The Portland Thorns have placed general manager Gavin Wilkinson on administrative leave pending the results of an ongoing independent investigation, the team announced Wednesday.

The Thorns were at the center of a report in The Athletic last week that detailed allegations of sexual coercion and emotional abuse against former coach Paul Riley.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Effectively immediately, Portland Thorns FC have placed general manager/president of soccer Gavin Wilkinson on administrative leave from Thorns duties pending the results of the outside independent investigation, which is ongoing.

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 7, 2021

The Thorns’ decision came down within an hour of the team’s players releasing a statement in which they demanded Wilkinson be placed on leave “until the process concludes.” The players’ other demands are for more diverse voices within the club’s executive board and for the players themselves to be a part of front-office discussions in order to “increase transparency, accountability, and cooperation.”

A day earlier, the Thorns’ supporters groups announced a boycott, calling on the team to remove Wilkinson.

🗣‼️ This is enough #NoMoreSilence pic.twitter.com/fHMjFVAOGO

— "Rocky" Rodríguez (@raque_rocky) October 7, 2021

Thorns owner Merritt Paulson released a statement Monday in response to The Athletic’s report. Portland severed ties with Riley in 2015 after conducting an internal investigation into his conduct. At the time, it was believed the team did not renew Riley’s contract because of poor on-field results. Paulson has since said the Thorns terminated Riley and has apologized for the team’s role in the scandal.

The Thorns have faced increasing pressure to discipline Wilkinson, who was with the Thorns in 2015. In addition to the supporters groups, NWSL players have voiced similar feelings. Sources told Just Women’s Sports that there were calls for Wilkinson to be fired during a players discussion last week.

The suspension of Wilkinson comes amid a league-wide reckoning over player protection and rights. The NWSL, US Soccer and FIFA have each opened investigations into the league in response to the allegations made against Riley, while league commissioner Lisa Baird resigned last Friday.

While the last-place Connecticut Sun aren't exactly making a strong 2025 postseason run, they are playing spoiler, securing their fourth season victory in a 95-64 blowout win over a hungry No. 9 Golden State side on Sunday.

Eight-time All-Star Tina Charles — the WNBA's all-time top rebounder and second-best career scorer — led the game with 24 points, as the 36-year-old veteran continues to showcase her value.

"This season hasn't been the same as it always has for the Sun, but [fan] loyalty has really fueled us and we know that they're going to show up for us," said Connecticut guard Marina Mabrey after the win.

Monday's WNBA slate will see the Sun shoot for their first winning streak of the 2025 season, with Connecticut taking on a Seattle side they’ve humbled once already:

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 13 Connecticut Sun, 7 PM ET (ESPN3): The Storm is hunting consistency after splitting their last 10 games 5-5 — ceding ground in the WNBA standings — while the Sun aims to repeat their July 9th upset victory over Seattle.

• No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (ESPN): Injuries could impact Monday's showdown in Texas, as the Wings aim to benefit from a rested Paige Bueckers while the Liberty deal with a knock to star Breanna Stewart.

Higher ranked squads will always look to rebound, but Connecticut's trajectory proves that the underdogs can have their say on any given day.

World No. 5 England are bringing football home once again, lifting their second straight UEFA Women's Euro trophy after defeating reigning World Cup champs No. 2 Spain in the 2025 championship match on Sunday.

Leading for a total of four minutes throughout the entirety of the knockouts, Sunday's win marked England's third consecutive comeback victory this tournament, as the Lionesses bested La Roja in a penalty shootout to become the first back-to-back European champions since 2013.

Armed with more confident knockout-stage results, Spain came out swinging in the first half, going up 1-0 behind Mariona Caldentey's 25th-minute strike.

However, England would not be denied, equalizing off a header from Alessia Russo in the 57th minute to eventually force extra time at a 1-1 deadlock.

The stalemate held through the additional 30 minutes, invoking yet another penalty shootout in true 2025 Euro fashion.

Spain struck first, but three uncharacteristic missed shots from Caldentey, reigning Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, and 2023 World Cup breakout star Salma Paralluelo handed England control of the shootout.

Forward Chloe Kelly — the 2022 title-winning scorer — came through for the Lionesses again, sinking the final shot from the spot to secure England's second major tournament title.

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Sunday's victory also added to Sarina Wiegman's personal perfect Euro record, as the England manager emerged from her third European Championship with a third straight title — two with the Lionesses and one with the Netherlands in 2017.

"She's amazing," Kelly said of Wiegman. "She is an incredible woman. What she's done for this country, we should all be so grateful."

Despite Spain's edge, England showcased the mentality it takes to cap an unlikely run with a fairytale ending — one that could fuel them down the path to another trophy as attention shifts toward the 2027 World Cup.

The top WNBA titans showed some weakness this weekend, as both the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and No. 2 New York Liberty suffered unexpected upset losses at home.

First on Saturday, the No. 10 LA Sparks staged a 101-99 upset win over reigning WNBA champions New York, notching their fifth straight victory thanks to a dramatic buzzer-beater from guard Rickea Jackson.

Liberty standout Sabrina Ionescu led the game with 30 points, stepping up in the loss after star Breanna Stewart exited with a leg injury less than four minutes into the game.

Similarly, despite perennial MVP candidate Napheesa Collier putting Minnesota on her back with a 32-point performance on Sunday, the league-leading Lynx couldn't contain the No. 4 Atlanta Dream, falling 90-86 in their first home loss of the season.

The win helped the Dream shoot up the WNBA standings, overtaking fourth place from the Seattle Storm, whose 69-58 Saturday loss to the No. 8 Washington Mystics sent them stumbling into the No. 5 spot.

The No. 7 Las Vegas Aces have also been pushing, leapfrogging the Mystics with a 106-80 win over the No. 12 Dallas Wings on Sunday.

"One of the toughest things is going through hard things and remaining optimistic and positive," Aces head coach Becky Hammon said of her team's battle-ready mindset. "My main focus was just to keep everybody upbeat."

While multiple squads have consistently impressed this season, no single team has remained unanswered above the rest — a nod to the league's growing depth and subsequent parity.

British golfer Lottie Woad saw her star skyrocket on Sunday, as the 21-year-old phenom took the 2025 Scottish Open trophy — becoming the second player in three years to win in their professional LPGA debut in the process.

"I think it's quite hard to do that, but very special to win in my first event," Woad said after the win. "Everyone was chasing me today, and [I] managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots."

The debut win places Woad alongside US star Rose Zhang, who opened her career by lifting the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open trophy at 20 years old.

After previously refusing purses to maintain NCAA eligibility, the rising Florida State senior's first pro payday totals $300,000 of the tournament's $2 million overall payout.

Woad made even more history along the way, as her 21-under-par performance tied 2022 Scottish Open champion Ayaka Furue's all-time record score at the tournament.

Second-place finisher Hyo Joo Kim — the world No. 8 South Korean star — capped her weekend performance a full three strokes behind Woad, who rose 38 spots to sit at No. 24 in the world rankings with her stunning victory.

Ultimately, with each of the 2025 LPGA Tour's 19 tournaments thus far claiming a different winner — the longest stretch of parity in the organization's 75-year history — the former world No. 1 amateur is arguably minting herself as this season's breakout star.