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 NEW YORK , Nov. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, professional women's basketball league Unrivaled announced that Clare Duwelius has been named Executive Vice President and General Manager, effective immediately.

Duwelius will play a pivotal role in shaping the direction of the Unrivaled's basketball operations and is tasked with leading the league's efforts in contract negotiations with players and coaches, overseeing the league's referees, regulating playing rules, and managing additional league administration. Duwelius will work closely with President of Basketball Operations Luke Cooper as well as Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell.

"As we've continued to construct a first-class basketball operations staff at Unrivaled, we are thrilled to welcome Clare Duwelius as a critical piece of our league," said Unrivaled Commissioner Micky Lawler. "Her track record and proven excellency speak for themselves, and she brings years of unparalleled experience from a storied and successful franchise. We're grateful that she is joining Unrivaled for this next step of her career and look forward to her leadership beginning with our inaugural season in January."

Clare Duwelius joins Unrivaled from the Minnesota Lynx, where she recently completed her 11th season with the team and her second as General Manager after having been promoted in 2022 from her previous role as Assistant General Manager.

Duwelius started with the Lynx in 2014 as the Basketball Operations Coordinator and was elevated to Basketball Operations Manager in 2016 and Assistant General Manager in 2018.

"I am thrilled to join Unrivaled as the league's first Executive Vice President and General Manager. I look forward to making a strategic mark on this incredible new league that proudly features the world's best players," said Duwelius. "I am beyond thankful to Glen & Becky Taylor, Cheryl Reeve and the long list of staff and players I have had the privilege of working alongside for over a decade in Minnesota. The experiences and growth, both personally and professionally, have prepared me for this exciting new chapter."

As a member of the Lynx staff, Duwelius served on teams that won two WNBA Championship titles (2015 and 2017), made four WNBA Finals trips (2015-17, 2024), appeared in 10 playoffs (2014-2021, 2023-24), and won one WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship (2024).

A Des Moines, Iowa native, Duwelius graduated from Wayne State College where she played on the women's basketball team and earned her degree in Sports Management. Upon graduating, Duwelius went on to obtain her Master's degree in Business Administration from Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) while serving as the Graduate Assistant for the SMSU women's basketball team.

Unrivaled will tip off its inaugural season on January 17, 2025 where TNT Sports will exclusively air live game coverage on TNT and truTV – along with all games being streamed on Max.  Follow unrivaled.basketball and @UnrivaledBasketball for news and announcements ahead of the debut season.  

Media Contacts:
Melanie Van Dusen, Berk Communications (Unrivaled) – unrivaled@berkcommunications.com
Tish Carmona, Communications, Unrivaled - pr@unrivaledleague.com 

About Unrivaled:
Unrivaled is a professional women's basketball league innovating the women's professional sports landscape with a groundbreaking model centered on investing in its athletes. Co-Founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled is player-owned, providing participating players equity opportunities for a vested interest in the league's success. Launching in January 2025, Unrivaled will feature 36 of the current top women's basketball stars in the world across six teams for a 3-on-3, compressed full court style of play. To learn more, visit unrivaled.basketball or contact info@unrivaled.com.

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SOURCE Unrivaled