Storm Unveil Dynamic New Broadcast Team for 2026 Season
Published on April 7, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release
SEATTLE - The Seattle Storm is redefining the game-day experience beyond the arena, unveiling a new broadcast lineup designed to bring fans closer to the action. Anchored by longtime play-by-play announcer Dick Fain, the Storm has added Alyssa Charlston-Smith to the broadcast team, where she will serve as the primary analyst for 2026. Sideline reporter Shantelle Chand returns for her second season, continuing to provide in-game reporting and access from the floor. The Storm's 2026 broadcasts will feature select four-person crews throughout the season, including former WNBA All-Star Layshia Clarendon and WNBA Storm champion Crystal Langhorne, bringing deeper insight, richer storytelling and a more immersive viewing experience to fans at home.
"At the Storm, we're always looking for ways to elevate how fans experience our game, whether in the arena or watching it on our broadcast," said Storm President and CEO Alisha Valavanis. "Adding Alyssa, Layshia and Crystal brings distinct perspectives and deep knowledge of the game, creating a more connected and immersive experience. We can't wait for fans to experience it this season."
As part of the team's continued commitment to elevating women's voices in sports, the Storm will produce its first-ever all-women broadcast during Believe in Women Night on Thursday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m. The broadcast will feature Charlston on play-by-play, Clarendon as analyst and Langhorne as a guest analyst. The annual event will celebrate and recognize four community leaders who embody a shared commitment to ensuring women and girls can succeed at every level, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender.
The Storm's 2026 broadcast team includes:
Dick Fain returns for his 19th season as the Storm's play-by-play announcer, continuing a long-standing role with the franchise. Fain began his tenure in 2000 as a sideline reporter before transitioning to play-by-play duties in 2008. In addition to his work with the Storm, he has hosted a sports radio show on 93.3 KJR-FM since 1997, covering Seattle sports and national headlines.
Alyssa Charlston-Smith joins the Storm in her first season as the team's analyst, bringing a wealth of broadcast and basketball experience to the booth. Over the past five years, Charlston-Smith has served as an analyst and sideline reporter across the Pac-12 and Big Ten conferences and has called games at the University of Washington. She currently works as a sports anchor at FOX13 Seattle. A Sammamish native, Charlston played Division I basketball at the University of Idaho and professionally in Luxembourg.
Shantelle Chand enters her second season as the Storm's sideline reporter. A native to Vancouver, British Columbia, Chand is a sideline reporter for a variety of Canadian teams, including the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the Canadian Football League and for the PWHL.
Layshia Clarendon joins the Storm broadcast team for several games this season, bringing the perspective of a former player alongside an accomplished background in broadcasting. A 12-year WNBA veteran and 2017 All-Star, Clarendon earned All-Pac-12 honors at the University of California, Berkeley and was later inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame. Clarendon previously served as a game and studio analyst for Pac-12 Networks from 2016-2020 and is currently an analyst for ACC Network.
Crystal Langhorne, former Storm power forward, will join the broadcast team as an analyst contributor this season. A 13-year WNBA veteran, Langhorne spent the final six seasons of her playing career in Seattle, helping lead the Storm to two WNBA championships. Since retiring in 2021, she has served as the organization's Executive Director of Force4Change, the Storm's social justice platform that creates meaningful change in the community and will continue to support those efforts as a Senior Advisor. Last season, Langhorne served as a guest analyst on select pregame shows for the Storm's broadcast partner, KOMO-TV. Her perspective brings a unique blend of on-court experience and deep organizational knowledge, offering fans insight from one of Seattle's most respected and beloved players.
Dan Hughes, the championship-winning former Storm head coach, returns in 2026 as an analyst contributor for a special game. The architect of Seattle's 2018 WNBA title, Hughes has continued to share his expertise on Storm broadcasts since stepping away from the sidelines in 2021. His sharp analysis and deep knowledge of the game add a compelling layer of insight for fans tuning in.
Francis Williams returns to the Storm broadcast team for select home games, bringing decades of basketball experience and deep ties to the Seattle community. Most recently, Williams spent five seasons as an in-studio analyst for the Portland Trail Blazers and has also contributed as an in-game analyst for ESPN, NBA TV and Fox Sports. A respected figure in local basketball, he has coached at Garfield High School and Rainier Beach High School, where he was inducted into the school's inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2017.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the upcoming season, visit http://storm.wnba.com or call (206)-217-WNBA (9622).
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