UWindsor alumnae Eve Uwayesu and Eva Ou turned their experience in the Faculty of Human Kinetics into roles in pro women's sports (PROVIDED BY E. UWAYESU & PWHL/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
The first time Eve Uwayesu walked into the Toronto Tempo's offices, the WNBA's newest team was still being built — and so was a moment in professional women's sport that nobody could have predicted a decade ago.
"Everyone watches women's sports."
That slogan, first printed on a Togethxr t-shirt in 2023 and since worn by everyone from Jason Sudeikis to Serena Williams, has become shorthand for what's happening in arenas across North America. The WNBA has expanded from eight teams to 15. The PWHL, founded in 2023, just added four more cities for next season. And two University of Windsor Human Kinetics alumnae are working from inside that growth.
Uwayesu (BHK '24) turned her experience as a Lancer student-athlete on the women's basketball team and her degree concentration in sport management into a career with the Tempo, the WNBA's latest expansion team. Also based in Toronto, Eva Ou (MHK '21) is a graduate of UWindsor's Sport Management and Leadership master's program, leading her to a career as social media manager for the PWHL's Toronto Sceptres.
“I love women’s sport and have always wanted to get involved,” says Ou, who got involved with the PWHL before it even launched in 2023. She was approached by fellow HK alumnus Michael Diana to do some graphic design work for the Sceptres and never looked back.
Uwayesu’s work in sports started with the Canadian Elite Basketball League, working in ticketing for the Scarborough Shooting Stars. When the role of account executive for ticketing and sales came up with the Tempo, she knew it was the right fit.
“The position aligned perfectly with my career goals, and I’ve always wanted to transition into women’s sports, so it felt like a dream opportunity,” she says.
Founded in 1996 with eight teams, the WNBA has since expanded to 15, with the most recent expansions into Portland and Toronto only announced this year. The expansion comes on the heels of a season of breakout attendance numbers in 2024 with a record-breaking 20,711 fans in the stands for a single game.
Similar fan excitement has surrounded the PWHL since its founding in 2023 with six teams, including the Toronto Sceptres. The league has since expanded twice, adding two west-coast teams in 2025 and recently announcing the addition of Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose for 2026.
The pace of this expansion should come as no surprise given that PWHL attendance has grown over 70 per cent since its first year with more than one million fans attending games during its most recent season.
“I think we’re at a really pivotal and exciting moment in women’s professional sports,” Uwayesu says.
“The expansion of leagues like the WNBA and the PWHL reflect a growing investment and belief in women’s sports. This growth is being driven by increased visibility, stronger media coverage and a new generation of athletes building strong connections with fans.”
Ou agrees, noting that there have always been women’s sports fans, but the accessibility of pro sport was not always there.
“It shows how much it pays off to invest in women and women’s sports because people want to be fans and support, but there was never a place to do it,” she says. “There have always been fans. We just need investment and support.”
Uwayesu also highlights the way attitudes are shifting with both brands and audiences recognizing the value and level of competition women’s pro sport provides.
“That momentum has created a lot of excitement that continues to build,” she says.
In the PWHL, Ou credits the inclusive atmosphere of the league as a major selling point in addition to the quality of the game, with new fans sometimes coming for the community and staying for the hockey.
“The product is amazing, and the space you’re in is really inclusive and welcoming,” she says.
“You find like-minded people and maybe you don’t initially understand the sport, but you found community and then through going to more games, you pick up the sport.”
As social media manager for the Sceptres, she sees this community support play out in real-time.
“I was reading a comment on our Pride post from someone who had her first date with her now wife at a Sceptres game and the day after they tied the knot, they went to a Sceptres game again,” says Ou.
“It was just part of their story. You don’t realize the impact you have on people.”
Ou herself mainly followed soccer before working with the PWHL. However, she has since fallen in love with hockey and even tunes into the men’s league these days.
“It has definitely grown my love for the sport,” she says. “It’s been over two years, and it’s been fun. I’m always growing and always learning.”
Ou credits her time at UWindsor for teaching her about the theoretical side of sports business and how the industry works, from the fans to marketing and sponsorship.
Having an internship option in her degree program allowed her to get hands-on with marketing work as well as networking with fellow HK alum already working in the sports industry.
She also had the opportunity to work for the Lancers during her time in HK, building practical skills like graphic design and photography in a sports context, so when the call came from the PWHL she was ready to jump in.
Uwayesu’s time with the Lancers and in HK also set her on the path toward her role with the Tempo.
“My time at UWindsor played a huge role in preparing me for this position,” she says.
As a student-athlete, she saw how her classroom learning in sport management translated to real-life experiences with her team and fans.
“I truly felt like I gained a 360-degree view of the sports landscape, which helped shape where I wanted to go in my career,” she continues, crediting the support of her professors — especially Jess Dixon and Patricia Miller — in setting her on the path to success.
“You could tell how invested they were in our growth — they were always willing to answer questions, connect us with industry professionals, and provide real-world opportunities.”
Both Ou and Uwayesu see women’s professional leagues only continuing their upward trajectory.
“I see the future continuing in a really positive direction,” says Uwayesu.
“As investment, media exposure and fan engagement grow, we’ll see more expansion, increased attendance and a stronger global presence,” she says.
“There’s also a big opportunity to deepen community engagement and create more meaningful connections with fans, which is something I’m excited to be part of.”
This community engagement is something Ou also sees in the growth of the PWHL.
She highlights not only affordability of tickets and word-of-mouth community-building but partnerships with girls’ hockey leagues in different cities.
With youth leagues scooping up group tickets to games, Ou says that girls get to see the possibility of a pro career, helping keep girls in the sport or even get them started with hockey.
“Hopefully being able to see where their dreams can lead will allow them to stay in the sport,” she says.
“The players inspire a lot of different people, and hopefully that trickles down and more people get into the sport at a grassroots level.”
With the Tempo well into their first season in the WNBA and the PWHL expansion draft buzz ongoing, both Ou and Uwayesu are looking forward to what’s next.
“Overall, I think women’s professional sports will continue to gain the recognition and support they deserve,” says Uwayesu, adding, “we’re only just getting started.”