Second Annual Showcase to Feature Four Powerhouse Programs; Public Tickets onSale Oct. 23
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 22, 2026) –The Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational is raising the stakes in its second year, expanding to a four-team doubleheader featuring four of the nation’s top women’s college basketball programs. Making its Nashville debut at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday, Dec. 20, the event will bring a marquee slate of matchups to Music City during the holiday season.
Building on the event’s inaugural year, the expanded showcase features three teams ranked in the AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll the 2026-27 season. All four programs enter the spotlight with a track record of postseason success, including national championships and recent Sweet 16 appearances.
“The espnW Invitational is all about super serving women’s sports fans and elevating the top talent on the court,” said Susie Piotrkowski, vice president of women’s sports programming and espnW for ESPN. “We’re thrilled to bring the Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational back for year two and expand it to four outstanding programs on a premier stage in Nashville. Our priority is putting the athletes and fans at the center of everything we do, from compelling matchups to anexperience worthy of the game and the student-athletes shaping its future. We can’t wait to welcome fans to Bridgestone Arena for a great day of basketball, and all that Music City has to offer.”
The doubleheader will be headlined by a matchup between 2025 national champion and #2 UConn and 2023 national champion #9 LSU, marking the programs’ first meeting since 2016. The matchup brings together two of the sport’s most accomplished programs and coaches for a highly anticipated showdown. The day’s second game will feature Virginia and #14 Kentucky, both coming off Sweet 16 appearances, in their first meeting since 2019.
Public tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 23, and will be available through the ESPN Events website here. Game times and broadcast information are as follows:
UConn vs. LSU: Noon CT | ABC
Virginia vs. Kentucky: 2:30 p.m. CT | ESPN2
The Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational returns for its second year with the support of title sponsor Sprouts Farmers Market. For additional event information, visit espnevents.com/espnw-invitational.
About ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule included three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premier regular-season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events accounted for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
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