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Why Connecticut Sun will fly commercial to Indiana Fever game amid WNBA charter flight rollout

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Why Connecticut Sun will fly commercial to Indiana Fever game amid WNBA charter flight rollout


UNCASVILLE — The Connecticut Sun will take a commercial flight to face the Indiana Fever for their first road game of the season on Monday amid the WNBA’s clunky rollout of a charter travel program for the 2024 season.

The Fever and rookie superstar Caitlin Clark flew to Connecticut on a chartered plane for the season opener at Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday. The Minnesota Lynx also took a charter flight for their first game against the Seattle Storm, but all other teams flew commercially for their openers. All 12 teams are expected to operate with full-time charter travel beginning Tuesday — the day after the Sun play in Indianapolis.

The WNBA originally unveiled plans to institute full-time charters this season on May 9, five days before the first regular-season games. It announced that the program would be “phased in beginning with the start of the 2024 regular season.” Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said charter travel would launch “as soon as we can get planes in places,” but there was little further explanation. WNBA players held a town hall with Engelbert on Monday after it became clear that charter flights would begin immediately, but not for all road trips.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Engelbert told players the WNBA was prioritizing charter for trips that are “crossing multiple time zones or flights that usually require a connection.” Bradley International Airport, where the Sun typically travel from, does not offer any nonstop flights to Indianapolis on any airline.

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“Yeah that’s disappointing certainly, considering not just our place to fly in and out of, but us to Indiana is almost the worst trip in the world,” Sun coach Stephanie White said. “I made that a lot of times on the other end, so I know that from experience, and certainly understand that it’s a tough one, so I’m disappointed.”

A WNBA spokesperson said the league will not comment on case-by-case travel situations.

Chartered air travel — or lack thereof — has long been a spot of contention between the league and its players. All 12 WNBA teams traveled to regular-season games on commercial flights under the current collective bargaining agreement last year, and the New York Liberty were fined $500,000 in 2022 for using charter flights provided by owners Joe and Clara Tsai.

Tensions spiked again in 2023 when Brittney Griner returned to the Phoenix Mercury after a highly publicized 10-month detainment in Russia. Griner was harassed by a right-wing social media personality at the Dallas airport while the Mercury were flying commercially for a game against the Wings last season, but only Griner was allowed to fly charter for the rest of the year. The league introduced charter flights for all playoff games in 2023, but Engelbert said as recently as the WNBA Draft on April 15 that the league was waiting for “the right financial position” to implement a full-time program.

That financial position apparently came sooner than expected with the arrival of one of the most popular rookie classes in WNBA history. Social media erupted with safety concerns for Clark over a viral video of her at the airport for the Indiana Fever’s preseason game, and Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese is the most-followed active player in the league on Instagram with an audience of more than 3.1 million.

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Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027

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Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027


Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.  

Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:

I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!

A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.

German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.

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German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.

German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).

Top SCY Times:

  • 50 Freestyle: 23.54
  • 100 Freestyle: 51.35
  • 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
  • 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19

A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.

German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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Strong Storm Emerges For Northern Connecticut: Here’s When, What To Know

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Strong Storm Emerges For Northern Connecticut: Here’s When, What To Know



Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 80. Light west wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday: A chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

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Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 59. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.





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Developing story: Crash closes Taft Bridge on Connecticut Avenue NW

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Developing story: Crash closes Taft Bridge on Connecticut Avenue NW


A Park Police chase ends with a moped rider getting hit and killed on the Taft Bridge in Northwest D.C.

7News’ Washington, D.C. reporter, Phylicia Ashley, went to the scene moments after it happened Saturday evening and spoke to multiple witnesses.

Ximen DeFillippes was riding her bike near Woodley Road when she saw the chase.

ALSO READ | Secret Service detains fleeing driver after deadly crash near White House

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“The Park Police passed me. We were on Woodley Road. And then I saw the car they were pursuing,” said DeFillippes. “It was going very fast on the sidewalk. It drove up on the sidewalk up Woodley Road.”

DeFilippes was on one side of the Taft Bridge.

“I’d never seen anything that crazy,” said DeFillippes. “It was, it was like really like homicidal. It was just insane. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

7News also saw the aftermath of the chase and found Lamont Penry on the other side of the bridge. He also saw the chase. It ended on the steps of the Chinese Embassy staff housing.

“The car crashed into the diplomatic car,” Penry said. “A young man jumps out, takes off running down the street. The other three guys came out kind of dizzy. They apprehended one who was on the bench. One was at the rear. Tire of the vehicle, looked to be a Camry, and the other was on the other side of the diplomatic car.”

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In the middle of the bridge, 7News saw the victim’s body covered by a white sheet. Witnesses said that when the chase reached the Taft Bridge, one of the vehicles involved struck someone riding a scooter.

“Once the gentleman on the bridge was hit. We realized that no one stopped,” said Penry. “Police continued the pursuit until here, and then they turned around.”

RELATED | President Trump allows US Park Police to chase fleeing vehicles

Penry said all the alleged suspects involved looked young. While on scene, 7News saw one person get arrested and placed in an ambulance.

DeFilippes was riding her bike when she said two cars blocked her from getting caught in the midst of the chase.

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“I’m feeling lucky that for those few seconds of my path being kind of blocked,” said DeFillippes. “I’m just so glad that happened. Or else I would have been right there. I’m not at all surprised that someone was hurt. Just. Just from the way everything was unfolding, I could just tell it was going to be bad.



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