After 19 Years of Storm Coverage, Elise Woodward Is Heading to Portland Fire

The voice of Seattle Storm basketball for nearly two decades is moving on. Elise Woodward, who has been the color commentator for the Storm since 2001, is leaving to become the play-by-play announcer for the WNBA expansion Portland Fire. It's the end of an era for one of the most recognizable broadcasters in Seattle sports.

From Day 1 to Today

Woodward has been with the Storm since before they won their first WNBA championship in 2004. Think about that. She was in the booth before Sue Bird even arrived in 2002. Over the past two decades, working alongside play-by-play partner Dick Fain, Woodward has called over 600 Storm games and watched this franchise go through every stage of growth.

She didn't do it straight through, though. Woodward took a seven-year break starting in 2008 after having a child, but came back in 2014 to continue her run with the team. Now, after all those years, she's ready for a new challenge down in Portland.

What She'll Miss Most

"I will definitely miss the fans that have been around since Year 1 and the relationships with the organization and people that have been there for years," Woodward said. She gave special credit to the Storm Crazies, the original core of fans who showed up from day one. "The foundation of the OGs who have been there since Day 1, I have so much respect for them and I love those group of fans."

But Woodward's favorite memory goes deeper than any single game or moment. It's about how the ownership group kept basketball alive in Seattle when they could have let it slip away to Oklahoma City or disappear entirely. "The ownership group saving basketball when they could have easily been taken to Oklahoma City or shuttered was the No. 1 most important thing in the history of the franchise, in my opinion," she said.

Over her time covering the team, Woodward called three WNBA championship seasons and loved her time courtside talking hoops with Seattle fans. She was particularly drawn to coverage of Lauren Jackson, calling her the ultimate competitor and a force on both ends of the floor. She also praised coach Anne Donovan, saying it was amazing to see a female coach win the WNBA championship.

A Seattle Sports Fixture

Woodward's connection to Seattle runs deep. She played for the Washington women's basketball team from 1994 to 1997 and made three NCAA tournament trips. After graduating from UW with a broadcast journalism degree in 1997, she became a fixture in Seattle sports, working as a TV sideline reporter for the Sonics and a radio sideline reporter for Washington Huskies football. Now, nearly 30 years into her time in the Emerald City, she's taking her talents north to Portland.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.