Fans show their emotions during the final game for the Connecticut Sun on Thursday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Sun beat Toronto, 95-81. (Photo courtesy Scott Kerr)
This time, Jennifer Rizzotti had a working microphone.
Just after New Year’s Day in 1999, the New England Blizzard of the American Basketball League held a rally in the center court area of the Hartford Civic Center. The ABL declared bankruptcy just before Christmas, taking down the Blizzard, who had the best attendance in the league that included 13 Olympians from the 1996 U.S. Olympic team.
More than 3,000 fans crowded into center court, which is today near the ticket windows before you enter the arena.
Civic Center management provided chairs and a stage but there was no working microphone. The crowd was quiet when they had to be but cheering loudly when they wanted to cheer on the Blizzard players.
One of the Blizzard players speaking at the rally was point guard Jennifer Rizzotti, who stood on a chair and loudly spoke to the fans.
On Thursday for the final game of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun on Thursday at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Rizzotti, now president of the Sun, had a working microphone and she talked to the sellout crowd with tears in her eyes.
“You’ve never disappointed,” she said. “You’ve proved that Connecticut deserves a WNBA team.”
Connecticut Sun President Jennifer Rizzotti wipes away a tear as she addresses fans after the final WNBA game in Uncasville on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Scott Kerr)
In April 1997, fans of the Hartford Whalers lingered in the stands and in the Civic Center for a long time after the final game in Hartford. Whaler players tossed some of their equipment into the stands for the fans.
Rizzotti said, “We anticipated than no one would want to leave tonight.”
But as another gift to the fans, players signed autographs on the Mohegan Sun Arena floor for the fans.
If you’ve got 5 minutes, listen to Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti address everyone in attendance after the game
Sun players will also return to the court after media and sign autographs for fans pic.twitter.com/sItwtZm2vn
— christan (no i), ß (@ChristanWNBA) September 25, 2026
* * * *
With the franchise’s final game, the Connecticut Sun finish with an overall record of 461-375 record and a .551 win percentage in 23 seasons. And that is after two of the worst records in team history in the final two seasons in Uncasville – 11-33 in 2025 and 2026.
The Sun also sets with 16 WNBA playoff appearances, including four appearances in the WNBA finals (2004, 2005, 2019, 2022). Their last playoff appearance was in 2024, advancing to the semifinals before being eliminated by the Minnesota Lynx.
The sun sets one final time in Connecticut 🌅🧡
Ahead of tipoff, rewind through the dominance that defined the @ConnecticutSun and helped shape basketball across the Northeast.
2026 Postseason Push | @DKSports | #WNBASeason30 pic.twitter.com/TZH7oE1deO
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 24, 2026
* * * *
Connecticut’s Neil Angloma (33) drives to the basket past Toronto’s Teonni Key (7) in Thursday’s win over Toronto. (Photo courtesy Scott Kerr)
Youngsters dominated the final game for the Sun at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Connecticut led from start to finish in a 95-81 victory over the expansion Toronto Tempo, who dressed just eight players. The win snapped a six-game losing streak by the Sun, who led by as many as 17 points.
Rookie Ashlon Jackson scored 18 points for the Sun, sinking 5-of-9 shots from three-point range. She scored the final points in team history with a three-point shot with 51 seconds left in the game.
Toronto’s Kia Nurse, a former UConn player, scored the final WNBA points at Mohegan Sun Arena with a three point shot with 46.8 seconds left.
Rookie Raegan Beers from national champion UCLA had a career-high 17 points while another former UConn All-American, Aaliyah Edwards scored 16 for the Sun.
“I am happy we were able to get one last W for the fans because they deserve it,” Edwards said during a post-game interview with NBC Boston. She talked about the love and support she received from Connecticut fans after her trade from Washington back to the Sun. She concluded the interview with “This is the basketball capital of the world. Don’t you ever forget!”
"My heart is just so happy" 🥹🫶
Aaliyah Edwards, who spent her college years in Connecticut with @UConnWBB, speaks post-game on her move back to the state and how much it has meant to her to be a part of the @ConnecticutSun.
2026 Postseason Push | @DKSports | #WNBASeason30 pic.twitter.com/bYugbhjkaJ
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 25, 2026
* * * *
In their final season, the Sun averaged nearly 11,000 fans a game (10,986) boosted by two games in Hartford and one game in Boston. The Mohegan Sun Arena seats just 8,911 fans. The Sun played before 16,378 at Boston’s TD Garden in August, 14,578 in Hartford in July against Dallas and 10,478 against Los Angeles in Hartford in May.
The 14,578 fans in Hartford against Dallas was the largest crowd to see a WNBA game in Connecticut.
Our legacy will live through all of you. Thank you, Connecticut🧡 pic.twitter.com/iIxwwkYhGA
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 25, 2026
Nearly 9,000 fans filled the Mohegan Sun Arena for the final WNBA game in Uncasville on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Scott Kerr)
xxxx
