The Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational is raising the stakes in its second year, expanding to a four-team doubleheader featuring four of the nation’s top women’s college basketball programs. Making its Nashville debut at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday, Dec. 20, the event will bring a marquee slate of matchups to Music City during the holiday season.

Building on the event’s inaugural year, the expanded showcase features three teams ranked in the AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll the 2026-27 season. All four programs enter the spotlight with a track record of postseason success, including national championships and recent Sweet 16 appearances.

“The espnW Invitational is all about super serving women’s sports fans and elevating the top talent on the court,” said Susie Piotrkowski, vice president of women’s sports programming and espnW for ESPN. “We’re thrilled to bring the Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational back for year two and expand it to four outstanding programs on a premier stage in Nashville. Our priority is putting the athletes and fans at the center of everything we do, from compelling matchups to an experience worthy of the game and the student-athletes shaping its future. We can’t wait to welcome fans to Bridgestone Arena for a great day of basketball, and all that Music City has to offer.”

The doubleheader will be headlined by a matchup between 2025 national champion and #2 UConn and 2023 national champion #9 LSU, marking the programs’ first meeting since 2016. The matchup brings together two of the sport’s most accomplished programs and coaches for a highly anticipated showdown. The day’s second game will feature Virginia and #14 Kentucky, both coming off Sweet 16 appearances, in their first meeting since 2019.

Game times and broadcast information are as follows:

• UConn vs. LSU: Noon CT | ABC
• Virginia vs. Kentucky: 2:30 p.m. CT | ESPN2

The Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational returns for its second year with the support of title sponsor Sprouts Farmers Market. For additional event information, visit espnevents.com/espnw-invitational.

About ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2026-27 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, nine college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premier regular-season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events accounted for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

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About Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.
Sprouts Farmers Market is one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States. Sprouts helps people live and eat better with fresh produce at the heart of the store and delicious discoveries for every dietary lifestyle. Always foraging for what’s fresh and innovative, Sprouts offers a carefully curated assortment of products that inspire wellness naturally, including organic, gluten-free, plant-based and non-GMO favorites. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, Sprouts employs approximately 36,000 team members and operates more than 480 stores in 25 states nationwide. To learn more about Sprouts and the role it plays in its communities, visit Sprouts.com/about. 

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ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited subscription, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able shortform vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package from certain providers. Bundling options available for fans include a Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN offering that provides a one-of-a-kind streaming package combining sports with branded and general entertainment. For more visit stream.espn.com.