A franchise born in Connecticut is about to die there after 23 years. The Connecticut Sun have had an unfortunate 2026 season, ending up 14th on the leaderboard in a 15-team league. The franchise is now in its sunset season and will no longer be known by that name after 2026. As the Sun face a major shift in their franchise identity, team president Jennifer Rizzotti made an important announcement about her career trajectory in a recent interview.
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NBC Connecticut Sports anchor Matt Sottile broke the news on X that Rizzotti will be shifting her base to join the team in Houston, Texas. She opened up about her decision to relocate while speaking to NBC in an interview on Monday.
“Morgan Tuck [Sun general manager] and I also started this journey five years ago and then two years ago decided we were going to revamp our entire roster. And so, you know, we decided we’re just going to we’re going to go down to Houston together and we’re going to figure this thing out,” she said.
The Connecticut Sun has recently changed ownership in May 2026, when new owner Tilman J. Fertitta bought the team from the Mohegan Tribe, a sale approved by the WNBA and the NBA. The Sun, which began as the Orlando Miracle back in 1999, was eventually sold to the Mohegan Tribe and shifted its base to Connecticut, playing their games at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The team will now be relocating to Houston, Texas, with their final game at the Mohegan Sun Arena set to be on September 24.
Jennifer Rizzotti, who has been president of the Connecticut Sun since 2021, has formed a unique bond with the team and its fans. Speaking to NBC, she expressed how grateful she and the Sun were to the loving fans.
“And as excited as I am about the next chapter, I do hope that all of the fans here in Connecticut know that no matter what happens in the future, and if we do get that elusive championship for the Connecticut franchise that is now moving, that the fans here will always be a part of that.”
The Connecticut Sun have not won a championship in the 23 years of their official existence. They have reached the playoffs 16 times, though, even reaching the finals four times, but losing out each time. The Sun’s decline has been steep: 11-33 last season, now 10-32 this year.
As the team shifts home base, Rizzotti and her squad will hope that the new air will give the team a fresh start. The team will shift to Houston at the start of the 2027 season and will be called the Houston Comets. Rizzotti will remain the president after the move, but there is a special connection that she holds with the team’s previous base of operations.
Connecticut Sun President Holds Unique Association With Team’s Old Home
Connecticut holds a special place in Jennifer Rizzotti’s heart, even though she began her WNBA journey in the city of Houston, Texas, where she was drafted by the Houston Comets in 1999 with the 48th overall pick in the fourth round. She remained with the team for two seasons – 1999 and 2000 – and was part of the squad that won WNBA championships in both seasons.
During her 1999 campaign, Rizzotti averaged 1.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in the 25 games that she played. She improved her scoring the next season, averaging 1.9 points, while adding 1.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in 32 games.
While she did play for the Comets, Rizzotti has an even older connection to the state of Connecticut.
Rizzotti attended the University of Connecticut and played under UConn legend Geno Auriemma between 1992 and 1996. She even served as the starting point guard for the team in 1995, the year UConn won the NCAA championship. This was the first year that UConn won the championship, and they did it with an astounding 35-0 record. 1995 was also Rizzotti’s best year in her time at UConn, as she averaged 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. She even went on to be named the Associated Press Player of the Year the very next year in 1996.
Rizzotti is a Connecticut native, as she attended the New Fairfield School in the state. It is no wonder she is emotional about leaving the state that made her who she is today. She spoke about her journey with Connecticut in the interview with NBC Connecticut.
“As we close this chapter, I’m just really proud of the impact that we’ve made as an organization. But also I’m really proud of the fans of the state that have supported not just the Huskies for so many years, but the Connecticut Sun franchise in a way that has made this week very emotional for us.”
The Sun are out of playoff contention this season, but still have two regular season games remaining – one on the road against the Washington Mystics and another against the Toronto Tempo at home. Rizzotti and the Connecticut Sun will surely feel the history in the legendary Mohegan Sun Arena as they sunset the franchise.