Stamford, Conn. – Ahead of the first season of the WNBA on USA Sports later this summer, former Fordham University women's basketball player, Edona Thaqi '21, M.S. '22, has been named an Analyst and Reporter for the network's inaugural year covering the top women's basketball league across the globe.
Thaqi will work alongside Oklahoma City Thunder pre- and postgame reporter Paris Lawson, with the pair working on both game broadcasts and studio coverage. She will also work with former ESPN sports journalist Elle Duncan (host) and two-time WNBA champion Renee Montgomery (analyst) on WNBA pre- and post-game studio coverage.
"I'm incredibly honored to join USA Network and be part of the WNBA's broadcast coverage," said Thaqi. "The opportunity to help tell the stories of these athletes and showcase the league on such a prominent platform is truly exciting. I'm looking forward to getting started and contributing to the continued growth of the game."
Philadelphia 76ers play-by-play commentator Kate Scott, and Washington Mystics play-by-play voice and Washington Wizards sideline reporter Meghan McPeak will serve as play-by-play commentators for the 2026 coverage, while Brooklyn Nets game analyst, Sarah Kustok will serve as a game analyst for USA Network's WNBA coverage.
A former student-athlete at Fordham University, Edona was a part of the Rams' run to winning the 2019 Atlantic 10 Championship, and helped the program earn its third-ever, and most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament that season.
During her time in The Bronx, in 2020 Thaqi was one of two Rams selected to participate in the Women's Sports Foundation/NBC Sports Group Student-Athlete Mentoring Program, an initiative designed to inspire and support women collegiate student-athletes as they explore potential career paths.
After playing her rookie season at UConn-Avery Point, the then sophomore transfer Thaqi joined the Rams ahead of their championship run during the 2018-19 campaign, before earning both a B.A. in Economics in 2021 and a Master's degree in Sports Communication the following year, playing her final four years on the team, after redshirting her junior campaign.
Following graduation, she spent two years working as a Broadcasting Assistant at the NBA. Thaqi has called college basketball games for numerous schools across NBC/Peacock, CBS Sports Network, and USA Network.
In 2022, Thaqi represented Kosovo's National Basketball Team at the FIBA European Small Countries Championships. She returned the following year as an assistant coach - an experience that inspired her to launch the Kosovo Heritage Basketball Academy, a week-long basketball and mentorship program dedicated to creating opportunities for young athletes in her family's homeland.
