The Golden State Valkyries are competing in the WNBA playoffs for the 2nd year in a row. But last summer, due to a scheduling conflict on their home court, the team ended their inaugural season with a loss to the Minnesota Lynx at SAP Center in San Jose. In 2026, the Valkyries playoff run started with a whole different story.
On Sunday night, the locked-in Valkyries drowned out the Dallas Wings 104-80 in front of more than 18,000 people. Six players made multiple threes from beyond the arc, setting a new WNBA record. And fans experienced something something totally new: a playoff victory. A rendition of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" filled the arena, with a twist: "It's a new life, it's a new day... Valks fans!"
The energy of new beginnings extended beyond the walls of Chase Center. Before the game even began, KALW News stopped by a fan-led tailgate just a couple blocks from the arena. It was organized by a group called the Valkyries Votaries. Votaries refer to a group dedicated to a cause; in this case, that meant spreading Valkyries joy.
"Hot dogs and beer, for Valks fans!" shouted Natasha Dantzing, who was in charge of the grill alongside her wife, Katherine Hensel. The couple, and their friends, offered free beer and hot dogs for anyone dressed in violet and lavender. Only a few strangers had stopped by, but Dantzing said she wasn’t surprised.
"I mean it's San Francisco," she told KALW News. "I've never been offered free anything, let alone hot dogs and beer."
But like Golden State, the Valkyries Votaries are just heating up. They’re in it for a long playoff run - and all the new traditions that could result from the post-season.
If the Valkyries can win one more game against the Wings this week, they will be back in San Francisco for the semifinals, starting next weekend.
