The transfer portal is shaking up the NCAA women’s basketball landscape.

With the new transfer rules in place, players can opt to switch teams without sitting out a year, which raises the stakes for the 2022-23 season.

Just Women’s Sports will be keeping track of all of the players who have entered the portal and those who have chosen their new teams.

Monday, July 11 — Shaylee Gonzales to transfer to Texas

BYU guard and two-time WCC Player of the Year Shaylee Gonzales announced that she’ll transfer to the University of Texas. Gonzales has two years of eligibility remaining.

“I am so thankful for all the relationships and memories that were made,” Gonzales said in a statement at that time. “BYU will always have a place in my heart.”

She was the Cougars’ best player last season, averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game alongside 5.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

Former BYU guard and 2x WCC Player of the Year, Shaylee Gonzales, has announced that she is transferring to Texas.

She’ll join the Longhorns with two years of eligibility remaining. pic.twitter.com/QViMWW65xY

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) July 11, 2022

Thursday, May 19 — Saniya Rivers commits to NC State

Saniya Rivers is headed back to North Carolina, with the former South Carolina guard announcing her commitment to NC State.

Wolfpack nation, wassup?!👀🐺 #Committed pic.twitter.com/VsAlX6SUz2

— Saniya rivers🥵 (@Ihoop___22) May 19, 2022

It’s a big pickup for the Wolfpack, who are replacing four starters from last season’s Elite Eight team. Rivers is originally from Wilmington, N.C., and is the third addition this offseason for NC State. The team has also added center River Baldwin (Florida State) and forward Mimi Collins (Maryland).

Coming out of high school, Rivers was a three-time North Carolina Player of the Year, a two-time USA Today Player of the Year for North Carolina, the USA Today National Player of the Year (2021), Gatorade National Player of the Year (2021) and a McDonald’s All-American (2021).

As a freshman, she played in 27 games for the national champions, averaging 2.3 points per game.

Monday, May 16 — Georgia picks up Audrey Warren from Texas

Georgia announced that it has signed Audrey Warren, who will be a fifth-year senior in the upcoming season.

Warren was a key player in Texas’ back-to-back NCAA Elite Eight runs, averaging 10.3 points per game in 2020-21 and 8.2 ppg during 2021-22. She also helped Texas to the Big 12 Championship in 2022.

“Audrey has a tremendous skill set on offense as a three-tier scorer,” coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said in a statement. “Her basketball IQ is unmatched. She is a relentless defender who takes pride in getting stops, and inspires her teammates to have that same mentality. Audrey is a winner and knows what it takes to compete at a high level after reaching back-to-back Elite Eights in her college career. She will make an immediate impact on our program here at Georgia.”

Friday, May 6 — LSU lands marquee transfer Angel Reese from Maryland

Former Maryland star Angel Reese is transferring to LSU, the Tigers announced.

The 6-foot-3 forward led the Terps with 17.8 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore during the 2021-22 season. She was named to the All-Big Ten first team.

She joins storied coach Kim Mulkey, who is entering her second year in Baton Rouge. She won three national titles in 21 years at Baylor before moving to LSU last offseason.

“Angel is coming to Baton Rouge as one of the most dynamic players in the country,” Mulkey said in a statement. “She’s an outstanding scorer with a knack for rebounding that will make an immediate impact in our frontcourt.”

TIGER NATION WHAT’S GOOD???💛💜🐅 @LSUwbkb pic.twitter.com/CDJoq61gfa

— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) May 6, 2022

Wednesday, May 4 — Esmery Martinez makes surprise switch to Arizona

Esmery Martinez, a first-team All-Big 12 selection for West Virginia in 2020-21, is joining Arizona, she announced via social media.

The move comes after LSU announced on April 24 that it had signed Martinez, which makes her commitment to Arizona a surprise.

“Esmery is a tenacious rebounder and defender and will fit right into our system in Baton Rouge,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said at the time.

The Wildcats have lost seven players to the transfer portal, but they have added Martinez and former Oklahoma State guard Lauren Fields to their roster.

Monday, May 2 – Maryland adds Vanderbilt top scorer Brinae Alexander

Maryland is adding Brinae Alexander as a graduate transfer, the school announced Sunday. The forward was the top scorer for Vanderbilt last season, averaging 15.2 points per game behind 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Aijha Blackwell of Missouri is also on the move, transferring to Baylor. The 6-foot guard averaged 15.4 points and 13 rebounds per game during her junior season, earning Blackwell a second-team All-SEC selection.

Iowa State’s Aubrey Joens is transferring to Oklahoma, she announced Friday on social media. Joens notched 63 three-pointers last season, shooting 42.5 percent from deep.

The Arizona Wildcats have added Lauren Fields of Oklahoma State to their roster. The guard averaged 15.4 points per game in her junior year to lead the team.

Sunday, May 1 – Ashley Owusu transfers to Virginia Tech

Maryland’s Ashley Owusu announced Saturday that she is transferring to Virginia Tech.

The star guard averaged 14.3 points and 3.7 assists per game during her junior season at Maryland, helping her team to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Virginia Tech finished with a 23-10 record last season, exiting the NCAA tournament in the first round.

Thursday, April 28 – Dre’una Edwards commits to Baylor

Dre’una Edwards is heading to Texas, as the redshirt junior leaves Kentucky for Baylor.

In her 2021-2022 season with the Wildcats, Edwards led the team in rebounds with 8.2 per game while notching 16.9 points per game. Edwards ended her tenure at Kentucky on a high, sinking the game-winner to clinch the SEC tournament championship for the Wildcats.

The 6-foot-2 forward started her collegiate career at Utah before transferring to Kentucky in 2019.

New destination 📍💛💚💛💚 #committed @BaylorWBB pic.twitter.com/bb3hS6jTcQ

— Dre'una Edwards (@IhoopDrea44) April 28, 2022

Friday, April 22 – Haley, Hanna Cavinder transfer to Miami

Haley and Hanna Cavinder are transferring to Miami, the identical twins announced Thursday night.

The Cavinder sisters join the Hurricanes after three seasons at Fresno State, in which they averaged a combined 34.2 points per game.

Haley recorded 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in the 2021-2022 season, notching three triple-doubles and 12 double-doubles. Hanna led Fresno State in steals, posting 51 during the regular season, scoring 14.6 points per game and registering 107 assists.

“Coming into the offseason losing four impactful players, we felt like we had specific needs and Haley and Hanna absolutely helped us meet several of them,” Miami coach Katie Meier said in a statement. “They are huge pieces for our program.”

The twin guards also boast an impressive social media following, including more than 4 million TikTok followers, which has translated to lucrative NIL deals that some estimate have exceeded $1 million.

Haley and Hanna join a Miami team that finished last season with a 21-13 record and went on a postseason run that included an Atlantic Coast Conference championship game appearance, concluding their season with a second-round loss in the NCAA tournament.

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Thursday, April 21 – Chrislyn Carr to join Louisville

Guard Chrislyn Carr, who spent last season at Syracuse and averaged 14.2 points per game, is transferring to Louisville.

The Cardinals also announced last Friday that they are adding Morgan Jones out of Florida State in addition to four freshmen.

After advancing to the Final Four last season, the Cardinals lost three starters, including two to the WNBA draft: Emily Engstler, another Syracuse transfer, and Kianna Smith.

Carr spent two and a half seasons at Texas Tech, where she was Big 12 freshman of the year in 2019, before transferring to Baylor for a semester. She then left for Syracuse.

“She fills a big need at our point guard spot, and is a talented distributor, scorer and defender,” Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. “We believe she is a great fit for our team and are excited to have her join us.”

Friday, April 15 – Abby Meyers headed to Maryland

Princeton standout and AP All-American Honorable Mention Abby Meyers is headed to College Park.

Maryland announced Friday that it would be adding the Ivy League player of the year to its roster. Last season. she averaged 18.2 points and 5.9 rebounds en route to the Ivy League title and the NCAA round of 32.

“I chose to play my final year of college basketball at Maryland because not only am I from Maryland, but I grew up going to the women’s basketball games at the amazing Xfinity Center!” said Meyers. “I have tremendous respect for the program and all it has accomplished under Coach Frese’s leadership, and I want to help continue to build the winning legacy for the one and only Terp Nation.”

Thrilled to officially welcome AP Honorable Mention All-America honoree Abby Meyers to our Maryland family‼️🐢👏

➡️ https://t.co/PkOuOBizEC#TerpFamily x #FTT pic.twitter.com/ldM2Ul91rh

— Maryland Women’s Basketball (@TerpsWBB) April 15, 2022

Thursday, April 14 – South Carolina’s Saniya Rivers enters portal, Duke adds Mia Heide

One day after participating in the championship parade for South Carolina’s national title win, guard Saniya Rivers announced via her social media accounts that she would enter the transfer portal.

Rivers was the Gatorade national high school player of the year in 2021. She averaged 2.3 points in 27 games for the Gamecocks this season.

“Thanks to coach Staley and the rest of the coaching staff and program for affording me with the opportunity to win a national championship in my freshman year with this team,” Rivers wrote. “It has truly been an experience of a lifetime.”

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Also on Thursday, Tulane graduate Mia Heide announced that she would be taking her fifth year at Duke to pursue a business degree.

“I am so grateful for my time and experiences at Tulane University,” she wrote. “I will always be a proud Tulane alum.

“I am very excited to join coach Kara Lawson and the Duke women’s basketball program.”

Heide is one of the more decorated shot blockers in Tulane history, having averaged 1.4 blocks per game. She also averaged 4.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists during her career.

Tuesday, April 12 – Number of Division I players in portal is nearly double last year

As of Tuesday, 1,143 Division I players are in the women’s basketball transfer portal, according to The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings. Last year, 1,197 players entered the portal.

Those numbers are nearly double that the two previous seasons. In 2019-20, 609 players entered in the portal, and in 2018-19, 641 players entered the portal.

The NCAA changed the portal rule in April 2021, allowing athletes to transfer to a different school once and play immediately. Some of the increase also could be attributed to the extra year of eligibility granted to athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also on Tuesday, University of South Florida point guard Elisa Pinzan announced that she would be transferring to Maryland for her fifth year of eligibility.

The addition of Pinzan is big for Maryland, which has lost players to both the portal and graduation. Through four seasons with the Bulls, Pinzan scored 917 points and dished out 544 assists. Last season, she knocked down 31.9 percent from 3-point range and helped the Bulls to a 24-9 record and a NCAA Tournament berth.

“While I am excited to finish my career at Maryland, I will always remember where it started,” she wrote.

🤘🏻 #4 out pic.twitter.com/T6C2wXmV4d

— Elisa pinzan (@PinzanElisa) April 12, 2022

Monday, April 11 – Indiana announces additions of Alyssa Geary, Sara Scalia

The Indiana Hoosiers announced Monday the additions of Alyssa Geary and Sara Scalia to its 2022-23 roster, as well as Sydney Parish, which had been reported Saturday.

Geary is a graduate transfer from Providence, having played in 118 games there. As a senior, she averaged 9.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.

“We are really looking forward to getting Alyssa to Bloomington. When we called, we could tell immediately that this was going to be a good fit,” coach Teri Moren said. “She is going to give us some versatility inside. She has great length, is very skilled and can knock down the perimeter shot, along with being a phenomenal passer. She also has the ability to guard multiple positions.”

Scalia will join the Hoosiers after three seasons at Minnesota, where she recorded 1,158 total points and set a program-record in free throw percentage at 88.8 percent. A 2021-22 All-Big Ten second team selection, she led the Gophers with 17.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game en route to a second-round WNIT appearance. She also shot 41.3 percent from 3-point range.

“Sara is a phenomenal pickup for us. She is one of the very best 3-point shooters in the country,” Moren said. “It is important for us that we find players that fit our culture and mesh with our team. I think we found a perfect fit with Sara. Along with her shooting, Sara can play both on and off the ball. We have had to game plan against Sara, and she was one of the toughest players to prepare for. She has unbelievable shooting range and the ability to get to the rim.”

Saturday, April 9 – Sam Brunelle commits to Virginia, Sydney Parrish heads home to Indiana

Former Notre Dame forward Sam Brunelle, a Virginia native, announced her commitment to the University of Virginia on Saturday.

“The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and feels even better to come back,” she wrote. “I’m coming HOME.”

The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and feels even better to come back… I’m coming HOME 🧡⚔️💙 #GoHoos #wahoowa pic.twitter.com/l7M3dq8WNj

— Samantha Brunelle (@SamBrunelle_33) April 9, 2022

Brunelle played 32 games for the Fighting Irish last season, averaging 6.8 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field.

Also returning home is Indiana native Sydney Parrish. The former Oregon standout, with three years of eligibility remaining, announced her commitment to Indiana on Saturday.

“What up Hoosier nation, decided it was time to come home,” the guard wrote on social media.

Parrish started all 32 games for the Ducks last season, averaging 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and one assist per game. She was also second on the team in 3-point shooting, averaging 35 percent from deep.

Parrish’s addition helps lessen the blow for Indiana, who lose Ali Patberg, Aleksa Gulbe and Nicole Cardaño-Hillary to graduation. Parrish will join returners Grace Berger Mackenzie Holmes and Chloe Moore-McNeil as the Hoosiers look to improve upon their Elite Eight berth in 2021 and Sweet 16 run in 2022.

Friday, April 8 – Oregon State’s Taya Corosdale joins teammates in portal

Oregon State forward Taya Corosdale became the fourth Beavers player to enter the transfer portal in less than a week.

The three-year starter was Oregon State’s leading rebounder last season, averaging 7.4 rebounds and 7.3 points per game.

In addition to Corosdale, sophomores Kennedy Brown and Taylor Jones entered the portal this week. Brown started in 21 games, averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds, while Jones played just nine games due to injury. Freshman guard Greta Kampschroeder entered the portal last week after starting 25 games last season.

The Beavers join Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri and Oregon in having at least three players enter the portal.

Wednesday, April 6 – Maryland forward Mimi Collins to enter transfer portal; Kierra Fletcher is headed to South Carolina

The exodus from the Maryland program continued, with graduate forward Mimi Collins expected to enter the portal. According to Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post, the decision is based on education, as Collins is looking for a graduate program in communications.

Also on Wednesday, former Georgia Tech guard Kierra Fletcher announced her commitment to South Carolina. A four-year starter with the Yellow Jackets, she missed last season with an injury. During the season before that, she averaged 13 points, 3.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Tuesday, April 5 – Maryland loses Angel Reese, Ashley Owusu, two more players to transfer portal

Four players announced their plans to depart from the Terrapins and enter their names into the transfer portal. The first domino to fall was junior guard Ashley Owusu, a former AP All-American and Big Ten freshman of the year.

“I have never started anything that I haven’t finished, and finishing was the plan when I decided to come to College Park,” she wrote in a post on social media. “Unfortunately, events that have transpired on and off the court this year have led me to make the very difficult but necessary decision to continue my education and basketball career elsewhere.”

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A post shared by Ashley Owusu (@ashleyyowusu)

Hours after Owusu’s decision was announced, sophomore starter Angel Reese also entered the transfer portal. The top player for the Terrapins this season, she became the first Maryland player to average a double-double since 1975, with a team-best 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

Additionally, sophomore guard Taisiya Kozlova and graduate student guard Channise Lewis both entered the portal.

Friday, March 25 – Dre’Una Edwards, Treasure Hunt and Jazmine Massengill to leave Kentucky, enter transfer portal

Three of Kentucky’s starters, who all helped lift the Wildcats to their first SEC tournament title in 40 years, entered the transfer portal.

Dre’Una Edwards, who joined Kentucky from Utah, was the tournament hero for the Wildcats after hitting the game-winner against South Carolina. But after just two years with the program, she has entered her name into the portal.

Massengill will be a fifth-year senior while Hunt will be a junior next season.

Additionally, Aijha Blackwell – the leading scorer and rebounder for the University of Missouri and a three-year starter – entered the transfer portal.

Blackwell marks the fourth Tigers player this offseason to announce her intent to leave the program. Senior forward LaDazhia Williams, freshman guard Izzy Higginbottom and freshman forward Kiya Dorroh are also in the portal.

Thursday March 24 – Rickea Jackson announces transfer to Tennessee

After entering the transfer portal in January, former Mississippi State leading scorer Rickea Jackson announced that she would be transferring to Tennessee.

I’m hereee🍊 pic.twitter.com/A7LEDTaPxL

— RJ👑 (@iamthathooper) March 24, 2022

A 2019 McDonald’s All-American, Jackson led the Bulldogs in scoring her freshman and sophomore years before deciding to transfer. According to her mother, Caryn Jackson, the decision was made “for mental health reasons.”

Australia and Manchester City forward Mary Fowler exited last Sunday’s FA Cup semifinal with a confirmed ACL injury, cutting short what had been a promising season for the young international star.

“Mary will remain under the care of the club’s medical team and start her rehabilitation,” City said after the team’s 2-0 loss to crosstown rivals Manchester United.

“It’s never easy when something like this happens, especially when you’ve been working so hard and feeling good,” Fowler added.

Fowler scored six goals in 17 WSL appearances for Manchester City this season, coupled with a league-leading seven assists. She joined City in 2022 from French side Montpellier, signing a four-year contract with the English team.

The news adds to City’s mounting injury tally, as the fourth-place team enters the UK league’s home stretch with Vivianne Miedema, Bunny Shaw, and Alex Greenwood on the sidelines. Additional unavailable players include Jill Roord, Laura Blindkilde-Brown, Aoba Fujino, Rebecca Knaak, and Lauren Hemp.

Fowler injury leaves 2026 Asian Cup fitness in question

Fowler's recent ACL tear has broader implications than club play.

Australia is set to host 2026 Asian Cup, with the 22-year-old striker expected to lead the Matildas' frontline at the tournament. However, with a lengthy rehabilitation process ahead, Fowler might not be available to represent her country when the Asian Cup kicks off next March.

“This is tough news for Mary and for all of us who know the dedication and passion she brings to her craft,” Matildas interim head coach Tom Sermanni said in a national team statement. “She’s an exceptional talent and a much-loved member of our team, and we know she’ll meet this challenge with the same courage she brings to the pitch.”

“Everyone in the Matildas and Football Australia family – players, coaches, and support staff – will be right behind Mary as she takes the first steps toward her comeback,” he continued.

Fowler debuted for Australia's national team in 2018. She went on to score 16 goals over 64 appearances.

NCAA conference realignment drastically altered this year's college sports landscape, affecting volleyball, basketball, and, now, softball, as former titans lose ground while others rise to the occasion.

After years dominating the Big 12, four-time reigning NCAA softball champions Oklahoma are now riding the ups and downs of the stacked SEC.

The Sooners recorded a loss to unranked Missouri and fell twice to then-No. 10 Tennessee last month, before dropping two of three games to then-No. 22 Alabama this week.

With the now-No. 17 Crimson Tide's victories, Oklahoma fell two spots to No. 4 in Tuesday's ESPN/USA Softball rankings update.

Similarly, after adding a pair of weekend losses to then-No. 5 Tennessee alongside earlier stumbles against ranked SEC foes Florida and Mississippi State, former Big 12 standout No. 1 Texas took a tumble, with the 2024 runners-up Longhorns sliding to No. 3 this week.

While those wins earned the Vols a boost to No. 2, a dark horse SEC squad took over the sport's No. 1 spot on Tuesday, when a 12-game winning streak lifted the Texas A&M Aggies atop both the SEC table and the national rankings for the first time in program history.

SEC solidifies itself as top NCAA softball conference

The fall of NCAA softball's recent giants from the sport's elite spots isn't due to a decline in Oklahoma's or Texas's play, but simply a result of the intense level of competition and talent in the SEC.

The conference now lays claim to all of NCAA softball’s top four teams — plus seven of the Top 10.

With the college softball postseason looming next month — not to mention the eight-team Women's College World Series beginning on May 29th — the SEC is proving itself the conference to beat in the 2025 title hunt.

How to watch SEC softball this weekend

While No. 1 Texas A&M will take the weekend off after closing out a three-game series against Missouri early Friday afternoon, both No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Oklahoma will be battling in SEC series.

The Longhorns hope to sweep No. 9 LSU after claiming a 7-3 series-opening win on Thursday. Friday's first pitch between the pair is at 5:30 PM ET on SECN+, with Saturday's final game beginning at 12 PM ET on ESPN2.

The Sooners will kick off their own three-game slate against No. 15 Mississippi State at 5 PM ET on Friday, streaming live on SoonerSports. The pair will close out the series with a Sunday doubleheader beginning at 3 PM ET, with both games airing on SECN+.

With a trio of old and new rivalries on deck, the 2025 NWSL season's fifth matchday promises budding top-table rivals, a bicoastal clash, and one of the league’s longest regional feuds.

Plus, with only two points separating the No. 5 and No. 12 teams in the standings, clubs will be focused on securing all three points as they strive to keep up with the season’s three remaining undefeated teams.

While the NWSL’s official Rivalry Week is still months away, this weekend’s key matchups provide some sneak-peek showdowns:

• Seattle Reign FC vs. Portland Thorns, Friday at 10 PM ET (Prime): In the first Cascadia Clash of the season, the Thorns — fresh off their first 2025 win — face a Seattle team trying to turn around a two-game losing streak.

• Angel City FC vs. Gotham FC, Friday at 10:30 PM ET (NWSL+): A classic East Coast vs. West Coast battle sees Gotham chasing Angel City up the table, as LA tries to keep their unbeaten streak alive against one of the league's more dangerous rosters.

• Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit, Saturday at 5:05 PM ET (ION): The Pride downed the Spirit at the 2024 NWSL Championship before Washington enacted revenge in the 2025 Challenge Cup, with both powerhouses now aiming for regular-season bragging rights.

As NWSL teams push for early-season positioning, this weekend’s action promises to up the stakes by tapping into rising tensions and rivalries — both old and new.

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Angel City hires new coach in Bundesliga's Alexander Straus

On Thursday, Angel City announced that the club officially filled its head coaching vacancy, hiring Frauen Bundesliga manager Alexander Straus to take over the LA team after his current season leading Bayern Munich ends on June 1st.

After more than a decade coaching in the club and youth national system of his home country Norway, Straus took charge of Bayern Munich in 2022, leading the German team to back-to-back league titles.

His 2024/25 squad is on track to claim a third straight Bundesliga trophy, and recently exited the competitive UEFA Champions League tournament in the quarterfinal round.

Following manager Becki Tweed's firing in December, ACFC tapped Sam Laity to serve as interim head coach as the club conducted an extensive global search for the permanent position.

"When we set out to hire our head coach, we looked for specific characteristics such as a dominant style of play, a proven winner at the highest level, a focus on player development, a collaborative mindset, and a leader in high performance," said ACFC sporting director Mark Parsons in a club statement. "Alex fits this profile at every measure."

Still undefeated entering the fifth matchday of the 2025 NWSL season, Angel City will continue under Laity until Straus's arrival.

The interim manager will then shift into an assistant coach capacity as Straus leads the 2022 expansion franchise as it hunts a second-ever postseason berth.

The 2024/25 UEFA Women's Champions League semifinals begin this weekend, as four powerhouse clubs familiar with the UWCL spotlight kick off their first matches of the two-leg round.

France's Olympique Lyonnais, Spain's Barcelona FC, and England's Arsenal and Chelsea will battle it out, with just two tickets to the winner-take-all May 24th final in Portugal on the line.

"The coolest thing about big tournaments and high-stake games is you might be expecting something, and you get something completely different," Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Lindsey Heaps told reporters this week. "That's when you see the best teams come out, and they're able to adjust."

Champions League semis pit WSL against European elite

Arguably topping the four-contender list are defending champs Barcelona, with the Spanish side hunting a fourth UWCL title in five years. First, however, they'll have to contend with a stacked Chelsea team hungry to lift a first-ever Champions League trophy — one that could clinch a historic quadruple.

Meanwhile, with both the men's and women's sides reaching this season's Champions League semifinals, Arsenal will square off against eight-time champions Lyon in a quest to claim their first UWCL title in over 18 years.

Both WSL titans are chasing history against their European opponents, with Arsenal still the only UK team to ever win Champions League.

The Gunners will kick off the round by hosting Lyon in their 60,000-capacity Emirates Stadium.

"Playing at the Emirates, and the hunger and the belief that we have as a team at the moment, we're going to go and play our game to the best we can," said Arsenal manager Renée Slegers.

With an estimated 40,000 tickets sold for the pivotal clash, Emirates provides an environment even Arsenal's opponents look forward to competing in.

"You always want these kind of crowds and this kind of atmosphere," Heaps said of the Saturday matchup. "Even if it's against you, it's the best thing in the world."

How to watch the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League semifinals

The first-leg matchups of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League semifinals kicks off on Saturday, when Arsenal hosts Lyon at 7:30 AM ET.

Then on Sunday, Chelsea will travel to Barcelona to take on the reigning champs at 12 PM ET.

Both matches will air live on DAZN.