Mizzou legend Sophie Cunningham re-signs with Indiana Fever
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (KMIZ)
The 'Mayor of Columbia' has quickly made her mark in Indianapolis.
On Sunday, the Indiana Fever announced that Mizzou legend Sophie Cunningham will return to the team for the 2026 season. ESPN reported that it will be a one-year deal for the Columbia native, as she joins her 2025 teammates guards Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell in players to re-sign with Indiana, this offseason.
Of course, after spending her first six seasons in WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury, Cunningham made her debut with the Fever in 2025. It didn't take her long to become a beloved member of that team, too. The player that's so well known for her fiery passion in Columbia, Mo., also brought it to Indianapolis when she went viral for defending her teammate, superstar Caitlin Clark, during a game.
She recorded 13 regular-season starts for Indiana, last season, appearing in 30 of the team's 44 regular-season games, overall. Her year was cut short, though, when she suffered an MCL tear in the final month of the season. She was one of four Fever key guards that suffered a season-ending injury in 2025
“We had a really special group last year and it was an incredible first season for me in Indy; I loved everything about my teammates and the Fever organization,” Cunningham said in a press release. “We fought through a ton of adversity, and it was important to me that we have a chance to see through what we started. I have a feeling this is going to be another special season, so I’m excited to get things started and to, of course, keep playing in front of the best fans in the WNBA. Let’s get spicy!”
Cunningham was lethal from 3-point range in her debut season in Indiana. She knocked down 47 percent of her shots from the field in 2025, including a 43 percent clip from beyond the arc. That was the third season of her career that she's shot better than 40 percent from 3-point range.
“We are thrilled to have Sophie back with the Fever and are grateful for her commitment to return and build on what we started a year ago,” Fever General Manager Amber Cox said in a press release. “Not only is Sophie one of the best three-point shooters in the league, but she is an exceptional teammate, both on and off the court. She plays with infectious energy that impacts not only our team, but our fanbase as well.”
Cunningham is set to enter her eighth season in the WNBA, after she had a tremendous career in Columbia at both Mizzou and Rock Bridge High School. In her time as a Bruin, she earned McDonald's All-American honors and led her team to four Class 5 State titles.
She continued her Columbia journey, just up the road, at Mizzou. She spent four seasons in Columbia and brought the Tigers on quite a run. In her time with the team, MU never missed an NCAA Tournament. Her list of accolades are long, including being the first player in program history to be named an All-American, earning Third Team honors from the Associated Press and others. She also made an All-Conference team each year she played in Columbia, earning First-Team honors her sophomore, junior and senior seasons, which made her the first player in program history to earn First-Team honors three times.
Indiana will begin preseason action on Saturday, April 25 in a matchup against the New York Liberty at 2 p.m. CT.
