In another blockbuster signing for the FA Women’s Super League, North Carolina Courage and U.S. Women’s National Team center back Abby Dahlkemper has inked a 2.5-year contract with Manchester City, as first reported by Meg Linehan of the Athletic. Dahlkemper joins USWNT teammates Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle in the move across the pond, in what is another stellar addition to City’s championship-caliber squad.

Another #USWNT player is heading to Manchester City and #BarclaysFAWSL.

According to sources, center back Abby Dahlkemper is heading over to England later this month on a 2 1/2-year long contract with the club.

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) January 11, 2021

Dahlkemper is an elite talent in the prime of her career.  She’s appeared in 62 matches for the USWNT, notching three assists and one World Cup trophy for her country. During the 2019 World Cup, she was the only player aside from goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to start every match of the tournament.

In four seasons with the North Carolina Courage, Dahlkemper has won three NWSL Shields, two NWSL Championships, was named the NWSL Defender of the Year in 2017, and thrice made the NWSL Best XI, in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Prior to the franchise’s move to North Carolina, Dahlkemper also won a NWSL Championship with the Western New York Flash as well as a NCAA Championship and the Honda Sports Award during her time at UCLA.

DETAILS: Abby Dahlkemper named 2017 #NWSL Defender of the Year -- https://t.co/PgaZI0LWhx pic.twitter.com/95J2yoO7nb

— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) October 19, 2017

One look at Dahlkemper’s stats makes clear her outstanding consistency at center back. During the NWSL’s recent Fall Series, Dahlkemper started all four matches for the Courage, burying a penalty against the Houston Dash in the first match of the series. More impressive, however, were Dahlkemper’s passing abilities: in the defensive third, she maintained a 92% passing accuracy to go along with her 60.3% accuracy in the attacking third. 149 of her 193 attempted passes were successful, equating to a 77.2% passing success rate through 360 minutes of play.

During the Challenge Cup last spring, Dahlkemper had a 100% success rate in tackles, a 60% success rate in duels, and a 57.1% success rate in aerial duels. She also logged 15 clearances, three blocks, and two interceptions, while simultaneously maintaining an 85.1% passing success rate. That level of consistency and control will allow Dahlkemper to immediately slide into her role as a security blanket in City’s defensive third.

Top shelf Pinoe ????@AbbyDahlkemper with the gorgeous ball to set up @mPinoe's strike! pic.twitter.com/NTj9N02WFM

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) October 15, 2018

Needless to say, City’s gain is the Courage’s loss, especially when coupled with North Carolina’s recent trade of fellow USWNT superstar Crystal Dunn to the Portland Thorns. Dahlkemper’s move is also another blow to the NWSL as a whole in its ongoing battle with the European leagues for the best soccer talent in the world.

Another #USWNT player is heading to Manchester City and #BarclaysFAWSL.

According to sources, center back Abby Dahlkemper is heading over to England later this month on a 2 1/2-year long contract with the club.

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) January 11, 2021

A 2 1/2 year contract is ... something. https://t.co/txwsohuWxu

— PhilD (@philduba) January 12, 2021

I hope, uhhh, NWSL survives this?

A number of core, and up-and-coming, national teamers skipping out on the next couple years of NWSL over the past few months https://t.co/ztAomvmG9C

— Bryan Rice (@bricey16) January 11, 2021

Whether the reasoning for these signings is to obtain better preparation for the Olympics, concern over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, or simply better compensation, the loss of this many high-profile players is becoming a critical issue, especially as the NWSL looks poised to rapidly expand its national profile in the coming years.

We’re still a few signings away from full-on panic mode, and in the meantime, it’s hard not to be excited at the prospect of seeing Dahlkemper, Mewis and Lavelle on one field together. Mewis in particular has thrived for City, who currently sit at 4th in the table. The club is well within the title hunt, and a talent like Dahlkemper could easily take them to the next level, whether that’s this season or in the two to follow.

Former Stanford leading-scorer Kiki Iriafen is set to join star rising sophomore JuJu Watkins at USC next year, reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. 

The 6-foot-3 forward is coming off a breakout season with the Cardinal, where the then-junior led Stanford to the Sweet 16 with an average of 19.4 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Walking away with the Pac-12’s Most Improved Player award and a spot on the All-Pac-12 team, Iriafen entered the portal at the close of last season and was subsequently ranked second on ESPN’s 2024-2025 transfer ranking list.

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At USC, Iriafen will play out her senior year alongside the Women's Basketball Coaches Association’s 2024 National Freshman of the Year JuJu Watkins, forming what could be an explosive partnership for the Trojans as they look to build momentum going into next season. The Southern California side advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994 this year, ultimately falling to UConn in a heated 80-73 battle.

Iriafen wasn’t the only one making choices this past week. LSU guard Hailey Van Lith officially announced her own transfer to TCU on Friday, while Princeton standout Kaitlyn Chen committed to UConn for her final year of college eligibility. Other big names still weighing their options are Oregon State's Talia Von Oelhoffen and Raegan Beers, as well as UNC's Deja Kelly.

With conference realignment on the horizon and team fit a contending factor, the NCAA women's basketball transfer portal has been busier than ever. And while transfers can bolster many types of college programs, this particular offseason has seen talent-rich programs growing even richer.

Legendary WNBA superstar Candace Parker announced her retirement from professional basketball on Sunday, effective immediately.

"I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave it in a better place than I came into it," she wrote in an Instagram post. "The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it's time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it."

The Las Vegas Aces forward was in the midst of rehabbing a right ankle injury and a left foot fracture after missing part of the 2023 season.

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One of women's basketball's most prominent trailblazers, Parker popularized the play of a "big guard." A back-to-back NCAA National Championship winner with Tennessee, she was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008. She was named both WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year in her debut season with the league. 

Parker exits the pros a three-time WNBA champion, a two-time league MVP, seven-time WNBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time NCAA champion, in addition to many more individual accolades. Throughout her 16-year career, she averaged 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, and four assists per game. She remains the only player in WNBA history to earn three WNBA titles with three different teams: LA in 2016, Chicago in 2021, and Las Vegas in 2023. 

In her announcement, the 38-year-old implied the physical toll of league play was a driving factor in her ultimate decision to walk away from the game, despite recently signing a one-year deal with Las Vegas.

"This offseason hasn’t been fun on a foot that isn’t cooperating," she wrote. "It’s no fun playing in pain (10 surgeries in my career) it’s no fun knowing what you could do, if only…it’s no fun hearing 'she isn’t the same' when I know why, it’s no fun accepting the fact you need surgery AGAIN.

"I’m grateful that for 16 years I PLAYED A GAME for a living & DESPITE all the injuries, I hooped," she continued. "I’m grateful for family, friends, teammates, coaches, doctors, trainers & fans who made this journey so special."

Fans weren’t the only ones shocked by Parker’s surprise retirement. In a reaction captured on video, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart responded to the news with a jaw-dropped, eyebrow-raised "What? Wow." 

Yet while the Naperville, Illinois native’s time on the court might be over, Parker says she isn't leaving the world of basketball anytime soon.

"This is the beginning," she wrote. "I’m attacking business, private equity, ownership (I will own both a NBA & WNBA team), broadcasting, production, boardrooms, beach volleyball, dominoes (sorry babe it’s going to get more real) with the same intensity & focus I did basketball."

USWNT stalwart Alex Morgan will miss at least one week of NWSL action after suffering a left ankle knock in her last club appearance, Wave manager Casey Stoney said on Thursday.

Morgan was helped off the field after rolling her ankle in the later stages of the Wave’s 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride last weekend, despite the San Diego side being out of available substitutes.

“She's got an ankle injury and she's out for this weekend, and then it'll be week by week from there,” Stoney said, confirming that Morgan’s been ruled out for Saturday’s showdown with NWSL newcomer Bay FC.

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Depending on its severity, Morgan’s ankle issue might have larger ramifications than missing a few weeks of NSWL play. Morgan was added to the team's Gold Cup roster after an ACL injury sidelined young striker Mia Fishel, and she's since made a number of USWNT starts in the team's Gold Cup and SheBelieves wins. A long-term injury could potentially derail the center forward’s Olympic plans.

With her return timeline uncertain, it's possible the injury could also impact Morgan's ability to participate in new head coach Emma Hayes' first U.S. friendlies in June and July.

Morgan's injury concerns aren't uncommon in the U.S. player pool, but add a sense of urgency as Hayes eyes the NWSL for top-performing players in the upcoming weeks. Gotham's Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle have also been dealing with injuries: Lavelle has yet to appear for Gotham, while Davidson exited last weekend's match early with a hamstring injury.

Gotham has yet to issue an update concerning Davidson's status.

This week, legendary Brazilian superstar Marta announced that she’ll retire from the national team at the end of 2024.

In an interview with CNN Esportes published Thursday, the iconic footballer confirmed that she would be hanging up her boots regardless of whether or not she ends up making Brazil's 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” she said. “There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards.”

Marta will retire as a giant of the women's game, having appeared in five Olympics and multiple World Cups. When discussing her retirement, she stressed confidence in the rising generation of Brazilian players, noting that she was, “very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes." 

The statement echoes back to a plea she made during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after Brazil lost to France 2-1 in the Round of 16. “It's wanting more. It's training more. It's taking care of yourself more. It's being ready to play 90 plus 30 minutes. This is what I ask of the girls,” she said then, addressing the young players following in her footsteps. 

In 2023, she signaled a farewell to World Cup competition with the same sentiment, telling media, “We ask the new generation to continue where we left off.”

If selected for the 2024 Olympic team, Marta has a shot at extending her own consecutive-scoring record with the ability to score in an unbelievable sixth-straight Olympic Games. She currently stands as Brazil’s top goalscorer, racking up 116 career goals in 175 matches, as well as the leading goalscorer in any World Cup, women’s or men’s, with 17 to her name. 

Marta will continue to play for the NWSL’s Orlando Pride through at least the end of 2024. The longtime forward and club captain has already contributed to multiple goals this season.