Jacksonville Waves
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jacksonville Waves | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | UpShot League |
| Founded | January 27, 2025 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| History | 2026– |
| Arena | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena |
| Capacity | 14,091 |
| Location | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Team colors | Deep teal, Coastal blue, White |
| Head coach | Jessica Bogia |
| Ownership | Zawyer Sports & Entertainment |
| Website | WavesUpShot.com |
The Jacksonville Waves are a professional women’s basketball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Waves are an inaugural franchise of the UpShot League, a developmental women’s basketball league in the United States, set to begin play in May 2026.[1][2]
Coach
In January 2025, Zawyer Sports & Entertainment announced the formation of a new women’s professional basketball league — the UpShot League — headquartered in Jacksonville.[2] At that time, the league confirmed it would launch with a minimum of four teams, one of which would be based in Jacksonville.
On October 1, 2025, the UpShot League formally revealed the Jacksonville franchise name and identity: the Jacksonville Waves, along with the appointment of Jessica Bogia as head coach.[3]
On December 8, 2025, the UpShot League announced the opening weekend matchups for each team. Jacksonville is scheduled to open its season on May 15, 2026, against the Charlotte Crown.[4]
A longtime presence in college basketball, Bogia spent more than two decades as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at programs including the Hofstra Pride, Jacksonville Dolphins, and Memphis Tigers, where she became known for her player-development work and strong recruiting classes. Now joining the Waves, she steps into her first professional head-coaching role.[3]
Team identity
![Two African-American WAVE officers in dress uniforms shutting a suitcase](#/media/File:"Lt.(jg.)_Harriet_Ida_Pickens_and_Ens._Frances_Wills,_first_Negro_Waves_to_be_commissioned._They_were_members_of_the_fin_-_NARA_-_520670.jpg)
During the launch announcement, league officials stated that the team’s branding draws from Jacksonville’s geography—where the St. Johns River meets the Atlantic Ocean—and honors the legacy of the WAVES, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, the women's branch of the United States Navy Reserve during World War II, many of whom served at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.[2]
