Cathy Engelbert will retire as WNBA commissioner at the end of 2026

Cathy Engelbert will retire as WNBA commissioner at the end of 2026, the league announced on September 4. Her departure takes effect at the close of the calendar year.

Engelbert became the WNBA’s first commissioner in 2019. In the league’s announcement, NBA commissioner Adam Silver credited her leadership during a period of expansion and growth. Engelbert said her decision follows more than four decades in business.