Former Stanford standout Nadia Fingall gives Valkyries depth, defense in frontcourt

SAN FRANCISCO - Nadia Fingall was sitting in her family's living room on Sunday when she got the call.

When Fingall picked up the phone, it was her agent on the other line. After six seasons in Spain, her first crack at the WNBA had finally come.

The Valkyries signed the 6-foot-4, former Stanford standout to a rest-of-season contract on Sunday, also waiving forward Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda in a corresponding move.

The addition gives Golden State another body in the frontcourt along with starting center Kiah Stokes and backup Laeticia Amihere. The Valkyries – who went into the season without starting center Iliana Rupert after she announced she was pregnant – have been platooning Stokes and Amihere at center, though the latter has fallen out of the rotation.

"This is my first experience in the W, but I think I’m a player that gives my all every game," Fingall said. "I try to do my best for the team. My defense and my rebounding are two things that are extremely, extremely important to me. So kind of playing from those things, not doing anything different, or anything that is not my style but just kind of fitting in and becoming another puzzle piece to something that’s already doing pretty well."

The former Cardinal just completed a long season in Spain where she helped Casademont Zaragoza capture a bronze medal in the Final Six playoffs.

Across 19 games, Fingall averaged 8.7 points, 5.7 rebounds while shooting 44.7% from the field.

Fingall was a defensive standout at Stanford where she earned Pac-12 all-defensive team honorable mention honors in 2020. She is the second Cardinal player the Valkyries have signed as the team signed center Ashten Prechtel – a Stanford freshman when Fignall was a senior – to a developmental contract a month ago.

"She brings physicality and rebounding," Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said after Monday's practice. "She could obviously post up versus smaller matchups, and then obviously she said she could shoot that thing. So she could space the floor. She fits in with us perfectly, and she’s got great energy."

Fingall, who trains in Palo Alto during the offseason, noted that she was able to get a glimpse of the Valkyries last year as a fan.

"We were able to come to some of the games last year, and I mean it’s incredible experiencing Ballhalla for the first time," Fingall said. "I’m very, very happy, and I feel very blessed and fortunate to be a part of this organization, pretty much right down the street."

Williams fitting in

Gabby Williams is on track for a career season with the Valkyries.

The two-way star is averaging a career-best 14.5 points per game on 40.4% shooting from the field and 38.3% shooting from the 3-point line. She is still one of the best defenders in the league, averaging 1.8 steals per game.

But what has stood out the most to coach Nakase is her leadership.

"I think what the coolest thing about Gabby is she kind of let herself build really good relationships with the players," Nakase said. "She came in and she wanted to fit in and not come in and say, ‘Hey, I want to do this, this and this,' because our team is based off of the team before self, and we share the ball and we share responsibilities. So when a player comes in that way, then it’s almost like you earn everyone’s trust, quicker than normal and she wasn’t demanding anything."

Sowah enjoying life in the Bay

Mielah Sowah is a long way from her hometown of Brisbane, Australia.

The Australian-born point guard hasn't seen much time on the floor for the Valkyries as she is on a developmental contract, but she is quickly making herself feel at home.

Sowah, along with her husband Joshua Sowah, made a YouTube channel earlier this season documenting their time trying different restaurants across the Bay Area.

"My husband and I love trying food and I feel like it's a part of the culture in the places you go to," Sowah told the Bay Area News Group on Tuesday. "I'd say my favorite has probably been the Mexican food. El Farolito Taqueria is up there with one of our favorites. It's been fun and we're definitely going to be searching around for more places."

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM.