Atlanta Dream to open preseason in Louisville with WNBA Doubleheader

For Shoni Schimmel and Angel McCoughtry, the first game of the WNBA preseason will be a return to the place where they had so many triumphs - the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky as the Dream open their season in the second game of a WNBA preseason doubleheader on May 23.

The Dream will play the Washington Mystics in their opener at 7 p.m. ET.  Before the Dream take the court, two WNBA teams will play on that same court at 5 pm as the Indiana Fever take on the Connecticut Sun in the opening game.

The opener of the season isn't merely the two games listed above.  From the press release the doubleheader:

...will be the culmination of a three-day event that will include a coaches clinic and a pre-game party on the Yum! Center plaza prior to the doubleheader, and community appearances by all four teams. There will also be closed scrimmages between the teams on May 21 and May 22, giving all four teams an opportunity to play each of the other teams in attendance over the three-day period.

It looks like the event might even have a name!

"It’s an honor to announce our partnership with AEG Louisville on bringing the 2015 Atlanta Dream Classic at KFC Yum! Center to the city of Louisville," said Dream President and General Manager Angela Taylor. "We are also thrilled to give Angel and Shoni a chance to return to the school that they guided to national prominence, as they both speak very fondly of their time at the University of Louisville. We look forward to spending time in the community while sharing WNBA basketball with the Louisville community and fans in the surrounding areas as we start our quest to bring a WNBA Championship to Atlanta in 2015."

The 2015 Atlanta Dream Classic?  Why not?  Angel McCoughtry is already looking forward to it.

"I cannot wait to get back to my roots and return to Louisville," said McCoughtry. "It has been six years since I played in Louisville, and it will be great to return. No one is more excited than I am."

...

Tickets for the doubleheader will go on sale Friday, Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. ET, with a presale on Thursday, Jan. 22 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

We know that Louisville loves women's basketball, as the Cardinals register five-digit crowds when they play at the KFC Yum! Center.  Hopefully, the 2015 Atlanta Dream Classic will get off to a nice start.