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Sophie Cunningham emerged as one of the leaders on the Indiana Fever during the 2025 season as she fiercely defended Caitlin Clark and the rest of her teammates at various points of the year.
Cunningham was posed with the question of whether she will return to Indiana for at least the 2026 season as she was set to be a free agent. However, on Sunday, she made the decision to return to the Fever.
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Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong talks to WNBA star Sophie Cunningham before a game against the Colorado Rockies at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., on Feb. 25, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images)
Indiana and Cunningham agreed to a one-year contract, the team announced.
“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,” she said, via the team’s website. “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!”
Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham reacts after the Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream in game three of round one of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga., on Sept. 18, 2025. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
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Cunningham played 30 games for Indiana before her season was cut short due to an MCL tear. She averaged 8.6 points per game and shot a career-high 43.2% from 3-point range.
The Fever expect her to be a key piece for the team looking to make a championship run.
“I think she’s always willing to step in and do whatever it takes to win,” Fever general manager Amber Cox said.
“… When you have a shooter like Sophie – somebody who’s consistently at the top of the league every single year in terms of her effectiveness from beyond the arc – that really helps everybody else too … Everything she brings to the table as a competitor, I think will impact us.”
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham reacts during a WNBA game against the Phoenix Mercury at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., on Aug. 7, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
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Even with injuries to Cunningham and Clark, Indiana finished third in the Eastern Conference with a 24-20 record. Indiana upset the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the Las Vegas Aces in five games in the semifinals.
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