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The Miami Sol was a professional women's basketball team that was based in Miami, Florida and entered the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena as the sister team to the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems.
History
In their short history, the Miami Sol was coached for three seasons by Ron Rothstein. Players such as Debbie Black, Elena Baranova, Sandy Brondello, Ruth Riley, and Sheri Sam led them to the playoffs in 2001, but lost in the first round to the New York Liberty in three games, the only playoff appearance in franchise history. After losing to the New York Liberty in the playoffs, the Miami Sol finished the 2002 season with a 15-17 record. 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. The team finished with a franchise record of 48 wins and 48 losses. The other Florida team, the Orlando Miracle, ceased operations after the 2002 season and was relocated to Connecticut as the Connecticut Sun, adopting a nickname and logo very similar to the Miami Sol.
Since the folding of the Miami Sol, former members of the team have found success elsewhere. After being reassigned to the Detroit Shock, Ruth Riley won two WNBA championships in 2003 and 2006. Betty Lennox and Sandy Brondello won a WNBA championship with the Seattle Storm in 2004, with Lennox winning the WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player award.
Name
The team's nickname, Sol, is Spanish and Portuguese for "sun". The name played off the Miami area's large Hispanic population and its "brother" NBA team, the Miami Heat.