The NCAA women’s basketball championship game between UConn and South Carolina on Sunday averaged 4.85 million viewers, making it the most-watched women’s final since 2004.

The game peaked at 5.91 million viewers as people tuned in to watch the Gamecocks take down the Huskies for their second national title.

The #NationalChampionship between @UConnWBB & @GamecockWBB was the most-watched #NCAAWBB champ game in nearly TWO DECADES

🏀 4.85M viewers
🏀 Up 18% from '21, up 30% from '19
🏀 Peaked with 5.91M viewers

Full #MarchMadness viewership details to come pic.twitter.com/mGXoTeJb09

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) April 5, 2022

The numbers are an 18 percent increase from 2021 and a 30 percent increase from 2019.

Last year’s game featured a 6 p.m. start time. This year’s contest was moved to primetime, making it the first women’s final to air in primetime since 2016.

The rising viewership numbers continue a trend seen during the Final Four, in which UConn-Stanford was the most-watched women’s semifinal game since 2012, averaging 3.23 million viewers. That marked a 19 percent increase from 2021 and 49 percent from 2019.

The contest between Louisville and South Carolina also drew big numbers as the most-watched early Final Four game since 2016, up 27 percent from 2021 and 43 percent over 2019 with 2.16 million viewers.

#WFinalFour Semifinals Viewership is 🆙

🏀 @UConnWBB 🆚 @StanfordWBB | 3.23M Viewers, +19% year-over-year

🏀 @UofLWBB 🆚 @GamecockWBB | 2.16M Viewers, +27% year-over-year#MarchMadness | #NCAAWBB pic.twitter.com/awVnQlkTzo

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) April 4, 2022

The 2024 WNBA All-Star roster is set, with rookies Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark both heading to Phoenix to face Team USA. 

The All-Star Game will be the first time the two fan-favorites have linked up on the same team, having previously gone up against each other in college with Clark representing Iowa and Reese playing for LSU and Maryland. 

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"I don't think I've ever been her teammate before, even at USA Basketball. I know people will be really excited about it, but I hope it doesn't take away from everyone else," Clark told reporters after Tuesday's announcement. "This is a huge accomplishment for everybody on Team USA and everyone on Team WNBA. They all deserve the same praise. I don't want it to take away from any of that and be the focal point of All-Star weekend because that's not fair to them."

When she got the news, Reese became emotional about being named an All-Star. The Chicago Sky forward, who extended her double-double record to 11 games on Tuesday, was also named Rookie of the Month for June.

"I'm just so happy. I know the work I put in," Reese said. "Coming into this league, so many people doubted me and didn't think my game would translate and I wouldn't be the player that I was in college or better or would be worse and wouldn't be where I am right now.

"But I trusted the process and I believed and I'm thankful that I dropped to [pick No. 7] and was able to come to Chicago. And like, it's just a blessing. I can't thank my teammates and my coaches enough for just believing in me and trusting me. I know all of them are going to come to Phoenix and support me. So I'm really happy right now."

Also named to Team WNBA was nine-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike and six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner alongside Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana. The Fever led all teams with three All-Star selections. 

Clark was the top vote-getter, followed by Boston and Team USA's A’ja Wilson. 

Kansas City's pioneering CPKC Stadium has been tapped to host the 2024 NWSL Championship, the league announced Wednesday morning.

The stadium opened earlier this year as the first venue to be built specifically for an NWSL team. So far this season, the unbeaten Current have been selling out the 11,500-seat capacity stadium for every home game. 

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It will mark the first time that Kansas City has hosted the NWSL Championship, and the Current's first-place perch in the league standings means they could very well feature in the match come November. The Current are one of just two teams to have not lost a game yet this season. 

The 2024 Championship will take place on November 23rd — the latest-scheduled NWSL final in league history. 

"CPKC Stadium epitomizes the explosive growth and investment we are witnessing in the NWSL, women’s soccer, and women’s sports around the world," NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a press release.

"It was a natural choice to stage the league’s marquee event in a venue that exemplifies the profound impact of infrastructure, investment, and community support on the continued development and success of our sport."

Considering the team's track record of selling out home matches, it’s almost guaranteed that this year's Championship game will sell out. Last year’s league final, held at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, set a Championship attendance record with 25,011 fans.

"The NWSL Championship is one of the premier global sporting events in the world," said Current co-founder and owner Chris Long. "We're absolutely thrilled that Kansas City and CPKC Stadium were chosen to host this prestigious event."

The WSL summer transfer window is heating up, with a number of big names on the move. 

One of the biggest stars on the market is Dutch international Vivianne Miedema. The storied striker's contract with Arsenal — her team of seven years — expired on Sunday, with the Gunners choosing back in May not to offer the WSL’s leading scorer a new deal. 

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At the time, former England star Ellen White called the decision "shocking that [Arsenal] haven't shown her the love to want to keep her at the club… she's still got records to break. It's just outrageous."

Manchester City is reportedly in the market to land Miedema, who doesn’t appear to be leaving the WSL despite prior interest from outside of the UK.

Meanwhile, 2023 World Cup Golden Glove winner Mary Earps officially left Manchester United for a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the club announced on Monday.

And in other speculative news, five-time Champions League winner Lucy Bronze is reportedly set to sign with WSL side Chelsea, departing Barcelona after two seasons with the decorated Spanish team. The potential move follows ex-Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez's departure for the NWSL’s Washington Spirit, while Chelsea brought on former Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor following Emma Hayes’s departure. 

Canada announced its official Olympic women’s national team (CanWNT) on Monday, becoming the fourth team in the 12-squad tournament to lock in their 18-player lineup ahead of Wednesday’s deadline.

The only country to make the last three Olympic podiums, all but four players named to the reigning Olympic gold medalists' roster have previous Olympic experience. Portland Thorns midfielder Jessie Fleming will lead this year's team as captain.

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Last summer was a disappointing one for Canada, punctuated by a record-early World Cup exit. In what amounted to a tumultuous year, head coach Bev Priestman's squad also faced off-pitch labor disputes as well as all-time leading international goal scorer Christine Sinclair’s retirement from international soccer. 

"I believe we have a squad that blends experience and youth, is positionally balanced, and possesses incredible athleticism and football talent," coach Bev Priestman said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Brazil became the latest national soccer team to release its 18-player Olympic roster.

The lineup features several familiar faces, including NWSL stars Tarciane (Houston Dash), Rafaelle (Orlando Pride), Adriana (Orlando Pride), Kerolin (NC Courage), and Marta (Orlando Pride). Angelina (Orlando Pride) and Lauren (KC Current) will travel with the team as alternates.

Prazer, @JogosOlimpicos! Estamos prontas. Chegou a hora. Mais um capítulo da nossa história sendo escrito.

Com vocês, o elenco de atletas que irão representar com muito orgulho a #SeleçãoFeminina! 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/YS3RPhLDyR

— Seleção Feminina de Futebol (@SelecaoFeminina) July 2, 2024

All eyes were on new head coach Arthur Elias's much-anticipated roster, with global soccer legend Marta announcing her impending retirement from international play in late April. The tournament marks the 38-year-old's sixth Olympics, and will likely be her final international outing.

Should she find the back of the net in Paris, Marta will become the first player — male or female — to score in six-consecutive Summer Games. She's currently the all-time leading goal scorer for both club and country, registering 35 career goals for the Orlando Pride alongside 199 for Brazil.

Half of Brazil's lineup also appeared in last year's World Cup under previous head coach Pia Sundhage. However, noteworthy striker Debinha, who plays for the NWSL's unbeaten Kansas City Current, did not make the Olympic cut.