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Carli Snyder Talks Fleeing France

KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 16: Carli Snyder (4) of the University of Florida runs onto the court during the Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship held at Sprint Center on December 16, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

On Monday, March 16th, President Emmanuel Macron of France announced a 15-day countrywide lockdown. The very next morning, Carli Snyder was on a plane back to America. The Michigan native and University of Florida graduate had been playing volleyball for ASPTT Mulhouse, whose season has officially been postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus. We spoke with Snyder about what it was like to pack up her life overnight, the mood in both countries, and what she plans to do next.  

Can you walk us through what the last few weeks has been like? 

So the week before I left, our team was put under a kind of quarantine. They postponed the league and said it was up to our teams to decide if we could practice or not. At that point, our team was going to continue practicing until April 5th, when the league was originally supposed to be resuming. So up until last Monday afternoon I was under the impression that I would be staying in France. But then on Monday afternoon our coaches told the other American and I that Macron was going to give a speech that evening and that it would be smart to get out of France as soon as possible because a lockdown was coming.

So you didn’t know until Monday afternoon that you were leaving the next day? 

Yeah. I bought a ticket that afternoon for a 6:00am flight the next day. When you’re playing sports in another country, you’re so dependent on your team. And once the league was postponed, and I didn’t have those day-to-day interactions with my team, I felt distant from the club as I was trying to deal with these issues. I knew I had to leave quickly, because it wasn’t clear if there’d still be flights to America if I waited. There was so much confusion in the country. I barely speak French, so watching the president and others give speeches I couldn’t understand during a moment of crisis was stressful.

Confusion seems to be everywhere now. I imagine almost everyone on the planet now has gone online looking for reliable information and come up empty. 

There’s nothing. Even in France, I was like, I just need some information about what’s going on. But the problem is this hasn’t really happened in such a long time. And the way that our world is connected now is just so much more complicated than when we were dealing with the Spanish Flu, for instance. People obviously couldn’t hop on a Delta flight on a day’s notice during that time. They were forced to stay put by a lack of technology. But now technology gives us the ability to spread information and panic in an instant, and I think most of the truly valuable information ends up lost in the panic.

Have you been in contact with your club since coming back to the states?

A little bit. We’ve been in communication about the money situation because now that I’m in the US I have no access to a French bank account. We’re figuring that out. Mostly I’ve been trying to reach out and say sorry that I didn’t have longer to say goodbye. I mean, I had less than 12 hours to pack up and leave what has been my home for the last two years. I couldn’t stop or slow down to think clearly. But mentally, I wasn’t prepared to leave. I’ve truly loved playing on this team, and I really like the girls a lot, so I’ve just been reaching out to say I’m sorry it all happened the way it did.

I’m sure you all must realize there’s a chance the season isn’t resumed. 

We do, which is why I’m so sorry I had to leave the way I did. You can’t plan for any of this, and I think everyone on the team feels the same about having their lives interrupted. There’s so many moments we won’t get to have with the people we care about.

Obviously, there’s turmoil everywhere, but what are your thoughts about living in a world without sports?

My teammates and I have talked about this. Sports have always offered comfort in times of crisis. They’re a break from politics and religion and racial differences. They bring people together, which is rare in today’s world. That’s what’s so amazing about sports. They offer a break from the rest of reality. But now there’s this huge global threat, and large groups of people just can’t be together. It’s so unusual, especially for athletes who are used to being on a team. We’ve lost the thing that usually helps us through the most difficult times.

What’s it like to be at home? Do you have any sense as to what comes next?

It’s so strange, honestly. It’s strange because being home has always been a break for me. When I was at the University of Florida, we practiced year-round, so I only came home for a week at Christmas and then a week in the summer. And when I was home, I tried to pack everything in: family time, time with friends, time to go and play a little volleyball with people at my old club. Now it just feels really odd to be home because there’s this sense of not feeling finished. There’s no sense of resolution, so it feels weird to take a break.

If this season is eventually cancelled, the next would start in August. My contract is up in France at the end of this season, so I’ll have to talk to my agent if that’s the case. We’re all just waiting with the rest of the world to see how things unfold. Everything’s up in the air, but if there are leagues operating next year, I plan on playing. In the meantime, I’m going to quarantine and socially distance, and I’ll dedicate myself to some hobbies. But in the back of my mind, I have this lingering feeling of unfinished business.

Have you put any thought into how you’re going to work out while staying isolated back home? 

I keep getting tagged on this thing on Instagram to do 10 pushups, and I’m like, don’t tag me in these. I’m horrible at pushups [laughs]. So I’m not participating in any of those challenges, but luckily my family has an elliptical, a treadmill and some weights in the basement. I’ve been doing that, but of course, there’s nothing to replace the atmosphere of team sports.

I’m a community person. I’ve always gravitated toward team sports because you’re working with others. I need to know that I’m training for something, for the betterment of a group, and that’s hard right now because I have no idea what the future holds. I’m not used to being on an elliptical alone in my house.

You saw France initiate a lockdown. You’re now back in the states. Do you have a sense of a difference in moods between the countries? 

I think in France, the same as in Italy, and the same as here, the virus wasn’t taken so seriously at first. People like to be outside in France and sit at cafes, and they like to do their grocery shopping every day. It’s part of the culture. Macron put out a statement saying please stay inside, and the next day I saw people in the market still hugging each other. Macron had to make another statement saying this isn’t a joke, we’re just a few days behind Italy. And after that the city I live in became a ghost town.

So when I got back to the US, it felt like being back at that initial stage. We’re talking about it, we know it’s there, but people aren’t ready to completely adjust their lives. I saw St Patrick’s Day celebrations and kids on spring break packed into small spaces. These kinds of events were a bit concerning coming from Europe and seeing how easily this thing can spread.

It’s obvious we’re behind. We’ve known about this since late January or early February, and we’re only now taking precautions. I understand there’s a lot you have to consider regarding the economy, but I think we’ll now be forced to take some really drastic measures. I’m nervous, because this is a massive, massive country. On the other hand, I think we’re more equipped to do an extended shutdown. The stuffed suburban pantry is a very American concept — Europeans aren’t as used to stocking food. Now’s the time to eat those three-year-old Cheez-Its we’ve all got hiding in the backs of our pantries.

US Tennis Stars Advance as Wimbledon Field Narrows

Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates her first-round win over Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships
World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini fell in the second round of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on Wednesday. (Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)

The 2025 Wimbledon Championships wrapped its second round on Thursday, with the grass court Grand Slam seeing just 15 of the tournament's 32 seeded players advance to the Friday and Saturday's third round.

A full half of the WTA's Top 10 players did not survive the week, with 2024 Wimbledon finalist and world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini joining four first-round star exits by falling to unseeded Kamilla Rakhimova in a three-set, second-round battle on Wednesday.

At the same time, unseeded fan favorites like Japan's No. 53 Naomi Osaka and England's own No. 40 Emma Raducanu secured third-round spots at the London Slam, joining top surviving contenders like No. 4 Iga Świątek and defending Wimbledon champion No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková.

Notably, a full five US players managed to move ahead, tied for the largest national contingent still standing at the tournament.

Led by 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys, the US group also includes No. 10 Emma Navarro and No. 12 Amanda Anisimova, as well as unseeded players No. 54 Danielle Collins and No. 55 Hailey Baptiste.

With matches against Świątek and No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, respectively, Collins and Baptiste have a tough third round ahead — though Navarro's battle against the 2024 champ Krejčíková arguably headlines Saturday's slate.

US tennis star Emma Navarro eyes a return during a 2025 Wimbledon match.
US star Emma Navarro will face 2024 champ Barbora Krejčíková in Wimbledon's Round of 32. (Rob Newell/CameraSport via Getty Images)

How to watch Wimbledon this weekend

While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still holding strong in the dwindling field, this year's Wimbledon play is proving that the London Slam is anyone's to take, as the grass court humbles even the sport's top stars.

Expect the twists and turns to continue as tennis's best battle for spots in Sunday's Round of 16.

Round-of-32 Wimbledon play kicks off at 6 AM ET on Friday, with live continuous coverage of the tournament airing on ESPN.

Finland Opens Women’s Euro 2025 with Upset Upset Win Over Iceland

Finland's Katariina Kosola and Emma Koivisto celebrate a goal during their opening 2025 Euro match.
Finland earned a surprise 1-0 win over Iceland in their 2025 Euro opener on Wednesday. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

The 2025 European Championship is officially underway, as Euro action kicked off with a group-stage upset on Wednesday.

Though the 2025 UEFA tournament's opener was a sweltering affair amid a European heat wave, world No. 26 Finland prevailed, earning a 1-0 upset win over No. 14 Iceland in Group A.

Finnish winger Katariina Kosola played hero, curling in the winning goal in the match's 70th minute — just 12 minutes after Iceland midfielder Hildur Antonsdóttir picked up the competition's first red card.

"The result is important for our confidence," Kosola said after Finland's first major tournament win since the 2009 Euro. "It was the kind of goal I have been practicing a lot."

"It's terrible to lose and we feel frustrated," said Iceland head coach Thorsteinn Halldórsson. "It is an even group and we knew Finland were good, but our first half wasn't good enough."

Elsewhere, No. 16 Norway closed out Wednesday's slate on top of Group A, taking three points by defeating host No. 23 Switzerland in day's second match.

Led by captain and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg — who pulled the match even with a second-half strike — Norway battled to a 2-1 comeback win, despite the Swiss side outshooting and out-possessing the Norwegians.

Spain jersey hang in lockers ahead of the team's 2025 Euro opening match against Portugal.
Reigning World Cup champions Spain will open their 2025 Euro account against Portugal. (Aitor Alcalde - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

How to watch this week's 2025 Euro action

Group B steals the 2025 Euro spotlight on Thursday.

While No. 13 Italy snagged a 1-0 opening win over No. 20 Belgium to kick off the day, 2023 World Cup champions and tournament favorite No. 2 Spain will face No. 22 Portugal at 3 PM ET.

Friday's Group C slate will pit No. 12 Denmark against No. 6 Sweden at 12 PM ET, before No. 3 Germany contends with No. 27 Poland at 3 PM ET.

Closing out the first group-stage matches will be arguably the toughest draw of the 2025 Euro pool.

Saturday's Group D slate features major tournament debutants No. 30 Wales against the No. 11 Netherlands at 12 PM ET, with No. 10 France taking on defending champions No. 5 England to cap the day at 3 PM ET.

Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches will air across Fox Sports platforms.

USWNT Caps Summer Friendlies with 3-0 Canada Shutout

Yazmeen Ryan, Michelle Cooper, Claire Hutton, Mandy McGlynn, and Izzy Rodriguez and the rest of the USWNT huddle after their July 2025 friendly win over Canada.
The USWNT finished the summer international window with 11 goals, conceding none, across three matches. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

The world No. 1 USWNT ruled the pitch on Wednesday night, shutting out North American rivals No. 8 Canada 3-0 to finish the international window on a high note.

Catching the Canada backline sleeping, US midfielder Sam Coffey opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark before 19-year-old Claire Hutton claimed her first-ever USWNT goal by heading in a Rose Lavelle corner kick in the game's 36th minute.

Houston Dash forward Yazmeen Ryan then padded the US tally in the waning minutes of the match, finding the back of the net just eight minutes after subbing onto the field.

Despite fielding a young roster, the US overpowered a veteran-heavy Canada side in almost every category, topping their Northern neighbors in shots, shots on target, possession, and — most notably — set pieces.

Canada ultimately couldn't match the game's mental pace or physical battle, as the USWNT scored all three goals off dead ball situations — a free kick, a corner kick, and a throw-in.

"It's not about the opponent," US head coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It's about what we do, and I felt that was extremely dominant."

With Wednesday's contributions, the USWNT finishes the summer window with 11 goals scored across the three friendlies — and zero goals conceded.

The US now enters an extended break before reconvening for another as-yet-unannounced friendly series in October — but players will be expected to perform in the meantime.

"I said to the players in the end in the huddle, if you want to compete to win the biggest things, it's not what you do here that matters," said Hayes. "It's what you do when you go back to your club."

Seattle Storm Looks to Climb the WNBA Standings in Weekend Gauntlet

Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike high-fives teammates as she's introduced before a 2025 WNBA game.
The No. 5 Seattle Storm will face No. 4 Atlanta and No. 3 New York this weekend. (Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA regular season returns on Thursday night, with teams at the top of the league standings looking to prove their mettle against close competition across the long holiday weekend.

The No. 5 Seattle Storm have arguably the toughest weekend assignments, taking on the No. 4 Atlanta Dream on Friday before tackling the No. 3 New York Liberty on Sunday.

Four middle-of-the-pack teams will look to close in on a double-digit season win tally while the league's frontrunners strive to maintain their advantage in this weekend's slate:

  • No. 7 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Thursday at 7 PM ET (Prime): Though still without star Caitlin Clark, the Fever hope to harness their 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup victory momentum against an Aces side tied with Indiana with an 8-8 season record.
  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 4 Atlanta Dream, Thursday at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Seattle will look to make strides against a strong Atlanta side while putting last Sunday's stinging 84-57 loss to up-and-comer Golden State in their rearview.
  • No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 1 Minnesota Lynx, Saturday at 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The rising Valkyries must face a Lynx side hunting redemption, as the league-leaders look to bounce back from their stifling Tuesday Commissioner's Cup upset loss.
  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 1 PM ET (CBS): With injured Liberty center Jonquel Jones still sidelined, the Seattle Storm will have a chance to steal a weekend game against the reigning champs, as New York struggles to re-find their footing.

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming, early top performers must keep standards high if they want to hold the line when the season crosses the midway point.

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