Athletes Unlimited provides the opportunity for players to extend their careers past college. For the viewers, it provides an opportunity to continue watching some of sports’ best — like Sis Bates.

Bates first graced the Athletes Unlimited softball field last year after being drafted in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited softball college draft. She wound up finishing ninth in the league’s second season with 1,468 leaderboard points after starting in all 15 games.

She finished the season hitting .326, registering 14 hits and tied for the league lead with five doubles.

But her performance last season wasn’t surprising for those who know Bates. A former NCAA Defensive Player of the Year and three-time NFCA All-American, the shortstop had a storied career at the University of Washington.

“I got to work with Sis Bates with USA Softball, and she was just a pleasure to work with,” Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso said of Bates last May. “(She’s) just a gamer, loves to play, great attitude. Very infectious approach.

“Sis is real flash. … She can spin around, throw somebody out. She’s got a knack and nose for the game like nobody I’ve seen, with the exception of somebody like Grace Lyons.”

Sis Bates making it look EASY 🤩#AUX | 📺: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/umKrKczfBU

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) June 16, 2022

The all-time leader in Washington history with 18 triples, she’s also the Huskies’ all-time hits leader with 320 in 261 career games. She also ranks third in runs (227), fourth in batting average (.385) and fifth in doubles (54).

A two-time NFCA First-Team All-American, she was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year three times for her play at shortstop, just the second player in Pac-12 history to have won the award three times. In 2020, she was named the Greatest Softball Shortstop of All Time by ESPN.

As she’s made her way to the pros, she hasn’t let off the gas either.

“It’s been pretty hectic,” Bates told the Seattle Times last September about playing in Athletes Unlimited. “It’s felt like a whirlwind. But just being here and being settled in here and competing every day like we have, I feel like I’m learning the routine. I’m a total nerd for softball. Every day here has been the best.”

During the first week of play for AUX, Bates showed once again why she’s one of the best to play the game. She recorded 15 assists on the weekend while giving up just one error, meaning she had perfect fielding percentage in all but one game. She also recorded three double plays — including two against Team Ocasio.

“Defense is super fun,” Bates told Softball America last February. “It sounds so funny for me to say that. But, seriously, I do love it. I love it so much. It is genuinely fun for me.”

Sis Bates doing what Sis Bates does 😤#AUX | 📺: ESPNU pic.twitter.com/D0AWgT6zWp

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) June 13, 2022

“She converts most of the balls she can get to into outs; that’s as good as having a dominant pitcher,” Washington coach Heather Tarr told ESPN in 2019. “The ball is always converted into an out. If it’s possible, it’s going to be converted into an out, whether it’s routine or not a routine play. She’s super efficient.”

Her efficiency currently has her 10th on the AUX leaderboard — just two points behind Aliyah Andrews. As she enters the second series of play on Saturday for Team Gibson, look for Bates to continue doing as she does and find herself climbing up the leaderboard.

The 2027 Women's World Cup is taking shape, as FIFA introduced the tournament's official branding at a ceremony in host country Brazil on Sunday.

The first-ever iteration of the tournament in South America will adopt the slogan "GO EPIC," an imperative that "calls on fans everywhere to be part of an unforgettable adventure."

Additionally, the branding of the competition's 10th edition includes a sonic identity "inspired by Brazilian rhythms, samba-infused percussion, and Afro-Brazilian heritage."

"Brazil lives and breathes football, and you can feel the excitement here about welcoming the world and hosting a historic event," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the governing body's launch event in the famed Copacabana neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. "You can also feel something even more powerful, as this country is fully committed to making this a watershed moment for the women's game."

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The logo pays homage to the Brazilian flag as well as the shape of a soccer pitch, with the design featuring a letter W and its inversion, a letter M — uniting the English words "women" and "world" with their Portuguese counterparts "mulheres" and "mundo."

"Football is about love and Brazil loves football," said Brazil soccer legend Marta, the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, in a video message at Sunday's event. "Our country is ready to embrace the women's game with pride, emotion and belief."

Calling her country's hosting duties "a dream come true," fellow Brazil icon Formiga — the only athlete, man or woman, to compete in seven World Cups — said Sunday that "2027 will be about opening doors. This World Cup will show girls everywhere they belong on the biggest stage."

The US is flooding the quarterfinals of the 2026 Australian Open, with half of eight women still standing in the Grand Slam representing the United States.

World No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, No. 6 Jessica Pegula, and No. 27 Iva Jović all advanced from the weekend's fourth round, joining No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 2 Iga Świątek, No. 5 Elena Rybakina, and No. 12 Elina Svitolina in Monday and Tuesday's quarterfinals.

"I'm just trusting the level that I have been able to put out and hopefully that will be enough," 18-year-old Jović said as she gears up for her Monday night clash with Sabalenka — a two-time winner (2023, 2024) of the Melbourne Slam.

Pegula's success, meanwhile, came at the expense of her US teammate and the reigning Australian Open champion, No. 9 Madison Keys, whom she ousted in straight sets in the Round of 16 on Sunday.

Even more, Pegula's quarterfinal matchup will again feature friendly fire as she takes on Anisimova on Tuesday night.

"Sucks that one American has to go out in the quarterfinals," Anisimova said. "Jess is such a great player, so I'm sure it's going to be a great battle."

How to watch the 2026 Australian Open quarterfinals

The Australian Open quarterfinals start at 7:30 PM ET on Monday, when No. 27 Jović takes on No. 1 Sabalenka before No. 3 Gauff's 3 AM ET Tuesday matchup with No. 12 Svitolina.

No. 6 Pegula's clash with No. 4 Anisimova, as well as No. 5 Rybakina vs. No. 2 Świątek will close out the quarterfinals early Wednesday morning.

All matches from the Melbourne Slam air live across ESPN platforms.

No. 2 South Carolina shut down No. 5 Vanderbilt in Sunday's top-tier NCAA basketball clash, ending the Commodores' undefeated 2025/26 season by handing the Nashville visitors a 103-74 defeat.

Senior guard Ta'Niya Latson led South Carolina with 21 points, as five Gamecocks finished in the double-digits to offset Vanderbilt star sophomore Mikayla Blakes's 23-point night.

"I'm really impressed that we played connected basketball on both ends," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said following the bounce-back win. "I'm happy we responded to our [Thursday] loss."

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The results could significantly impact the SEC standings, where No. 17 Tennessee currently sits in the lead — though six ranked conference opponents, including South Carolina, stand between the Vols and their regular-season finale vs. Vanderbilt.

"We didn't operate the way I know my team can operate," said Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph. "It doesn't get any easier.... This is the SEC."

"There just wasn't an answer today," Ralph continued. "There's a lot we can take from it, but it also doesn't negate the fact that we've been really good up to this point."

How to watch Vanderbilt, South Carolina in action this week

Both teams return to the NCAA court on Thursday, when the No. 5 Commodores will seek redemption against No. 18 Ole Miss at 7:30 PM ET before the No. 2 Gamecocks battle unranked Auburn at 9 PM ET.

Both matchups will air live on the SEC Network.

The No. 2 USWNT is stacking their 2026 dance card, as US Soccer announced three spring friendlies against No. 8 Japan on Saturday.

The series will kick off in San Jose, California, on Saturday, April 11th, before moving to Seattle on Tuesday, April 14th, with the teams closing out the trio of friendlies in Commerce City, Colorado, on Friday, April 17th.

"Playing the same opponent three times is unusual but it presents a great challenge and a chance to test ourselves against a top-quality opponent," said USWNT manager Emma Hayes in the federation's Saturday statement.

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The friendlies will follow the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, with the US set to face No. 30 Argentina, No. 10 Canada, and No. 20 Colombia starting on Sunday, March 1st.

The USWNT last met Japan at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup Final in San Diego, with the Nadeshiko beating the tournament hosts 2-1 — the second Japan victory over the US in their 42 all-time meetings.

"Japan is one of the best teams in the world," Hayes continued. "I'm a big admirer of how they play and I have tremendous respect for their team."

Notably, April's second friendly will see the USWNT return to Seattle for the first time since 2017, with Lumen Field swapping artificial turf for natural grass ahead of this summer's 2026 Men's World Cup.

How to buy tickets to USWNT vs. Japan friendlies

While ticket presales began on Monday morning, general sales for all three April friendlies will begin at 10 AM local venue time on Thursday.