Posts by Jenn Hatfield

Jenn Hatfield is The IX Basketball's managing editor, Washington Mystics beat reporter and Ivy League beat reporter. She has been a contributor to The IX Basketball since December 2018. Her work has also appeared at FiveThirtyEight, Her Hoop Stats, FanSided, Power Plays, The Equalizer and Princeton Alumni Weekly.

Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes is shown in midair, about to release a right-handed jump shot over a Las Vegas Aces defender. The defender is close enough to contest the shot but isn't high enough in the air to disrupt Sykes' vision.

How trading away Brittney Sykes helps and hurts the Washington Mystics

August 6, 2025

The Mystics got back Alysha Clark and a Seattle draft pick, giving them three first-round picks in 2026

Washington Mystics players stand in a huddle before a game against the Phoenix Mercury. They have their arms around each other, and the arena is dark except for a spotlight on the court.

Can the Washington Mystics’ offense shoot them into the playoffs?

August 2, 2025

Defense wins championships, as the saying goes, but offense might determine whether the Mystics make the playoffs

Washington Mystics guard Lucy Olsen raises her right hand and points up ahead of her. She is alone in the frame, and her mouth is slightly open, like she might be saying something.

Fuel for the Fire: Why Lucy Olsen chose Townsville, Australia, to build on her rookie season in Washington

July 28, 2025

Olsen has played sporadic minutes for the Mystics but has stayed confident and ready

Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson is smiling and has his right hand up to receive a high-five from guard Jade Melbourne.

What’s made the Washington Mystics successful in the first half of the season?

July 20, 2025

The Mystics are the youngest team in the WNBA, but they’ve hung with much older, more experienced teams

Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen shouts as she picks up guard Sonia Citron. Citron is beaming and has both arms around Iriafen's shoulders. Guard Brittney Sykes also has one arm tangled around them.

How rookie Sonia Citron has burst onto the scene as a Mystics cornerstone and WNBA All-Star

July 16, 2025

Jade Melbourne: ‘I feel like we’re just continuing to peel back layers of her game’

Penn guard Sarah Miller attempts an underhanded layup with her left hand. The ball is just about to leave her fingertips. A Columbia defender tries to contest it from behind but can't get her hand close enough.

What Penn’s Sarah Miller learned from ‘surprise’ call-up to Japanese national team

July 9, 2025

Miller: ‘I think it was a really good first showing’

Princeton players on the bench, including injured guard Madison St. Rose, rise to their feet and celebrate a play during a game against Harvard. Head coach Carla Berube walks down the sideline, looking over her shoulder at the action on the court.

Inside Princeton guard Madison St. Rose’s recovery from a torn ACL

July 5, 2025

After getting hurt last November, St. Rose is expected to be ready for the start of her senior season

Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards is shown in profile from the chest up, wearing a white headband and a white Mystics jersey. She is looking up and straight ahead of her.

How Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards has kept her focus amid reports she might be traded

July 4, 2025

Sydney Johnson: ‘There’s been a lot of attention on her in ways that she didn’t want’

Minnesota Lynx associate head coach Eric Thibault stands on the court and extends his left hand to high-five players who are walking toward him. He holds a piece of paper in his right hand, which is down at his side.

On the night Eric Thibault returned to Washington, the Mystics got their biggest win of the season

June 26, 2025

Aaliyah Edwards: ‘He was an op today’

Washington Mystics center/forward Shakira Austin controls the ball with her left hand. Her knees are bent, she has a wide base and her head is up. A defender is on her back.

Why Shakira Austin’s breakout game stood out for more than her 28 points

June 21, 2025

The Washington Mystics center/forward is finding her footing after injuries — and showing everything she can do