# Miami Sol > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Miami_Sol > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Miami_Sol.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Sol > Source revision: 1344754428 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Basketball team in Miami, Florida Miami Sol Conference Eastern Leagues WNBA Founded 2000 Dissolved 2002 History Miami Sol 2000–2002 Arena American Airlines Arena Location Miami, Florida Team colors Fiery red, yellow, black, orange, white Head coach Ron Rothstein The **Miami Sol** were a professional women's [basketball](/source/Basketball) team that was based in [Miami](/source/Miami) and entered the [Women's National Basketball Association](/source/Women's_National_Basketball_Association) (WNBA) in 2000. They played their games at [American Airlines Arena](/source/American_Airlines_Arena) as the sister team to the [Miami Heat](/source/Miami_Heat) of the [National Basketball Association](/source/National_Basketball_Association) (NBA). The team folded after the [2002 season](/source/2002_WNBA_season) because of financial problems. ## History The city of [Miami](/source/Miami) was granted one of the first four [expansion teams](/source/Expansion_team) of the WNBA in June 1999 along with [Indianapolis](/source/Indiana_Fever), [Seattle](/source/Seattle_Storm), and [Portland](/source/Portland_Fire_(2000%E2%80%932002)).[1] In their short history, the Miami Sol was coached for three seasons by [Ron Rothstein](/source/Ron_Rothstein).[2] The league held an [expansion draft](/source/2000_WNBA_expansion_draft) for the four expansion teams on December 15, 1999.[3][4][5] In their inaugural 2000 season, the Sol finished in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with an overall record of 13–19.[6] Players such as [Debbie Black](/source/Debbie_Black), [Elena Baranova](/source/Elena_Baranova), [Sandy Brondello](/source/Sandy_Brondello), [Ruth Riley](/source/Ruth_Riley), and [Sheri Sam](/source/Sheri_Sam) led them to a 20–12 record and a trip to the playoffs in 2001, but lost in the first round to the [New York Liberty](/source/New_York_Liberty) in three games, the only playoff appearance in franchise history.[7][8] After losing to the [New York Liberty](/source/New_York_Liberty) in the playoffs, the Miami Sol finished the 2002 season with a 15–17 record.[9] That season proved to be the Sol's last. Citing the inability to raise enough funds to continue operation under the WNBA's new restructuring agreement, the organization ceased operations in November 2002.[10] The team formally folded in January 2003 after the WNBA announced players from both the Sol and Portland Fire would be placed in a spring [dispersal draft](/source/Dispersal_draft).[11] The team finished with a .500 franchise record of 48 wins and 48 losses. The other Florida team, the [Orlando Miracle](/source/Orlando_Miracle), ceased operations after the 2002 season and was relocated to Connecticut as the [Connecticut Sun](/source/Connecticut_Sun), adopting a nickname and logo very similar to the Miami Sol.[11] After the team's folding, its players found success elsewhere in the league. After being reassigned to the [Detroit Shock](/source/Detroit_Shock), [Ruth Riley](/source/Ruth_Riley) won two [WNBA championships](/source/WNBA_Finals) in 2003 and 2006. [Betty Lennox](/source/Betty_Lennox) and Sandy Brondello won a WNBA championship with the [Seattle Storm](/source/Seattle_Storm) in 2004, with Lennox winning the WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player award.[12] ### Uniforms The Sol's road uniforms were fiery red, with the team name emblazoned in white on the chest and a [WNBA](/source/WNBA) ball in place of the hole in the letter "O". The home jerseys featured the same design, only with the colors inverted. ### Name The team's nickname, Sol, is Spanish and Portuguese for "sun" and was unveiled on January 7, 2000.[13] The name played off the Miami area's large Hispanic population and its "brother" NBA team, the [Miami Heat](/source/Miami_Heat).[13] ## Season-by-season records Season Team Conference Regular Season Playoff Results W L PCT Miami Sol 2000 2000 East 6th 13 19 .406 Did not qualify 2001 2001 East 3rd 20 12 .625 Lost Conference Semifinals (New York, 1–2) 2002 2002 East 6th 15 17 .469 Did not qualify Regular Season 48 48 .500 0 Conference Championships Playoffs 1 2 .333 0 WNBA Championships ## Notable players - [Marlies Askamp](/source/Marlies_Askamp) - [Elena Baranova](/source/Elena_Baranova) - [Sandy Brondello](/source/Sandy_Brondello) - [Katrina Colleton](/source/Katrina_Colleton) - [Debbie Black](/source/Debbie_Black) - [Milena Flores](/source/Milena_Flores) - [Pollyanna Johns-Kimbrough](/source/Pollyanna_Johns-Kimbrough) - [Betty Lennox](/source/Betty_Lennox) - [Carolyn Moos](/source/Carolyn_Moos) - [Vanessa Nygaard](/source/Vanessa_Nygaard) - [Kristen Rasmussen](/source/Kristen_Rasmussen) - [Ruth Riley](/source/Ruth_Riley) - [Sheri Sam](/source/Sheri_Sam) - [Iziane Castro Marques](/source/Iziane_Castro_Marques) ## Coaches and others **Head coaches**: - [Ron Rothstein](/source/Ron_Rothstein) (2000–02) **General Managers**: - Ron Rothstein (2000–02) **Assistant coaches** - [Tony Fiorentino](/source/Tony_Fiorentino) (2000–02) - [Jenny Boucek](/source/Jenny_Boucek) (2000–02) **TV Production** - [Marc Brody](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marc_Brody&action=edit&redlink=1) (2000–02) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-June1999_1-0)** D'Angelo, Tom (June 8, 1999). ["Women's basketball takes shot on Miami"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108404974/womens-basketball-takes-shot-on-miami/). *The Palm Beach Post*. p. A1. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Jackson, Barry (October 9, 1999). ["Return trip to Miami, Rothstein eager to join WNBA"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108405152/return-trip-to-miami-rothstein-eager-to/). *The Miami Herald*. p. 3D. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Fever History: Dec. 15, 1999"](https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/fever/news/fever_history.html). *WNBA*. Retrieved June 24, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Gustkey, Earl (December 16, 1999). ["Sparks Lose Starting Guard in Expansion Draft"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-16-sp-44653-story.html). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. Retrieved June 24, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Aces History: Feeling A Draft (2000)"](https://aces.wnba.com/aces-history-feeling-a-draft-2000). *WNBA*. Retrieved June 24, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Andrews, Dave (August 10, 2000). ["Sol end season with overtime thriller"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108405513/sol-end-season-with-overtime-thriller/). *The Palm Beach Post*. p. 2C. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Sting's win streak at seven with win"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108405668/stings-win-streak-at-seven-with-win/). *The Tennessean*. August 15, 2001. p. 7C. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Liberty advances to Eastern Conference finals"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108405783/liberty-advances-to-eastern-conference-f/). *Democrat and Chronicle*. Associated Press. August 22, 2001. p. 3D. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Eisenberg, Jamey (August 15, 2002). ["For Sol, a strange season, tough ending"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108405911/for-sol-a-strange-season-tough-ending/). *The Palm Beach Post*. p. 3C. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Robb, Sharon (November 28, 2002). ["Lack of support scuttles the Sol"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108406088/lack-of-support-scuttles-the-sol/). *South Florida Sun Sentinel*. p. 1C. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-folded_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-folded_11-1) Eisenberg, Jamey (January 28, 2003). ["Sol players to be dispersed"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108406422/sol-players-to-be-dispersed/). *The Palm Beach Post*. p. 2C. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["WNBA Finals MVP"](https://www.wnba.com/history-wnba-finals-mvp). *WNBA*. Retrieved 2025-06-28. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Solname_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Solname_13-1) Cummings, D.L. (January 8, 2000). ["WNBA's Sol unveils logo in front of 1,500"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108405296/wnbas-sol-unveils-logo-in-front-of-150/). *The Miami Herald*. p. 5D. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). v t e Miami Sol Founded in 2000 Folded in 2002 Based in Miami, Florida Franchise history Expansion draft Franchise Dispersal draft Arenas American Airlines Arena (2000–2002) Head coaches Ron Rothstein Administration Owner(s): HEAT Group General Manager: Ron Rothstein All-Stars Elena Baranova Sheri Sam Seasons 2000 2001 2002 Playoff appearances 2001 v t e Defunct teams of the Women's National Basketball Association Eastern Conference Charlotte Sting Cleveland Rockers Miami Sol Western Conference Houston Comets Portland Fire Sacramento Monarchs v t e Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) 2026 WNBA season Teams East Atlanta Dream Chicago Sky Houston Comets Indiana Fever New York Liberty Toronto Tempo Washington Mystics West Dallas Wings Golden State Valkyries Las Vegas Aces Los Angeles Sparks Minnesota Lynx Phoenix Mercury Portland Fire Seattle Storm Future Cleveland (2028) Detroit (2029) Philadelphia (2030) Annual events Seasons Draft All-Star Game Commissioner's Cup Playoffs List of series Finals Statistics Records All-time win–loss Regular season Playoffs Career: Scoring Rebounding Assists Steals Blocks Turnovers Free throws Free throw percentage 3-point scoring Season: Scoring Rebounding Assists Steals Blocks Turnovers 3-point percentage Other Arenas Attendance Awards Coaches Defunct teams Expansion draft history LiveAccess MVP NBA Media (ABC, ESPN, NBC, CBS, Prime Video, Current broadcasters, All-Star Game broadcasters, Finals broadcasters) Players (Current rosters, Foreign players) Rookie of the Year Teams (All-Decade Team, Top 15 Team, Top 20 Team, Top 25 Team) WNBA Players Association --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Miami Sol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Sol) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Sol?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.