PHOENIX (March 31, 2026) – Legendary basketball figures Nancy Lieberman and Cheryl Miller will return as head coaches for Team Lieberman and Team Miller, respectively, for the 2026 Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game.

Nancy Lieberman was one of the most accomplished players of her era, earning three All-America honors and twice being named National Player of the Year at Old Dominion while helping lead the program to back-to-back AIAW national championships. At age 18, she became the youngest basketball player in Olympic history to win a medal when she helped Team USA capture silver at the 1976 Olympics. Lieberman also played professionally in the Women’s Professional Basketball League, the Women’s American Basketball Association and the men’s United States Basketball League, and later was a member of the Phoenix Mercury during the WNBA’s inaugural 1997 season.

She later became a coach and executive, becoming the first woman to lead a professional men’s basketball team with the Texas Legends and then the second woman to serve as an NBA assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. Her trailblazing career has been recognized with induction into both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Cheryl Miller was one of the most decorated players in women’s basketball history, earning four All-America honors and three National Player of the Year awards at USC while leading the Trojans to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1983 and 1984. She also starred internationally, helping Team USA win the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Although knee injuries cut short her playing career, Miller went on to make a major impact as a coach, serving as head coach at USC and later as the first head coach and general manager of the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. Her impact on the game has been recognized with induction into both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Joining Lieberman and Miller on the sidelines will be a group of accomplished coaches and basketball standouts. Alicia Berber, WNBA All-Star Marina Mabrey and Hall of Famer Ann Meyers Drysdale will serve as assistant coaches for Team Miller, while Stacey Lovelace, WNBA champion and Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, and Juliene Simpson will serve as assistant coaches for Team Lieberman.

Copper is one of the premier two-way players in the WNBA for the hometown Phoenix Mercury. A 2024 Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, she averaged 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in the tournament, including a 12-point, five-rebound performance in the gold medal game against France. Domestically, she is a four-time WNBA All-Star and an All-WNBA Second Team honoree in 2024 and was also named Finals MVP during the Chicago Sky’s 2021 championship run. At Rutgers, she was a standout under Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, earning All-Big Ten honors and finishing her career among the program’s leaders in scoring and steals.

Lovelace is a former WNBA player and Purdue standout who has built a career across playing, coaching and basketball operations. A Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, she now serves as Director of Member Experience for the National Basketball Retired Players Association after previous roles in player development, basketball operations and community engagement.

Mabrey is a proven scorer and playmaker in the WNBA and currently plies her trade with the Connecticut Sun. A standout at Notre Dame, she helped lead the Fighting Irish to the 2018 NCAA National Championship and was part of multiple Final Four teams. Mabrey finished her collegiate career among the program’s all-time leaders in scoring and three-point shooting, earning All-ACC honors.

Meyers Drysdale is one of the true pioneers in women’s basketball. The first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship at UCLA, she was a four-time All-American who helped lead the Bruins to the 1978 AIAW national championship. She also won a silver medal with Team USA at the 1976 Olympics and later became the first and only woman to sign an NBA contract when she joined the Indiana Pacers in 1979. Meyers Drysdale is a member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Berber is the longtime head coach at Riverside City College, where she has built one of the most successful programs in California community college basketball. After completing her 25th season in 2025–26, she is the winningest coach in program history with 379 career victories. Under her leadership, RCC has reached the 3C2A State Playoffs 18 times in 24 seasons, including six Sweet 16 appearances, a State Elite Eight berth in 2005, and a State Final Four appearance in 2006.

Simpson brings a wealth of experience as both a player and coach to Team Lieberman. A standout at the University of Colorado, she earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors and finished her collegiate career as one of the program’s all-time leading scorers and rebounders. Simpson went on to play professionally in the WNBA, where she was selected in the league’s inaugural draft and competed with the Charlotte Sting. Following her playing career, she transitioned into coaching and player development, working at the collegiate level and with elite athletes, where she has been recognized for her ability to mentor and develop talent.

Tickets for the Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game remain on sale and can be secured by visiting www.womenscollegeallstar.com.

Local and national brands have aligned themselves with the event including Grand Canyon University, Skechers, Under Armour, E*TRADE and Gila River Resorts & Casinos.

Final rosters and more details will be available on the event’s website and by following @IntersportHoops on Instagram and X in the coming days.