They told me I was doing a good job.”
Pushing along the legacy
When Kacey and Maddy’s mom was starring at Tri-Valley High School and then at SDSU, Nate Tibbetts’ father, Fred, was in the process of leaving an indelible mark on girls’ basketball in the state as a high school coach at Jefferson, South Dakota, and then at Roosevelt in Sioux Falls. Fred, who died in 2008 at age 58, led his high school teams to 11 state titles.
“He always wanted the girls’ game to be at the same level as the boys’ or the men’s,” Nate said during some emotional moments after the game. “That was something that he pushed for. I got to go out to the cemetery this morning and he would’ve loved this. He would’ve loved it.”
Photo by Phoenix Mercury
With Nate’s connection to his father, the first-ever WNBA game at the Pentagon represented another direct link to local legacies. The Mercury players, with help from a capacity crowd, made sure of that.
“I would just say thank you for supporting us – it means a lot,” Copper said when asked what she would say to the kids at the game. “I would tell them that if you could see her, you could be her. They were able to come out and witness greatness and witness history for the first time. I just hope that they continue to work on their game and continue to watch the game and support it. Then grow to be a pro.”
It was the kind of message Cally Garrigan wanted her daughters to hear.
“It was so important for my daughters to be able to see such positive role models,” she said. “We’ve been big WNBA fans for a long time but now I’d say we’re fanatics. Everyone in the Sanford organization and Pentagon staff was awesome. Everyone, including the players, acted like they wanted to be there. That was unbelievable.”
Learn more
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Posted In Basketball, Sanford Sports
