Earlier this month, Golden State Valkyries Senior Vice President of Ticketing and Events Maria Valdehueza was named in the Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 Class of 2026.
"I was a big sports fan. But honestly, I never thought that working in sports was what I was going to do. I'm actually quite a musical child," Valdehueza said.
Valdehueza has been climbing the charts of the Bay Area basketball scene for the better part of two decades. She began her career as a Warriors sales intern in 2007, rising to vice president of ticketing in 2021.
"When I was in college, there was an internship for the Warriors. And so I thought, well, if I want to go into entertainment or music, you know, why not try this internship with the Warriors? And I thought this would be my foot in the door into something. It turned out to be the best experience I ever had and really just opened my eyes into what entertainment could be. Seventeen years later, I never thought I'd be here," said Valdehueza.
During her time with the Warriors, Valdehueza saw the beginning of a championship dynasty from a unique position.
"It was so fun to have a first, you know, front row seat to everything that was happening with this dynasty that was forming with Steph. And, you know, to see ticket prices change and to see the demand and the rise of, you know, what the Bay Area sports fan base can do. And I got a front row seat to all that action," she said.
In 2024, Valdehueza was named the Valkyries' senior vice president of Ticketing and Events. In her short time in the role, she has helped lead the Valkyries to numerous WNBA ticket and sales milestones, including overall attendance and season ticket holder retention. Those accolades caught the attention of the Sports Business Journal's Forty under 40 class for 2026.
"When you work for a franchise like this that's had an incredible run. I mean, it attracts incredible talent. So to be in this place for the last two decades and to achieve an award like this, I mean, it's just something that I couldn't have dreamed up. And I am just so humbled to be part of this franchise," she said.
The Forty Under 40 Class of 2026 will be honored during an awards ceremony later this year on Nov. 20 at Pier Sixty in New York City.