DENVER — The first professional women’s sports team in the Mile High City, the Colorado Xplosion, was short-lived but not forgotten.
A viewer named Maggie emailed Dever7 to remind us of the history of the Colorado Xplosion, a professional basketball team based in Denver from 1996 to 1998.
This Women's History Month, Denver7 anchor Jessica Porter did some digging into the team and its legacy.
The Colorado Xplosion competed in the American Basketball League, ABL. The team split their time playing at the Denver Coliseum and the McNichols Sports Arena, which closed when the Nuggets and Avalanche moved to Ball Arena. McNichols Sports Arena was demolished in 2000.
Former Colorado Xplosion player, Shelley Sheetz, is now the assistant coach of the CU Women’s Basketball Team. She has held on to her old jerseys, a signed ball from the team and other memorabilia that reminds her of her time playing for the Xplosion.
“It was really great time for women's basketball and the fans were thirsting for a Women's League,” Sheetz said. “We had some players in our league, they were so good.”
The Xplosion won the Western Conference title in 1997.
- Our partners at The Denver Post covered the Colorado Xplosion throughout their storied career. See some of their history in the slideshow belor or by clicking here.
While the ABL got off the ground before the WNBA, they couldn’t compete with the WBNA’s financial resources and abruptly filed bankruptcy after two years.
“We played during the NBA basketball season. We played during the NFL season. So getting TV time was a huge challenge for our market, not just here in Colorado, but all the markets for the teams in the ABL,” Sheetz said.
Many of the players like Sheetz went on to play for the WNBA. Sheetz was drafted to the Seattle Storm and then played for the LA Sparks before retiring and becoming a coach.
“I've seen it all, and it's been exceptional to see the growth of women's basketball itself, not only from the collegiate level, but with the WNBA,” Sheetz said. “Just to see these young women grow and have the trials and tribulations, but also see their successes.”
It was a short run for the ABL, but fans haven’t forgotten the impact teams like Colorado Xplosion had on women’s sports.
