LAS VEGAS (May 1, 2025) — The Las Vegas Aces will get their first test of 2025 with a preseason opener against the Dallas Wings on Friday, May 2, at Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Tipoff is at 4 p.m. PT and will be televised on ION. The game will mark a college homecoming for Aces guards Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young, as well as Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale.  

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Young played three collegiate years with the Fighting Irish from 2016-19, where she was named AP All-American third team, ACC Tournament MVP and All-ACC second team her senior year before being selected as the No. 1 pick by Las Vegas in the 2019 Draft. 

Loyd, who also played three seasons in South Bend from 2013-15, was named espnW National and Midseason Player of the Year, AP All-America first team and John R. Wooden Award All-America Team her senior year.  

This will be the second year in a row that the Aces will travel to play a preseason game at a player’s alma mater, the first being in 2024 when the Aces traveled to Columbia, South Carolina, for a homecoming game for former Gamecock A’ja Wilson.  

 In 2024, the Aces ranked first in points per game (86.4 ppg), defensive rebounds (28.5 drpg) and second in field goal percentage (.454), free throw percentage (.828) and blocks per game (5.0 bpg). 

Three-time WNBA MVP, Olympic gold medalist and one of the TIME Women of the Year honorees, Wilson recorded another historic season in 2024 by becoming the first player in league history to record 1,000 points in a single season. Returning to the Aces are two-time WNBA Champions Chelsea Gray, Kierstan Bell, Kiah Stokes and rookie Liz Kitley, who was drafted in 2024 but spent the year returning from injury.   

The Aces bolstered their roster during free agency with the acquisition of Loyd, guards Tiffany Mitchell and Dana Evans and forwards Crystal Bradford and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus.  

Under head coach Becky Hammon, a few new faces on the Aces roster, including Loyd, will make their preseason debut Friday night. In the 2025 WNBA Draft, Las Vegas selected Aaliyah Nye as the 13th overall pick out of Alabama, who set the program record for 3-pointers made in a single season (109) in 2024-25. The Aces also drafted Harvard’s Harmoni Turner, who was named 2025 Ivy League and Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year. Las Vegas also extended a 2025 training camp contract invite to Deja Kelly (Oregon). The full Aces roster can be found here. 

Dallas finished the 2024 season with a 9-31 record, second worst in the league. However, the Wings also have a new look this year. During the offseason, the Wings reloaded with signings of NaLyssa Smith, DiJonai Carrington, Myisha Hines-Allen and Ty Harris. The Wings secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, loading up the roster with rookies, including Paige Bueckers, McKenzie Forbes, Madison Scott, Aaronette Vonleh, Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly.