At a reveal ceremony today, the Piedmont Triad’s newest professional sports team was announced: the Greensboro Groove.
The women’s basketball team will compete in the recently formed Upshot League. The Groove will join the Charlotte Crown, Savannah Steel and Jacksonville Waves in the 40-game regular season.
Janice Washington was named the team’s head coach. She brings 20 years of experience and, two years ago, was named Division II College Basketball Coach of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.
At 4 feet 8 inches tall, Washington’s entry into the world of competitive basketball was an unlikely one.
"I had trained for 13 years to be a gymnast," says Washington. "And the reason that I quit was because someone told me that I couldn't play basketball because I was too little. They told me that there was nothing for us in women's sports. There was no future. And I said, ‘Well, I love a challenge.’"
Upshot League co-founder and past WNBA President Donna Orender says there are expansion teams in the pipeline that will be announced in the next four months, with several more to follow.
The Greensboro Groove tips off in May 2026.