WNBA Makes Decision on Sophie Cunningham Punishment After Fever Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 4:08 PM ET

The Indiana Fever punched their ticket to the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup title game with an 88-71 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night.

However, what should have been a celebration of their in‑season tournament success turned into the league’s latest flashpoint over on‑court physicality.

Midway through the third quarter, tensions first boiled over when Sun guard Jacy Sheldon was assessed a flagrant 1 foul for poking Fever star Caitlin Clark in the eye.

Clark, Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles all drew technical fouls from the scrum that followed.

Then, with 46.1 seconds showing on the clock, Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham delivered a hard foul on Sheldon during a breakaway layup attempt.

Her hair grab and takedown not only sent Sheldon to the floor but also triggered a bench‑clearing melee.

Cunningham, Sheldon and Sun forward Lindsay Allen were ejected for fighting.

On Wednesday, the WNBA announced that Cunningham would be fined under the league’s rule for a flagrant 2 foul. However, no suspension will be imposed.

Sophie Cunningham fined for involvement in on-court altercation, per @alexaphilippou.

No players will be suspended. https://t.co/PBQ9Bpf1id
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) June 18, 2025

According to a league source, flagrant 1 fouls carry a $200 fine while a flagrant 2 fine starts at $400, with technical fouls beginning at $200 each for the first three in a season

Fever coach Stephanie White and Sun coach Rachid Meziane each publicly blasted the officiating in postgame remarks, lamenting that "everything’s getting better except the officials" and questioning why Mabrey’s shove in the third quarter did not merit an ejection.

Indiana has started the season 6-5, good for third place in the Eastern Conference and just four games back of the top-seeded New York Liberty.

Indiana now shifts its focus to a stretch of road matchups against the Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm over the next week.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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