Seattle Storm's New Broadcast Booth Is Loaded, and That First All-Women Game Is Coming

The Seattle Storm announced their 2026 broadcast crew on Tuesday, and it's a serious refresh with some heavyweight names stepping in. Dick Fain is back calling games for his 19th season, but he's got new voices surrounding him that should elevate the whole production. This isn't just a makeover. It's a statement.

Meet the New Lineup

Alyssa Charlston-Smith is the big addition as the primary analyst. She's a Sammamish native who played Division I basketball at Idaho and professionally in Luxembourg, then spent five years doing analysis and sideline work across the Pac-12 and Big Ten. She called games at the University of Washington, including that memorable Joel McHale sideline interview moment, and currently anchors sports at FOX13 Seattle. She's replacing Elise Woodward, who's heading to the expansion Portland Fire. Strong hire.

Shantelle Chand is back for her second season on sidelines. The Vancouver, BC native covers the Vancouver Whitecaps, the CFL, and the PWHL on top of her Storm duties, so she knows what it takes to juggle multiple leagues and still deliver quality work.

For select games, the Storm are bringing in a four-person crew with Layshia Clarendon and Crystal Langhorne as analysts. Clarendon's a 12-year WNBA vet and 2017 All-Star who spent years on Pac-12 Networks and currently works ACC Network. Langhorne won two championships with Seattle, retired in 2021, and has been running Force4Change, the organization's social justice platform. She did guest analyst work on Storm pregame shows last season through KOMO-TV, and now that's becoming official.

The Historic All-Women Broadcast Is Coming

Here's the headline moment: on September 17 for Believe in Women Night, Charlston-Smith will handle play-by-play, Clarendon will analyze, and Langhorne joins as guest analyst. The Storm are calling this the first all-women broadcast in franchise history. That's the kind of move that matters.

Dan Hughes, who coached the 2018 championship team, is back as an analyst contributor for a special game. Francis Williams, who's worked for the Trail Blazers, ESPN, NBA TV, and Fox Sports and coached at Garfield and Rainier Beach high schools here in Seattle, returns for select home dates.

This broadcast overhaul signals the Storm are serious about quality coverage and representation. Watch for September 17. That game is going to be something special.

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