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Emily Madril: FSU soccer players ‘not respected’ during coach search

Emily Madril also announced that she is forgoing her final NCAA season to turn pro. (Erin Chang/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Emily Madril shared her frustrations with the Florida State soccer program while announcing she would forego her final year of NCAA eligibility to turn pro.

In a statement on Twitter on Saturday, the star midfielder said the administration failed to consider the players’ voices during the search for a new head women’s soccer coach.

In April, Florida State announced Brian Pensky as the new head coach of the women’s soccer program. Pensky replaced Mark Krikorian, who abruptly resigned from the team after 17 years and three national championships. In June, the Washington Spirit hired Krikorian as the NWSL club’s general manager.

“It was very unfortunate how this situation was handled, and I wish the communication from the leaders in the athletic department was more honest and direct,” Madril said of the hiring process. “We, as student athletes, have rights and would have had valuable voice in this matter, unwavering in our commitment to the long-term success of the program.

“Our entire team is in agreement that this should have been handled differently.”

Krikorian parted ways with the FSU program in April over reported conflicts with the athletic administration. At the time, he was the highest-paid coach in women’s college soccer with an annual salary of $450,000.

Pensky, hired as Krikorian’s replacement on April 25, spent 10 seasons as head coach of the Tennessee women’s soccer team. He led the Vols to a 118-58-25 record and was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2021.

2025 NWSL Championship Shatters Records with Viewership Topping 1 Million

General view of San Jose's PayPal Park shortly before kickoff at the 2025 NWSL Championship match.
Average viewership for the 2025 NWSL Championship match exceeded 1.18 million fans. (Kelley L Cox/NWSL via Getty Images)

The 2025 NWSL Championship claimed a major viewership milestone on Saturday, as Gotham FC's 1-0 title win over the Washington Spirit became the first-ever league match to record an average of more than one million viewers.

The CBS evening broadcast averaged an impressive 1.184 million fans and peaked at 1.55 million viewers, making it the most-watched NWSL match of all time.

The 2025 final marked a 22% viewership increase over the 967,900 fans who watched 2024's Orlando Pride victory — the previous NWSL viewership record-holder — and a 45% ratings gain over Gotham's 2023 championship win, which averaged 816,800 viewers.

Saturday's gains both matched the 22% viewership increase the NWSL regular season saw this year and also far exceeded the 2025 postseason's pre-final year-over-year increase of 5%.

Calling the one-million viewer mark "an extraordinary achievement" in Tuesday's league statement, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman also noted that the "record-setting audience demonstrates the deepening connection fans have with our players, our clubs, and the world-class competition on the field, and it underscores the growing demand for women's soccer on the biggest stages."

"We're incredibly proud of what this moment represents for the NWSL and for everyone who continues to invest in and believe in the future of our game," Berman added.

More WNBA Stars Sign with Project B Days Before Extended CBA Deadline Expires

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell looks on during a 2025 WNBA game.
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell is one of the most recent WNBA stars to join offseason upstart Project B. (Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)

Incoming offseason league Project B scored more major WNBA signings this week, as the upstart venture continues stacking its roster ahead of a planned November 2026 launch.

Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham have both publicly signed on with Project B, joining already announced talent like Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, and Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd.

Also inking deals to join the inaugural season of Project B are Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün, and Li Meng, a former Washington Mystics guard and current player in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association.

The multi-continent, Formula One-style traveling tournament circuit will ultimately sign 66 international stars, as Project B looks to field six 11-player teams in its debut 2026/2027 campaign.

Project B player signings will undoubtedly impact other offseason leagues like Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited, but the new venture is also looming large over the ongoing WNBA CBA talks.

With negotiations racing toward this Sunday's extended deadline, Project B is putting WNBA compensation offerings under increased pressure, as the new league is reportedly anteing up multimillion-dollar salaries to its signees — far exceeding the 2025 WNBA maximum as well as the $1.1 million-max currently on the negotiating table.

Spain Shoots for 2nd Straight Nations League Title in 2025 Final vs. Germany

Spain players run toward attacker Alexia Putellas to celebrate her goal during the 2025 Nations League semifinals.
Spain will take on Germany in the first leg of the 2025 Nations League final on Friday. (Linnea Rheborg - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

World No. 1 Spain will take aim at a second-straight UEFA Nations League title this week, as La Roja take on No. 5 Germany in the first leg of the 2025 tournament's final at 2:30 PM ET on Friday.

The defending Nations League champions booked their spot in the 2025 final by dismantling No. 3 Sweden 5-0 on aggregate in the semifinal round, while Germany advanced after a tense 3-2 aggregate win over No. 6 France.

Germany must also contend with availability issues during Friday's match, as 28-year-old Bayern Munich forward and senior national team leading scorer Lea Schüller will be out due to family reasons.

To overcome that disadvantage, German head coach Christian Wück is reinforcing the team's back line, adding Athletic Bilbao defender Bibi Schulze Solano to the roster on Wednesday.

Also aiming to shut down Spain's offensive firepower on Friday is new NWSL champion goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who joined her German compatriots late following Gotham FC's title celebrations in New York this week.

While Spain and Germany will contend for the 2025 Nations League trophy this week, the pair — along with ousted semifinalists Sweden and France — have already booked spots in the top group of teams battling for tickets to the 2027 World Cup, with UEFA qualifying set to begin in 2026.

Iowa Basketball Keeps Delivering in Post-Caitlin Clark Era

Iowa guard Journey Houston takes a selfie with fans after a 2025/26 NCAA basketball game.
The No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes have already scored a Top-25 win in the early 2025/26 NCAA basketball season. (Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

A full 19 months removed from their back-to-back Final Four runs, No. 11 Iowa basketball refuses to go away, with the Hawkeyes already notching one Top-25 win in the young 2025/26 NCAA campaign so far.

The still-unbeaten Hawkeyes took down No. 15 Baylor 57-52 last Thursday, with Iowa starting post players Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden combining for 28 points while guard Taylor Stremlow added another 12 off the bench in the marquee win.

"We have nice pieces," said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen this week. "But it's knowing when to play which pieces and with whom, and we're six games in."

The Hawkeyes have been finding their new identity under Jensen after a transformative period saw Iowa's longtime head coach Lisa Bluder retire while superstar guard Caitlin Clark joined the WNBA.

"Jan's been amazing," Stuelke told JWS at the Big Ten Media Day in October. "She stepped up like she needed to, and she's been growing every day since she's been the head coach, which it's really cool to see she cares. And it's a great environment for all of us."

"I have a year under my belt," Jensen echoed. "I know what this chair feels like now, and I have a little better of understanding of what that first road trip feels like, what that first big win feels like, or the tough loss feels like."

How to watch Iowa basketball in the 2025/26 NCAA season

Though there are a few lopsided matchups on the Hawkeyes' more immediate schedule, Iowa's season heats up with a ranked rivalry matchup against No. 10 Iowa State on Wednesday, December 10th.

The state rivals will tip off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.