"To one amazing Duck": Oregon football celebrates Sabrina Ionescu's latest milestone
WNBA star and reigning champion Sabrina Ionescu was felicitated by Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, declaring May 12 as "Sabrina Ionescu Day." Ionescu returned to Eugene over the weekend for her preseason game between her New York Liberty against Japan's Toyota Antelopes at the Matthew Knight Arena.
On Monday, the University of Oregon football honored one of the legendary athletes in Ducks history. Oregon shared a photo of Ionescu holding up a trophy with the caption:
“To one amazing Duck, Happy Sabrina Day!” along with the hashtag #GoDucks.
In the photo, Ionescu is wearing a green hoodie emblazoned with “FIGHT DUCKS.”
Ionescu is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in women's college basketball history. She was the first NCAA player — male or female — to record 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds.
“This was home for four years and kind of my first home away from home,” Ionescu said. “And so that’s something that you never lose sight of and you always have those feelings every time you come back.”
Along with Ionescu, her teammate and former Ducks star Nyara Sabally was also back in Eugene.
Sabrina Ionescu shows gratitude to mayor after getting her own day in Ducks universe
Ahead of the preseason game, Sabrina Ionescu was filled with gratitude to see her name getting the importance in the Ducks' universe.
“Thank you very much, I really appreciate this,” Ionescu said. “I never thought that I would be in a position to have a day named after me, so this is pretty special to be able to give back to the University of Oregon, this community that has meant so much to me and allowed me to be where I’m at now in my professional career, and give back to the next little Sabrina that’s running around here in Eugene.”
Ionescu's teammate Nyara Sabally received news on Monday that the Liberty has exercised the fourth-year option of her rookie contract, meaning she will remain with the team through the 2026 season. This should help Liberty in their bid to retain the WNBA title in 2025.
On Monday, Liberty will face the Antelopes with a tipoff set at 7 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arena. The exhibition game will be a homecoming for both Ionescu and Sabally as it was their stomping ground before becoming professionals.