Katie Benzan’s time with the Washington Mystics likely will be short, but that hasn’t stopped the guard from making the most of the moment.

The 5-foot-6 rookie was signed to a training camp contract after going undrafted out of Maryland. While she was released just hours before the opening game, she was picked up on a replacement contract.

When Benzan made her WNBA debut for the Mystics on May 8 against Minnesota, she became the first Dominican to play in the league.

“It’s been a lot of fun, but it’s also been a bit crazy,” Benzan said Thursday. “I just appreciate all of the support and love that I’ve received both technologically but also in person with the locker room, the warm embraces that I’ve experienced here. I cannot be more grateful. Even with this coaching staff, I always get pats on the back, high-fives. That constant physical touch really shows their love and support for what I have within this organization.”

Mystics forward Alysha Clark went so far as to coin the term “Benzanity” for the guard’s play, comparing her to former NBA player Jeremy Lin.

“I was joking earlier and I was like, ‘Do you remember the Linsanity era in New York? What about Benzanity?’ You know what I’m saying?” she said. “I know how hard it is just to make it in this league. It took me three tries to even be able to get a spot.

“So to see a young player come in and just be in the moment, and take advantage and enjoy being out here, and then making the impact that she’s made and seeing the work behind the scenes that she puts in, I love that.”

While Benzan clocked in for just two minutes and recorded just one assist in her first game against the Lynx, she contributed 12 points and two rebounds in 15 minutes in Tuesday’s 89-76 win against the Las Vegas Aces. In that game, she went 3-of-4 from behind the 3-point line, continuing to flash the range she was known for in college.

Following Tuesday’s win, Myisha Hynes-Allen called Benzan “awesome,” and Ariel Atkins agreed. But Benzan’s performance also didn’t come as a surprise to those that have been there with her in practice.

“I could keep talking about Katie,” Hynes-Allen said. “I remember when she first walked in the training room. I’m like, ‘Who is this?’ And I find out she was the leading 3-point percentage [shooter] in college basketball. I was like, ‘Oh, she a shooter, let’s see it.’ And she was going swack, swack, swack, swack, swack.”

“Every day,” added Atkins.

.@Mooks_22 was asked about Katie Benzan after tonight’s win. #Mystics25 | #WNBA pic.twitter.com/YQexlhCJJf

— The NBS Sports Hour (@NBSSportsHour) May 11, 2022

Yet while the Mystics have nothing but positive things to say about Benzan, her days with the team seem numbered.

Clark has not played since March 2021, when she suffered a Lisfranc injury while playing overseas in France, but she is expected to play Friday for the Mystics. As a result, Stephanie Jones will be released from her replacement contract with the team.

So Benzan, who set a program record for career 3-point percentage at Maryland (47.4 percent) and led the NCAA in 3-point percentage in 2021, will get another opportunity. But with Kennedy Burke expected to arrive in Washington by May 16 from her overseas stint in Spain, Benzan could be next on the chopping block.

Still, she tries not to let the circumstances phase her.

“As a smaller guard, the odds have always been against my favor,” Benzan said. “Ever since I was growing up I’ve had haters and doubters, doubting that I could play at the college level. I wasn’t worried about the odds. I knew when I got this chance I was going to go out, have fun and compete no matter if it was a couple of days or a couple of weeks.

“I can’t control the business side of the WNBA. So I’m just focusing on what I can do each and every day.”

While Mike Thibault has said he wishes he could keep Benzan – amid a larger outcry for larger rosters around the WNBA – her time with the Mystics could come to an end soon. But if she continues to make a name for herself, her time in the WNBA could just be beginning.

The New York Liberty dominated Indiana on Thursday night, winning by a whopping 36 points in the Fever's home opener. 

A sold-out crowd of 17,274 was in attendance to watch as star rookie Caitlin Clark finished the 102-66 defeat with nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists. It’s the first time since January 2021 — her freshman season at Iowa — that Clark's been held to single-digit scoring. 

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"The physicality is definitely up there... I'm easily pushed off screens," she told reporters after the loss. "The game seems a little fast for me right now. The more I play and the more comfortable I get, it's going to slow down a little bit. It will be easier for me to make reads, see things develop."

The Fever were outscored by a combined margin of 57 points in their first two games — the largest two-game point deficit in WNBA season-opening history, according to @ESPNStatsInfo.

"We've got to get to a level of toughness," Fever coach Christie Sides in her own postgame remarks. "When things are going south on us, we're not stopping the bleeding."

"I have great perspective on everything that happens," Clark added. "It was the same in my college career. There were some moments that were absolutely amazing. And there were some moments I was not happy with how I played and how my team performed. That's just life, that's just basketball."

Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, who herself experienced a rocky rookie season following a much-hyped college career, offered up some insight on the matter.

"In this league, there are tough defenses all centered around not letting you get the ball, trapping, not letting you score," Ionescu said. "There were many factors that played into what was a tough first season for me in the league, but it helps you be able to figure it out. You have to have those experiences."

But it was reigning league MVP Breanna Stewart that truly stole the show, racking up 31 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks on the night.

"In general, I just wanted to come out more aggressive coming off of last game," Stewart said after putting up the 24th 30-point game in her career.

Stewart she also commended the fans inside Indianapolis's packed Gainbridge Fieldhouse, noting that she hopes that level of support to continue across the WNBA.

"This is how you want every game to be and when it's a sell-out crowd, it gives you a similar playoff atmosphere feel," she said. "People want to be a part of this and the thing now is to continue to sustain it, continue to take the momentum that we have and turn it into something more."

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert admitted to a "faulty rollout" of the new charter travel initiative on Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Ahead of Tuesday's season opener, it was announced that the only teams flying private this week would be Indiana and Minnesota. The announcement came mere days after the league made a new charter flight program for all WNBA teams public. At the time, they said it would be implemented "as soon as we have the planes."

But as two teams out of 12 chartered to their first games of the season, others like the Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky were forced to fly commercial.

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A town hall meeting between Engelbert and the players was held in response to the confusion. Everything from the league's new media rights deal to private travel was covered in the meeting, with players submitting their questions ahead of time. Sky center Elizabeth Williams told Sun-Times reporter Annie Costabile afterwards that cross-country flights were prioritized.

"Flights that are across the country like [the Lynx] going to Seattle, crossing multiple time zones, or flights that usually require a connection, those were the priorities," Williams said. "That’s why New York didn’t go to DC with a charter, but Minny goes to Seattle."

What’s unclear under that metric is that the Atlanta Dream played the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, which could technically be classified as a cross-country flight. 

On Tuesday, rookie forward Angel Reese shared a photo on her Instagram story lamenting the league's use of commercial flights.

"Just praying that this is one of the last commercial flights the Sky has to fly," Reese posted. The team still has at least three commercial flights awaiting them in the near future.

"Obviously, I think all teams should be able to get chartered," Reese told the Sun-Times. "But I know moving forward... going in the right direction, being able to have some teams [chartering] is cool. Within the next weeks, everybody will be flying charter, which will be really good."

On Thursday, Lindsay Schnell of USAToday Sports confirmed that the league intends to have all teams on charter flights by May 21st.

Brazil has been named the host for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with FIFA announced early Friday. 

The decision came after a vote at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, with Brazil earning 119 votes to the joint European bid’s 78. 

This will be Brazil’s first time hosting the Women’s World Cup, with the country having hosted the men’s World Cup twice before in 1950 and 2014. It will also be the first Women’s World Cup held in South America. The tournament will follow the same 32-team format as the 2023 WWC in Australia and New Zealand.

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Brazil winning the bid was not entirely surprising after FIFA issued a report just last week, stating that the Brazilian bid had pulled ahead as host following technical inspection. After evaluation, Brazil was given a score of 4.0 out of 5, compared to the 3.7 awarded to the Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Brazil ranked higher in a number of key areas, including stadiums, accommodations, fan zones, and transport infrastructure. Though considered to be a frontrunner, the US and Mexico withdrew their joint bid prior to the technical inspection period, saying they would instead focus their efforts on 2031.

On Friday, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues called it a "victory." 

"We knew we would be celebrating a victory for South American women's soccer and for women," he told reporters. "You can be sure, with no vanity, we will accomplish the best World Cup for women."

"We are working on a transformation, not only for the country but for the continent," added bid team operational manager Valesca Araujo.

Brazil intends to use 10 of the venues utilized at the 2014 men’s World Cup, including holding the final in Rio de Janeiro on July 25th. The CBF's proposal outlines that the 2027 tournament run from June 24th through the end of July. Last summer’s World Cup began at the end of July and concluded on August 19th.

Another notable element of Brazil's newly unveiled plan to grow of the women’s game is that "all [men’s] clubs wishing to take part in high-level national and continental competitions must now provide a structure for a women’s team." While the definition of "structure" was not specifically identified, the country has set targets with CONMEBOL to help increase the number of women’s club teams in the country.

In last week's inspection findings, FIFA noted that selecting Brazil as the next WWC host could "have a tremendous impact on women's football in the region."

Chelsea did what they needed to do on Wednesday in order to make Saturday's slate of season-ending WSL fixtures interesting: Beat Tottenham.

The Blues are now number one in the league, with an edge over Manchester City on goal differential thanks to an eight-goal outing against Bristol City last week. 

Yesterday's result tees up a league finale for the books as Chelsea looks to send coach Emma Hayes off with another trophy to add to her cabinet. The Blues will play FA Cup winner Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday, while City is away at Aston Villa.

"We will be leaving nothing on the pitch, we will be giving everything and no matter what the result is," Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert said after Wednesday's win. "At least we can look each other in the eye and say we gave everything."

It makes for a thrilling end to Chelsea's Emma Hayes era, as the decorated WSL coach will take over the USWNT in June. And it comes after Hayes all but conceded the title race early this month after Chelsea fell to Liverpool 4-3.

"I think the title is done," Hayes said at the time. "Of course, mathematically, it's not, but I think the title is done. Our job between now and the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.

"We will never give up. But the title is far from us; it's not in our hands. I think City are deserving, their consistency has put them in that position. Of course, we will go to the end, but I don't think the title will be going to us this year."

Be it mind games or Hayes truly thinking her team was that far off, her words lit something in Chelsea. Their following two performances showed the team’s determination to have a shot at some silverware.

As for Saturday's schedule, Hayes believes her team is facing the "tougher of the two games."

"It's a fitting finale for me, being my final game," she told BBC Sport. "As I said to the players if someone gives you a second chance in life, make sure you don't need a third one. We're in the position we want to be in, and we'll give it everything on Saturday no matter what."