Fever guard Sophie Cunningham was ruled out for the remainder of the 2025 season due to a right knee injury sustained during the team’s game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, the team announced. In a corresponding move, the team signed guard Shey Peddy to a seven-day hardship contract.
Cunningham’s exact injury was not disclosed by the team, but the IndyStar reported she suffered a torn MCL.
In the second quarter of the Fever’s 99-93 win on Sunday, Sun guard Bria Hartley was driving hard to the baseline when she appeared to fall into Cunningham’s lower leg. Cunningham didn’t immediately fall to the ground; she clutched her right leg and hobbled on her left before ultimately collapsing onto her back in obvious pain.
Coach Stephanie White was overcome with emotion at a postgame press conference when asked about the team’s slew of injuries this season.
“I’m like, holy shit,” White said when asked what went through her mind seeing Cunningham go down. “Especially the way that she fell, how she was holding herself and how much pain she was in. At the time it’s like, crap. Then, you go down there and see her and you just want her to calm down and be able to regroup. Then it turns to problem solving, how we put ourselves into position to win.”
The Fever opened the season with championship aspirations, but have been decimated by injuries.
Caitlin Clark has been limited in her highly anticipated sophomore season, appearing in just 13 games due to a present groin injury and previously a left quad injury. White said Sunday that she’s hopeful Clark will be able to return to play before the end of the regular season.
In addition to Cunningham, the Fever lost guard Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald to season-ending injuries. Colson suffered a torn ACL and McDonald broke a bone in her right foot in the Fever’s game on Aug. 7 against the Phoenix Mercury.
The Fever currently have two players signed to seven-day contracts: Peddy and guard Odyssey Sims.
