INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever tip off their 19th WNBA season Saturday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse by celebrating Youth Sports Day delivered by Papa John’s, when the Fever host the Chicago Sky at 1:00 p.m. Indiana’s opening weekend then shifts to the nation’s capital when the Fever visit the Washington Mystics on Sunday at 1 to complete a back-to-back weekend and begin an opening stretch of five games in eight days.
General admission tickets start at $13 Saturday afternoon, with the first 1,000 fans 14 & under receiving a free Fever gold replica jersey. KIDS EAT FREE on Saturday, too, as the first 1,000 fans 14 and under receive a free hot dog, chips and soft drink during all Friday and Saturday home games this season.
Saturday’s game also marks the season debut of the Fever’s new Family Fun Zone presented by Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent. Kids and families are treated before every game and at halftime to interactive games including tic-tac-toe and skee-ball, beside a large inflatable slide that overlooks the main playing floor. Face painters, balloon artists, food and merchandise also are featured.
Indiana’s 2018 roster is final for second-year head coach and general manager Pokey Chatman. Leading a returning cast of starters are six-time WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree and veterans Natalie Achonwa, Tiffany Mitchell and Erica Wheeler. Joining the team is a powerhouse cast of rookie draft picks which include Kelsey Mitchell, the second overall pick in the recent WNBA Draft; Victoria Vivians, the eighth overall pick; and Brownsburg native and former Indiana Ms Basketball Stephanie Mavunga, chosen 14th.
HEAD COACH/GENERAL MANAGER: Pokey Chatman, LSU ’91
ASSISTANT COACH: Jessie Miller, Illinois-Chicago ’10
ASSISTANT COACH: Christie Sides, Louisiana Tech ’99
ATHLETIC TRAINER: Todd Champlin, Daemen College ’82
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH: Chase Campbell, Ball State ’15
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT COACH: Tully Bevilaqua, Australia
VIDEO COORDINATOR: Zach Hamer, Vanderbilt ’17
EQUIPMENT/OPERATIONS COORDINATOR: Wyatt Hopper, Tennessee ’18