The Golden State Valkyries are heading to the postseason.

For the first time in league history, an expansion team is set to compete in the playoffs, as the Valkyries clinched a playoff berth with their 84-80 victory over the Dallas Wings on Thursday night. Golden State has now won five consecutive games, a franchise record for its longest-ever win streak, and though the Valkyries are currently the No. 6 seed in the playoffs, they could climb as high as No. 5, depending on how the New York Liberty close out the season.

The WNBA changed its postseason format last winter, granting each team the opportunity to host a first-round postseason game in the best-of-three series; however, the Valkyries will not play their playoff game at Chase Center. Instead, Golden State announced it will play its first-round playoff game on either Sept. 16 or 17 at SAP Center in San Jose because the Laver Cup international tennis tournament is set to take place in Chase Center. The tennis tournament was awarded in 2023, before the Valkyries existed, and the team said it explored multiple alternatives, including moving the playoff game to Oakland Arena, though it, too, had a scheduling conflict.

“This has been a season of defying expectations, and our fans have been the driving force behind every milestone we’ve achieved,” Valkyries president Jess Smith said in a statement. “While we would have loved to host our first playoff game at Chase Center and sought every opportunity to try and make that happen, Ballhalla has never been about just one building — it’s about the incredible community our fans have created. We’re confident that same energy will translate to San Jose.”

It’s been a season of firsts for the Bay Area franchise, as Golden State set a WNBA record for the most wins by an expansion team in mid-August. Forward Kayla Thornton made the July All-Star Game for the first time in her career, becoming the first player to represent an expansion team as an All-Star since 2006. Though Thornton suffered a season-ending leg injury days after the All-Star break, Golden State has remained competitive, with guard Veronica Burton emerging as a front-runner for the league’s Most Improved Player of the Year award, as well as a candidate for an All-WNBA team.

Burton, the No. 7 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, entered Thursday’s contest averaging 14.9 points, 8.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds over her last 10 games. She is amid the best stretch of her career, and Aug. 19, she became the first player in league history to have 24 points, 14 assists and zero turnovers in a game. Burton is also the only player in the league this season with three games of at least 10 assists and zero turnovers.

“I couldn’t ask for a better point guard right now,” coach Natalie Nakase said in August. “I think she’s really a big part of why we’re winning, and I said she’s our heartbeat, but she’s also our leader. She is our solid leader right now.”

Earlier this week, Golden State defeated the Liberty, becoming just the second expansion team ever to defeat the reigning champions in WNBA history and the first to do so since 1999.

The Valkyries also lead the league in home attendance and are the lone team to average more than 18,000 fans per home game, according to Across the Timeline.

Golden State finishes its inaugural regular season with two games against the Minnesota Lynx and one against the Seattle Storm. The WNBA regular season ends Sept. 11.

(Photo of Kate Martin: Noah Graham / NBAE via Getty Images)