On Wednesday, the Chicago Sky signed former Maryland Terrapins guard Saylor Poffenbarger to a hardship contract. Why the sudden move by Chicago?Saylor Poffenbarger has signed with the @chicagosky! #ProTerps x #faMily 🐢 pic.twitter.com/sFJbZ9j51z— Maryland Women’s Basketball (@TerpsWBB) May 27, 2026Offseason acquisition Rickea Jackson sustained a season-ending ACL injury back on the 17th against the Minnesota Lynx after landing awkwardly on a drive to the basket.2026 lottery pick Gabriella Jaquez has recently missed some time due to a left injury sustained.Putting Chicago in a tough and thin situation in its back court. Veterans Courtney Vandersloot and DiJonai Carrington are still out with season-ending injuries from a season ago. Leaving Natasha Cloud, Jacy Sheldon, and Skylar Diggins manning the bulk of the minutes. Now, Poffenbarger has a real opportunity to carve out a role and showcase her two-way ability, with the intention of possibly sticking around for the long term or joining another team after Chicago gets healthy once again.Poffenbarger went undrafted in the 2026 WNBA draft. However, she found an opportunity, signing a training camp contract with the Minnesota Lynx shortly after the draft. Poffenbarger averaged 5.7 points, 6 rebounds, and one block per game during the preseason. Her preseason debut with the Lynx went well, where she posted 9 points and 13 rebounds in front of the home crowd against the Washington Mystics. Poffenbarger began her collegiate career at UConn in the 2020-21 season, where she made a limited appearance on the court. Poffenbarger then transferred to Arkansas, where she redshirted her first season before playing the next two seasons, becoming a prominent player on the team and in the SEC. It led her to being named to the 2023 All-SEC Freshman Team at Arkansas
Terp Alumna Saylor Poffenbarger Gearing Up For Her First WNBA Regular Season Game
On Wednesday, the Chicago Sky signed former Maryland Terrapins guard Saylor Poffenbarger to a hardship contract. Why the sudden move by Chicago? Offseason acqui
The Chicago Sky signed undrafted guard Saylor Poffenbarger on a hardship contract after injuries depleted their backcourt — Rickea Jackson (ACL), Courtney Vandersloot, and DiJonai Carrington all out for the season. For a roster-building context, this is a textbook hardship signing: low-cost depth with upside, giving a two-way player her first regular-season shot while the franchise evaluates long-term fit.












