Fans of the West Virginia Mountaineers love to see former alumni excel at the professional level in their respective sports, and they were treated to quite a rookie season in the WNBA from former WVU women's basketball star J.J. Quinerly in 2025. But unfortunately, her sophomore season at the professional level isn't panning out quite the same way.
Quinerly starred for the Mountaineers for four seasons, leading the program to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in her final two seasons, and helping lead the Mountaineers to the Round of 32 in each of those appearances. She was selected in th third round of the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, and despite the fact that third-round picks often don't make it far, she earned her spot on the main roster.
From there, she would make 34 appearances and 13 starts for the program, and averaging 6.5 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per contest before her season came to an early end due to injury. But the Wings would finish 10-34 overall and fire coach Chris Koclanes, hiring Jose Fernandez to replace him.
The franchise kept Quinerly on the roster, but with the addition of No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Azzi Fudd at the guard position, it became a bit tougher to crack to a deep lineup in the back court which also includes Paige Buecker and Arike Ogunbowale. Quinerly played in one preseason game, recording seven points, three rebounds, and three assists in just 11 minutes of action. But she has yet to see action through seven regular season games.
Hopefully, Quinerly will either find another opportunity to crack the rotation and show her skills, or will eventually land an opportunity with another club. She clearly proved she has what it takes to make it as a WNBA starter in her rookie season, and she deserves another opportunity.
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