Hailey Van Lith was waived by the Chicago Sky on Monday — but the TCU product may not have to wait long for her next WNBA opportunity.
The Sky dismissed the 11th overall 2025 WNBA Draft pick as part of a roster shuffle that sent veteran guard Natasha Cloud to Chicago.
Teams can't claim Van Lith for 48 hours after she clears waivers. This creates a narrow signing window before final rosters are due on May 7th.
Yet according to ESPN, multiple teams have already expressed interest, with conversations underway around the league. And while her next destination has not been finalized, several teams stand out as potential landing spots.
The Dream presents one option. With her former Chicago and LSU teammate Angel Reese now in Atlanta, the Georgia club could look to add backcourt depth behind their starters.
Seattle is another contender, with the Storm potentially seeking reserve support for starting guards Natisha Hiedeman and Jordan Horston. A Washington native, Van Lith could subsequently fill that need.
Expansion teams are also in the mix. Both the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo could prioritize young guards as they build out their inaugural rosters.
Van Lith dealt with injuries during her rookie season. She appeared in 29 games, averaging 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across limited minutes. However, her profile remains strong.
Just a year ago, she was coming off the best season of her college career at TCU. There, she averaged 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
Lindsey Vonn, A'ja Wilson, Venus Williams, and Eileen Gu were among the many top athletes turning heads with 2026 Met Gala looks on Monday night.
Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Met Gala stands as one of the year's biggest nights for fashion, art, and culture.
Williams helped lead the night as co-chair, alongside Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Wintour. The seven-time Grand Slam champion wore a black gown inspired by her portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. She paired it with a neck piece reminiscent of Wimbledon’s “Venue Rosewater dish” trophy.
The WNBA also had a strong presence.
Wilson — along with Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers — delivered some of the most talked-about Met Gala looks of the night. Wilson sported a gold off-the-shoulder gown with flowing sleeves, set ablaze by a slicked-back, golden-blonde hairstyle.
For Vonn, the night brought an especially significant moment.
In one of her first public appearances since her 2026 Winter Olympics crash, the decorated US skier arrived wearing a Thom Browne gown. Vonn also walked in without her crutches, marking a recovery milestone just three months after her injury.
Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu wore a glass bubble dress that weighed 30 pounds. Additionally, her look was complete with a bubble machine that trailed behind her.
"I lift weights, don't worry. I'm good," Gu told USA TODAY, explaining her Met Gala look with a laugh.
"There's a sense of whimsy. You can't help but poke and play with them. I like bringing that sense of fun wherever I go."
The Afghanistan women's soccer team will return to international competition, after a major decision from FIFA.
Soccer's global governing body approved a rule change allowing Afghan women players — most of whom live in exile — to represent their country in official matches without approval from the Taliban-controlled federation.
Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, women have been banned from participating in sports in Afghanistan. This ban forced many players to flee, and halted the national team — until now.
FIFA’s ruling centers on Afghan Women United, a group made up of players based across Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. The team was formed after the national program was dismantled. Since then, it has been working toward official recognition.
“This is a powerful and unprecedented step in world sport,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “By enabling Afghan women to compete for their country in official matches, we are turning principles into action.”
The rule allows the team to compete internationally for Afghanistan, even without backing from the country’s governing body. This is a rare exception reflecting the circumstances surrounding the program.
“We are tired of getting called refugee,” player Zainab Mozaffari told reporters, underscoring what the FIFA recognition means both on and off the field.
Vice captain Fatima Yousufi said the opportunity to return is something she has been waiting for.
“To wear the Afghanistan jersey again and hear the anthem… it feels like we’ve gained back something we lost,” she said.
What's Next for the Afghanistan Women's Soccer Team
The Afghanistan women’s soccer team has not played an official match since before its 2021 displacement. However, FIFA has supported the team via selection camps and development programs.
While the group is not eligible to enter all major competitions immediately, it is expected to begin playing during upcoming international windows.
“It’s just amazing to see the team now has a future,” Yousufi said. “Maybe not this World Cup, but maybe the next one.”
The San Diego Wave came up short at home on Sunday, falling 1-0 to Bay FC at Snapdragon Stadium.
Bay FC broke through in the fifth minute when Racheal Kundananji finished a quick attacking sequence initiated by Taylor Huff, scoring what would stand as the match's lone goal.
That one early moment held.
San Diego pushed for an equalizer throughout the rest of the match, outshooting Bay FC 14-10. However, the Wave was unable to find a breakthrough, despite extended stretches of possession and attacking pressure.
“I think we created enough chances to win the game,” assistant coach Becki Tweed said postgame. “On another day, it's a different result. But we've definitely got to go away and reflect, and look at what we can improve and grow upon.”
For Bay FC, defense made the difference.
“They're a really talented team,” Wave defender Kennedy Wesley said of Sunday's opponent. “They have a really good structure in what they want to do, and they definitely made it difficult for us. At the end of the day, our level of technical execution as a group wasn't exactly where we wanted it to be.”
The result comes at the end of a demanding stretch.
This was San Diego's third match in a week — at Denver on April 25th, at Portland on April 29th, and Sunday's home match — and the team's fatigue showed.
“There are moments tonight where it did look like our third game of the week," Tweed said. "We did look a little bit tired, and that can affect your decision-making or your technical execution."
After winning five straight, the Wave have now lost back-to-back matches. Still, they remain near the top of the NWSL standings through eight matchdays.
Up Next for San Diego Wave
San Diego next faces fellow Southern California side No. 8 Angel City on Saturday at 7:45 PM ET, live on ION.
Just one week after winning the 2026 Chevron Championship, Nelly Korda finished atop the LPGA Mayakoba leaderboard to win the Riviera Maya Open.
The world No. 1 controlled the tournament throughout the week, closing with a 3-under 69 on Sunday at El Camaleón Golf Course to finish at 17-under overall. She secured a four-shot victory over Arpichaya Yubol, who finished solo second at 13-under.
Korda bogeyed the par-5 18th — just her second bogey of the tournament. However, the game's outcome had long been decided.
“I just made two mistakes all week,” Korda said afterwards. “With how tight the fairways are and how hard this golf course is, I played some really good golf.”
That level of control defined her week.
The 27-year-old US star either led or stayed near the top of the LPGA Mayakoba leaderboard throughout the tournament, with players like Yubol, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, and Carlota Ciganda remaining within reach yet unable to match her consistency.
“I’m just enjoying myself — I love the competition,” Korda said.
The win furthers what's becoming a notable 2026 LPGA Tour run.
In addition to lifting her second Chevron Championship trophy — and reclaiming her No. 1 status — Korda opened the 2026 season by winning the HGV Tournament of Champions.
What's Next for LPGA Mayakoba Winner Nelly Korda
Korda will next hit the links at the 2026 Queen City Championship in Cincinnati starting on May 14th. The LPGA event runs through May 17th, with live coverage on The Golf Channel.
The Minnesota Lynx waived Cal women's basketball product Sakima Walker on Wednesday, as teams continue to trim rosters ahead of the 2026 WNBA season.
The Lynx announced they were releasing Walker along with former University of Minnesota guard Amaya Battle and ex-Miami forward Ra Shaya Kyle as part of early preseason cuts.
Walker signed a training camp contract with Minnesota shortly after going undrafted in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
While her time with the Lynx was brief, Walker appeared in two exhibition games. She logged 13 minutes in a win over the Washington Mystics on April 25th, recording four points, two rebounds, two blocks, and an assist. Her role was smaller in Minnesota's win over Nigeria, registering just four minutes while grabbing one rebound.
The 6-foot-4 forward finished her college career at Cal, starting all 36 games in her final season while averaging 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds. She previously spent time at South Carolina, where she was part of the 2024 NCAA championship team, after beginning her collegiate career at Rutgers.
Like many training camp moves, the transaction reflects the WNBA's roster limits more than a player's final evaluation. WNBA teams must reduce rosters to 12 players and two developmental players ahead of regular-season tipoff, making early cuts a routine factor.
However, Walker could still land another professional opportunity — whether that's via a late roster opening, a developmental spot, or playing overseas.
Caitlin Clark had a brief injury scare during the Indiana Fever's preseason loss to the Dallas Wings, but early signs suggest the knock wasn't serious.
Clark exited Thursday's game in the third quarter after a collision with Dallas forward Alanna Smith, leaving the floor after contact on a 3-point attempt. The play was later upgraded to a Flagrant 1 following a review.
The moment draws concern given Clark's recent injury history, but she quickly downplayed it in postgame interviews.
"I feel good. I just landed on my kneecap really hard," Clark said.
The contact came during a physical stretch, with Clark subsequently limping toward the bench before being subbed out.
"I know there's a committee of people that really wanted them to start calling things, and I thought they did a great job of that," Clark said of the officiating.
"It's preseason, so you're probably going to see more fouls called. I expect that number to drop. But I think overall, it's going to improve the product."
Fever coach Stephanie White says the decision to take Clark out was a precautionary one.
"We had planned for her to come out about that time anyway," White said. "The plan was for her to start the third quarter and then get her out quickly."
White added that moments like that can be part of the process for a player returning from injury.
"Sometimes when you've come back from injury, depending on what the injury is, you gotta feel that a little bit first," she said. "You gotta be like, 'OK, yep, I can shake that one off."
Before exiting, Clark finished with 21 points and four assists in 16 minutes. She shot 4-of-6 from the field and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line in Indiana's 95-80 loss to Dallas.
Clark is coming off a 2025 season impacted by injuries, making any early health issues of great concern as the Fever prepare for the 2026 WNBA season.
The Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic is underway, and Malia Nam holds the early lead after a strong opening round on the Epson Tour.
Nam set the pace at TPC Scottsdale, opening her round with a birdie on the par-3 12th. She followed it with an eagle on No. 13, as the quick start helped push her to the top the leaderboard.
"I mean the back nine was my front nine today so that birdie eagle was a really cool start," Nam said. "But I think the four birdies really showed that I was kind of locked in and you know just stuck to playing well."
For Nam, locking in paid off.
"Today I had some putts drop," she added. "I've been hitting the ball really well the last few weeks just kind of haven't put together a good score. Today I stuck to game plan with hitting fairways and hitting greens but just had some puts fall for me."
Nam stood out in a competitive field featuring LPGA hopefuls like Kaleiya Romero, Megan Schofill, and Valery Plata. Professional developmental circuit events like these serve as an opportunity for players to earn full LPGA Tour status.
The Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic sands one of the Epson Tour schedule's most significant stops. The tournament features a $400,000 purse — the largest in tour history. The winner additionally walks with $60,000 and 500 Race for the Card points.
Nam joined the Epson Tour in 2024 and is still seeking her first professional win. This makes her position atop the leaderboard especially notable.
Where to Watch the 2026 Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic
Lan tees off Friday morning with three rounds left to play, as focus shifts to maintaining her form.
Fans can follow along with live scoring via the tournament's leaderboard.
The LPGA schedule continues its early-season stretch with a strong field set for the Kroger Queen City Championship, with US star Nelly Korda leading the pack.
The Queen City Championship tees off on May 14th at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati, and is shaping up to be one of the deeper non-major events on the LPGA calendar.
Tournament officials continue to add to list of early commitments, including major champions Lexi Thompson and Anna Nordqvist alongside LPGA Tour winner Rose Zhang.
Defending champion Charley Hull, world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, and former champion Lydia Ko are also expected to compete. In total, the 144-player field features six former world No. 1 players, 21 major champions, and four winners from the 2026 season.
The field reflects the LPGA Tour's current form, with non-major events increasingly drawing top-ranked players.
Korda enters this stretch after winning her second Chevron Championship, securing her third career major title. The victory also moved her closer to LPGA Hall of Fame qualification while returning her to No. 1 in the world rankings.
What's Next on the LPGA Schedule for Nelly Korda
Before heading to Cincinnati, however, Korda will hit the links at the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Mexico on April 30th. The LPGA event runs through May 3rd, with live coverage on The Golf Channel.
The Portland Thorns moved into first place in the NWSL standings with a 2-0 win over the San Diego Wave on Wednesday night.
The Thorns struck early to kick off the Portland vs. San Diego showdown, controlling key moments to secure the result at Providence Park.
Portland opened the scoring in the 10th minute as defender Marie Muller netted her first NWSL goal, assisted by Olivia Moultrie.
San Diego finished with more shots, but Portland's backline held firm. Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold came up with a key one-on-one save in the second half to preserve the lead.
In the 64th minute, Sophia Wilson — fresh off her 2025 maternity leave — scored her first home goal since November 2024. Wilson's strike subsequently sealed the win.
All three of Portland's home victories this season have come on a 2-0 scoreline, something head coach Robert Vilahamn said reflects the team's — and the crowd's — confidence.
“I don’t think you can find a spot in the world in the women’s game that has this kind of fan base and atmosphere,” Vilahamn told Oregon Live. “There’s nowhere near this loudness and support we have here and it gives us something extra.”
With the win, Portland overtakes San Diego to top the NWSL table. While the Thorns haven’t won the NWSL Shield since 2021, they're back in early position in what promises to be the longest season in league history.
Still, the group is keeping a steady approach.
“We’re not going to get too far ahead of ourselves," Arnold said. "It suits us better to take it game by game... We don’t really read into that too much.”