{"id":699393,"date":"2026-06-12T08:46:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/699393\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T08:46:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:46:09","slug":"former-tcu-star-talks-about-her-redshirt-year-in-the-wnba-in-return-to-dfw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/699393\/","title":{"rendered":"Former TCU star talks about her \u2018redshirt year\u2019 in the WNBA in return to DFW"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marta Su\u00e1rez<\/a> starred for the TCU women’s basketball team last season, helping the Horned Frogs reach a second straight Elite Eight. Now, she’s in what she calls a “redshirt year” in the WNBA.<\/p>\n

Suarez, a 6-foot-3 forward from Spain, signed a developmental contract<\/a> with the Phoenix Mercury after she was waived by the Golden State Valkyries<\/a> in the preseason. Suarez was selected by the Seattle Storm with the No. 16 overall pick in the second round of April’s draft, then immediately traded<\/a> to Golden State.<\/p>\n

The developmental contract was created by the WNBA to help young players who otherwise wouldn’t make the regular roster, allowing them to practice while receiving stipends and other benefits from the team and the league. It comes with stipulations, including that those signed can only play 12 games in a season and must have fewer than four years of experience. Contracts are limited to two players per team.<\/p>\n

Suarez did not play in the Mercury’s 85-70 loss to the Dallas Wings<\/a> on Thursday in Arlington, but she spoke about coming back to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and the whirlwind journey she has been on.<\/p>\n

“Last time I was here in DFW was like at the very beginning of all of this stuff,” she said. “From that moment, from draft weekend, and all that came afterward, it’s been a lot of stuff. It’s been a lot of blessings first of all, but I’m very happy to be here.”<\/p>\n

Su\u00e1rez sees her development continuing with the Mercury, along with adjusting to playing her rookie season in the WNBA.<\/p>\n

“I’m looking at it as kind of like a redshirt year, you know?” she said. “I’m learning how the system works, which I think sometimes we overlook, kind of like making everything click, the travel, the relationships, the meetings and how to pay attention.<\/p>\n

“The schedule is very different from college. We travel a lot, so adapting to all of that and then meanwhile, like, whether I’m playing or not, I can take it as an offseason. Getting my body ready, catching up to the speed of the game, and you know, hopefully getting small [improvements] here and there.”<\/p>\n

Su\u00e1rez has played in three game this season, averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 assists. In her lone season at TCU after transferring from California, she averaged a career-high 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds and shot a career-best 37% from 3 to earn first team All-Big 12 honors.<\/p>\n

Suarez said learning from the Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Kahleah Copper is invaluable.<\/p>\n

“I love to just look at them and how they read the [defense] and see how they move us,” Suarez said. “I’ve learned that defense is a lot more than you think. [Bonner], it’s amazing to see her 17 years [in the league] and she’s the heart of the team, and the way she defends, the way she fights and rebounds, and then the motor that [Thomas] has. Me being a big that is versatile, she’s a tremendous player to look at. Kai is a different situation, because, man, she’s just like body gifted, just a pleasure to see her, but then also the way that they’re stepping into the leadership position.”<\/p>\n

Su\u00e1rez’s former teammate Olivia Miles<\/a> is taking the WNBA by storm, which comes as no shock to the Spaniard. Miles set the WNBA rookie record for 3-pointers<\/a> in a game and has been a major contributor to the Minnesota Lynx, the league’s top team.<\/p>\n

“It doesn’t surprise me much, but it’s great to see,” Suarez said. “And she was the one [TCU] player to come to the league and make an impact from the beginning. She’s like that, and she’s a baller, so just excited to see what’s in [store] for her, I think she’s doing a great job leading that team, and they’re very fun to watch.”<\/p>\n

Rangers \u25b6<\/p>\n

June 5 Rangers 3, Cleveland 2<\/p>\n

June 6 Cleveland 6, Rangers 0<\/p>\n

June 7 Rangers 10, Cleveland 0<\/p>\n

June 9 Kansas City 5, Rangers 3<\/p>\n

June 10 Rangers 6, Kansas City 4 (10 innings)<\/p>\n

June 11 Rangers 4, Kansas City 2<\/p>\n

June 12 at Boston, 6:10 p.m., CW<\/p>\n

June 13 at Boston, 3:10 p.m., RSN<\/p>\n

June 14 at Boston, 6:20 p.m., NBC, Peacock<\/p>\n

June 15 vs. Minnesota, 7:05 p.m., RSN<\/p>\n

June 16 vs. Minnesota, 7:05 p.m., RSN<\/p>\n

June 18 vs. Minnesota, 1:35 p.m., RSN<\/p>\n

Wings\u25b6<\/p>\n

May 28 Wings 95, Las Vegas 87<\/p>\n

June 1 Wings 79, Seattle 56<\/p>\n

June 5 Wings 104, Los Angeles 96<\/p>\n

June 9 Minnesota 100, Wings 76<\/p>\n

June 11 Wings 85, Phoenix 70<\/p>\n

June 13 at Portland, 7:30 p.m., KFAA<\/p>\n

June 15 vs. Las Vegas, 7 p.m., KFAA, USA<\/p>\n

June 17 at Golden State, 9 p.m., KFAA<\/p>\n

June 20 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m., CBS, Paramount+<\/p>\n

June 22 at Seattle, 9 p.m., KFAA<\/p>\n

TCU Football \u25b6<\/p>\n

Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), 11 a.m., ESPN<\/p>\n

Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, 7 p.m., ESPN+<\/p>\n

Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, 7 p.m., ESPNU<\/p>\n

Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA<\/p>\n

Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA<\/p>\n

Nov. 6 at Arizona, 9:15 p.m., ESPN<\/p>\n

Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA<\/p>\n

Nov. 26 at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN<\/p>\n

Cowboys \u25b6<\/p>\n

Sept. 13 at N.Y. Giants, 7:20 p.m., NBC<\/p>\n

Sept. 20 vs. Washington, 3:25 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Sept. 27 vs. Baltimore (at Rio de Janeiro), 3:25 p.m., CBS<\/p>\n

Oct. 4 at Houston, 12 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n

Oct. 18 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., NBC<\/p>\n

Oct. 26 at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC<\/p>\n

Nov. 1 vs. Arizona, 12 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Nov. 8 at Indianapolis, 12 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco, 3:25 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee, 12 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Dec. 7 at Seattle, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC<\/p>\n

Dec. 20 at L.A. Rams, 3:25 p.m., CBS<\/p>\n

Dec. 27 vs. Jacksonville, 7:20 p.m., NBC<\/p>\n

Jan. 3 vs. N.Y. Giants, 12 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

Jan. 9 or 10 at Washington, TBA<\/p>\n

World Cup \u25b6<\/p>\n

All local matches at AT&T Stadium<\/p>\n

June 14 Netherlands vs. Japan (Group F), 3 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

June 17 England vs. Croatia (Group L), 3 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

June 22 Argentina vs. Austria (Group J), 12 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

June 25 Japan vs. Sweden (Group F), 6 p.m., FS1<\/p>\n

June 27 Argentina vs. Jordan (Group J), 9 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

June 30 Round of 32: Group E runner-up vs. Group I runner-up, 12 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

July 3 Round of 32: Group D runner-up vs. Group G runner-up, 1 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

July 6 Round of 16: Teams TBD, 2 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

July 14 Semifinal: Teams TBD, 2 p.m., Fox<\/p>\n

FC Dallas \u25b6<\/p>\n

May 2 FC Dallas 2, NY Red Bulls 0<\/p>\n

May 9 FC Dallas 3, Salt Lake 1<\/p>\n

May 13 Vancouver 3, FC Dallas 2<\/p>\n

May 16 FC Dallas 3, San Jose 2<\/p>\n

May 23 FC Dallas 2, Colorado 1<\/p>\n

July 22 at Portland, 9:30 p.m., Apple TV<\/p>\n

July 25 at San Diego, 8:30 p.m., FS1, Apple TV<\/p>\n

Texas Motor Speedway \u25b6<\/p>\n

June 13 NASCAR Racing Experience<\/p>\n

June 20 Team Texas – David Starr’s Racing School<\/p>\n

July 11 NASCAR Racing Experience<\/p>\n

July 11 Hearts in High Gear<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Marta Su\u00e1rez starred for the TCU women’s basketball team last season, helping the Horned Frogs reach a second…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":699394,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[4804,5551,4676,99,19124,434],"class_list":["post-699393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-golden-state-valkyries","tag-phoenix-mercury","tag-seattle-storm","tag-sports","tag-tcu","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=699393"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699393\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/699394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=699393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=699393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=699393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}