# A Storied Second Act: How Tina Charles is Brewing Her Post-Basketball Legacy in Connecticut

**By Jordan Wells**  \nPublished July 29, 2026  \nUpdated July 29, 2026

> Following a legendary 14-year WNBA career and an unforgettable collegiate run at UConn, Tina Charles has traded the hardwood for the brewery, launching 78 Brewing Co. with a tribute to her undefeated championship past.

When Tina Charles announced her retirement from professional basketball in May 2026, she closed the book on a 14-year WNBA career that began and ended in Uncasville with the Connecticut Sun. But closing that chapter did not mean stepping away from the state where her hardwood legend was forged. Instead, the former No. 1 draft pick, WNBA Rookie of the Year, and 2012 league MVP has turned her attention from setting the WNBA's all-time career rebounding record to an entirely different kind of craft.

Standing inside East Rock Brewing Company in New Haven alongside UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, former teammates, and athletic leadership, Charles officially launched 78 Brewing Co. and its flagship beer: the 78-0 Hazy IPA. For Charles, who spent her formative collegiate years anchoring the frontcourt for back-to-back undefeated national championship squads under Auriemma, the venture is less about commercial enterprise and more about storytelling.

*Being a lover of beer, it's always been present during celebratory moments,* Charles told an invite-only crowd of about 125 attendees during the July 2026 launch event. *The best stories I've ever heard were over a beer.*

The numerical designation of her new brand is a direct nod to the historic 78-game winning streak compiled during her final two seasons in Storrs, which featured consecutive 39-0 campaigns. In a move that reflects her lifelong team-first ethos, Charles plans to share a portion of the revenue from beer sales with the teammates who shared those iconic rosters, as well as with her alma mater through the UConn Foundation to bolster Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiatives for current student-athletes.

Crafted in partnership with East Rock Brewing, the 6.5 percent alcohol Hazy IPA utilizes Mosaic, Simcoe, and Citra hops—a deliberate tropical and citrus profile that Charles notes serves as a nod to her Caribbean roots. Designed to be approachable rather than overly sour, the beverage mirrors the steady, reliable excellence that defined her on-court career.

## Reflecting on a Uniquely Decorated Career

The transition to the brewing industry follows a retirement announcement that caught many of her WNBA peers by surprise. On September 10, 2025, the Connecticut Sun dropped an 88-72 decision to the Atlanta Dream at Mohegan Sun Arena, a game that ultimately served as the final chapter for the league's second-leading all-time scorer (8,396 points) and all-time leading rebounder (4,262 rebounds).

Reflecting on her journey from an 18-year-old freshman out of Christ The King High School in Queens to a three-time Olympic gold medalist and future Hall of Famer, Charles expressed profound gratitude for the transformation basketball provided:

*Just the woman that I am before you, my giving-back nature, the experiences I was able to have,* Charles noted when asked about her proudest accomplishments. *I was able to travel the world. It's not about the wins and losses for me. It's the people you meet along the way and who you become. I'm just proud of the woman I became in basketball.*

That impact was deeply felt by those who shared the floor with her during her final professional season in Connecticut. Sun general manager and former UConn star Morgan Tuck emphasized the rarity of Charles' longevity and sustained dominance:

*There's only a handful of players that have been as successful as Tina has, and that's hard to do,* Tuck said. *And the fact that she did it over 14, 15 years, like that's also hard to do. Most people don't make it that long. So, I think anytime someone's gonna think of Tina Charles... you're gonna think of excellence.*

## The Broader Landscape in Connecticut

Charles' pivot into the Connecticut business community arrives during a period of transition and reflection across the state's storied basketball ecosystem. Earlier in the summer, longtime assistant coach Jamelle Elliott stepped away from the UConn women’s basketball program to launch her own leadership performance enterprise, the Jamelle Elliott Collective, aiming to consult with coaches and mentor the next generation of players. Meanwhile, young professional talents like Serah Williams have cycled back through Mohegan Sun Arena, recognizing the foundational discipline instilled by the Storrs pipeline.

For Charles, navigating the initial hurdles of retirement—such as waking up with the ingrained urge to work out when no training schedule demands it—has given way to the creative energy of building 78 Brewing Co. From the hardwood of Uncasville and Storrs to the brewing tanks of New Haven, her imprint on Connecticut sports culture remains unmistakably potent.

## Sources

- [Maggie Vanoni](https://www.ctinsider.com/sports/article/connecticut-sun-wnba-tina-charles-retirement-22249931.php) — original
- [Mike Anthony](https://www.nhregister.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/article/tina-charles-geno-auriemma-78-0-beer-uconn-22347043.php) — original
- [John Pierson](https://www.wtnh.com/sports/uconn-huskies/uconn-legend-charles-launches-new-beer-at-east-rock-brewing-company/) — original
- [written by](https://sportssum.com/jamelle-elliott-walks-away-from-uconn-womens-basketball-program-on-fire-about-new-enterprise/) — original
- [Marc Robbins](https://www.wfsb.com/2026/07/14/serah-williams-returns-connecticut-wnba-pro-with-portland-fire/) — original
- [Emily Adams  | Hartford Courant](https://www.courant.com/2026/05/07/connecticut-sun-react-to-uconn-legend-tina-charless-retirement-think-of-excellence/) — original