Two Wildcats, One Big Night
Sunday was a Northwestern showcase in the WNBA, with Veronica Burton and Nia Coffey both taking the floor — and Burton making sure the Evanston faithful had something to celebrate.
Burton Puts on an All-Around Clinic
The Golden State Valkyries didn't just beat the Chicago Fire on August 30th — they dominated, 86–69 — and Burton was at the center of it. The Wildcats alum finished with 11 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block, but the number that stands out most is her +27 plus/minus. When Burton was on the floor, the Valkyries outscored Chicago by 27 points. That's not a role player contribution — that's a game-shaping performance.
What makes the stat line notable isn't any single column but the balance across all of them. Burton didn't torch the Fire as a scorer; she controlled the game through playmaking, defense, and positioning. The 6-assist, 6-rebound, 2-steal combination reflects the kind of two-way, connective basketball that made her a top WNBA prospect out of Northwestern in the first place. At her best, Burton doesn't dominate a box score — she tilts the entire floor, and Sunday was a clean example of exactly that.
For the Valkyries, the win was a comfortable 17-point statement against a Fire squad they handled from wire to wire. Burton's performance helped set the tone.
Coffey Suits Up in a Tough Night for Minnesota
A few hundred miles north, Nia Coffey was in uniform for the Minnesota Lynx as they hosted the Atlanta Dream — but Sunday belonged to Atlanta. The Dream pulled out an 89–81 road victory, handing the Lynx a home loss Coffey and company will want to forget.
Coffey's box score was modest: 1 assist, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and a +3 plus/minus in what was ultimately a losing effort. The numbers tell a quiet night for the veteran forward, though her positive plus/minus in a team loss suggests she held her own during her minutes on the court. With the Lynx looking to stay competitive deep in the WNBA season, Minnesota will need more from everyone — Coffey included — to bounce back from a setback like this.
The contrast between the two Northwestern alums on Sunday was sharp: Burton orchestrating a wire-to-wire rout, Coffey grinding through a frustrating loss. Both moments are part of what it means to be a professional — and both Wildcats are doing it at the highest level of the women's game. Burton's +27 performance, in particular, is the kind of night that earns film study around the league. Northwestern fans should be watching closely as the WNBA season enters its final stretch.
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