INDIANAPOLIS (June 22, 2026) – As the WNBA celebrates its 30th anniversary season, the Indiana Fever will honor founding WNBA President Val Ackerman with the Lin Dunn Inspiring Women Award during Inspiring Women Night presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 

As the WNBA's first president from 1996 to 2005, Ackerman helped launch the league and guided its growth through its first eight seasons. She will be recognized during halftime of the Fever game for her visionary leadership and lasting impact on women's basketball, and will be joined by Fever legend Tamika Catchings for a special on-court interview reflecting on the league's 30-year legacy. 

Ackerman played a pivotal role in the early careers of many WNBA leaders, including Fever Team President Kelly Krauskopf, who joined the league in its inaugural season and worked alongside Ackerman. 

"As we celebrate the WNBA's 30th season, it's especially meaningful to recognize someone whose vision helped make this league possible," Krauskopf said. "Val's leadership helped build the WNBA from the ground up, creating opportunities for generations of women across our sport. I had the privilege of beginning my WNBA career alongside her during the league's earliest days, and I saw firsthand how her leadership shaped not only the league but the people who helped build it. Her legacy of breaking barriers and lifting up others perfectly reflects the spirit of the Lin Dunn Inspiring Women Award." 

Currently serving as the BIG EAST Conference commissioner, Ackerman has announced her retirement effective later this summer. She is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (2011), the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2021), the New Jersey Hall of Fame (2021) and the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame (2023). 
 
“I remember vividly when the Fever joined the WNBA in 2000, and it’s been a thrill to see how far the team has come under the leadership of Herb Simon, Kelly Krauskopf, Tamika Catchings and the entire Pacers Sports & Entertainment organization,” Ackerman said. “I’m deeply honored to receive an award named for the legendary Lin Dunn and to have played a role in providing women’s pro basketball players and their fans with the platform they so richly deserve.” 
 
Ackerman is also a past president of USA Basketball, which oversees the U.S. men's and women's Olympic basketball programs, and served two terms as the U.S. representative to the International Basketball Federation.

Dunn, a Hall of Fame coach, was the inaugural recipient of the Fever's Inspiring Women Award in 2025, and the award was renamed in her honor to recognize her lasting impact on women's basketball at both the collegiate and professional levels. The winningest coach in franchise history, Dunn led the Fever to the 2012 WNBA championship before serving as the team's general manager, where she drafted Lexie Hull, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark. 

The Indiana Fever will host the Los Angeles Sparks at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 27 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Tickets are available at FeverBasketball.com/Tickets. Fans can watch the game on CBS and Paramount+ or listen on 93.5/107.5 The Fan. 

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About Pacers Sports & Entertainment 
Pacers Sports & Entertainment is the corporate identity exemplified by the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, Noblesville Boom, Pacers Foundation, Inc., and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Its team of inspired and dedicated employees promises to deliver quality entertainment and unparalleled service.     

About the Indiana Fever 
The Indiana Fever were announced as an expansion franchise in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in June 1999 and began play during the 2000 season. In 2012, led by Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, the team won its first WNBA Championship. Last season, the Fever won the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship and later advanced to the 2025 WNBA Playoff Semifinals – the team’s furthest postseason run since 2015.   
To learn more about the Fever, purchase tickets, or join the season ticket priority waitlist, visit FeverBasketball.com. The team can also be followed across all social media platforms, including YouTube,Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.