5. ELLA TOONE TAKES THE THRONE

Late in the second half of a scoreless match, Manchester United’s Lauren James splits two Arsenal defenders to deal a stunning slip ball out wide to her teammate Jessica Sigsworth. Sigsworth displays some serious speed as she fends off her defender and drives into the box, playing a perfectly weighted ball to her teammate, Ella Toone. Toone receives the pass and immediately pulls the trigger, sending her shot into the back of the net. In the blink of an eye, Manchester United is up 1-0, not only beating Arsenal, but taking their spot atop the FAWSL standings.

 

4. JANINE BECKIE: FAST AND FURIOUS

Deep in their defensive half, Ellen White of Manchester City strips the ball from Bristol City, initiating a counter-attack and driving to half field. White then threads the needle between two Bristol City defenders with a leading ball to her teammate Janine Beckie. Beckie takes two touches, cutting in toward goal and setting herself up for a calm and collected finish. Beckie’s goal was Manchester City’s seventh in a record-breaking 8-1 victory over Bristol City. White herself earned her 50th goal of her FAWSL career, scoring twice and handing out two assists.

 

3. SANDY MACLVER: THOU SHALL NOT PASS

Bethany England of Chelsea FC receives the ball off a throw-in from the left flank. England takes a touch inside, splitting her two defenders and smashing a shot from outside the 18 before Everton’s defenders can close on her. The bender carries its momentum, heading towards the upper V before Sandy Maclver reads the wicked shot and punches the ball away from danger. Unfortunately, Maclver’s save was not enough as Everton lost 0-4 against the now third-ranked Chelsea FC.

 

2. ANITA ASANTE: SCORING BUCKETS

Caution: extreme levels of tiki-taka ahead. With the outside of her foot, Aston Villa’s Anita Asante plays a beautiful ball into her teammate, Ramona Petzelberger, who scoops the ball over her defender’s foot. Receiving the ball, teammate Shania Hayles back heels it out wide, finding her teammate Stine Larsen, who is stripped by a Brighton defender. The half clearance rolls back to Asante, who cleverly chips the ball over the crowded box full of defenders to find the back post. Asante gifts Aston Villa their first goal of the match, assisting them in a 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion FC.

 

1. HARDER HITS ‘EM WITH A LIL’ RAZZLE-DAZZLE

Late in the match, Chelsea’s Melanie Leupolz plays a ball into Pernille Harder, who flexes her skills as she carries inside and cuts around an Everton defender. The 2020 UEFA Player of the Year plays a quick give-and-go, takes a touch, and then lifts her shot into the upper shelf of the back post. In a single play, Harder shows off her quickness, intelligence and power as she maneuvers her way through a sequence of tight spaces before unloading this rocket. Tallying her second goal of the season, Harder lifted Chelsea to a 4-0 shutout against Everton, preserving their undefeated season.

Nneka Ogwumike’s 2016 WNBA season was one of the greatest individual performances in basketball history. Not only did she earn league MVP and hit the game winning shot in Game 5 to clinch the WNBA Championship for her Los Angeles Sparks, but she set an all-time record for true shooting percentage — a record that still stands for both the WNBA and the NBA. In an interview with Kelley O’Hara on the JWS podcast, Nneka reveals the secret to her 2016 success: “I just let go.”

 The oldest of four girls, Nneka grew up with Nigerian-American parents who highly valued education and versatility. The Ogwuimke sisters were encouraged to pursue a variety of extracurriculars to supplement their schooling, and at 11-years-old Nneka decided to give basketball a try. Luckily her embarrassment at showing up to her first practice in jean shorts didn’t prevent the determined youngster from displaying her non-stop hustle. While coaches quickly recognized her on-court potential, it wasn’t until later in her high school career that she realized just how many doors basketball could open, including a full-ride to Stanford University. As a young woman who dreamed of becoming a doctor, an invitation to one of the top academic institutions in the nation was an easy yes.

Nneka thrived at Stanford, embracing her identity as both a self-proclaimed “nerd” and an athlete. By the end of her freshman year she was starting every game, and by the end of her sophomore year she was recognized as one of the best college players in the U.S.

But strangely, even well into her senior year, as she led her team to a fourth consecutive Final Four, Nneka had no plans to go pro. Her plan had always been medical school, and a career in medicine made sense to her: challenging, rewarding, and lucrative. She couldn’t picture what a professional basketball career looked like, at least for a woman. All she’d heard about the WNBA was that they barely made a living. But after learning more about off-season, overseas opportunities and with much encouragement from her younger sister and Stanford teammate Chiney, Nneka entered the 2012 WNBA draft.

How long did she wait to hear her name? Not long at all. The once-reluctant draftee went number one overall to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Nneka quickly established herself in the league by earning 2012 Rookie of the Year honors. And after just a few more seasons of getting her footing against the big dogs, Nneka went off.

Nneka can point to the exact moment in her record-breaking 2016 season when she realized something special was brewing. In a mid-season game against Dallas, she went 12 for 12, scoring 32 points without missing a single shot (all while grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing three assists).

When asked what changes she’d made in her training leading up to the 2016 season, Nneka tells O’Hara it was all mental. “I just let go,” she says, “That’s what I remember most about that year. Like, let me go out here and just have some fun.”

Her unencumbered mental state was on full display in the WNBA Finals. In what was arguably the most exciting Finals ever, the Sparks went toe-to-toe with a Minnesota Lynx squad in the midst of a dynasty, having won three of the last five titles, including the year before.

With her league MVP status painting the customary X on her back and leading to constant double teams, Nneka knew she had to go back to the basics.

“I was like alright, let’s take this back to 14-year-old Nneka,” she tells O’Hara, “I’m gonna be the garbage woman… If I can’t make a move I’m gonna get rebounds and I’m going to finish.”

With three seconds left in the winner-take-all Game 5, inside a packed Minnesota stadium, Nneka did exactly that. She grabbed an offensive rebound, got blocked on the putback but maintained possession, and nailed a second attempt while fading away to win the championship by one point.

The way she describes those final seconds to O’Hara encapsulates her entire approach to 2016: “That’s the quietest my mind has ever been.”

It’s one of many times the now WNBA Players Association President (aka “Madame President”) has tapped into a wisdom well beyond her years. This particular lesson: Once you’ve put in all the hard work, sometimes the best thing to do is quiet your mind, let go, and have some fun.

The 2020 summer transfer window saw an abundance of American players join the Women’s Super League for the 2020/21 season.

Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle joined Manchester City, while their USWNT teammates Tobin Heath and Christen Press joined rival Manchester United. All four signings were met with great enthusiasm from fans, and all four players certainly impressed thus far, with Mewis and Lavelle leading Man. City to a Women’s FA Cup over the weekend.

But the most surprising signing of them all came on deadline day, when Tottenham Hotspur announced that Alex Morgan would be coming over from the Orlando Pride, on a contract that runs through the end of the calendar year and which gives Morgan the option to sign an extension until the end of the season.

Morgan got her first 20 minutes for the club this past weekend after a small injury set back her debut. Prior to that, Morgan had not yet made an appearance for Tottenham. In fact, she hadn’t played a competitive match in over a year, her last being the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup against the Netherlands back in July of 2019. After the final, an injury sidelined her, and in October 2019, she announced that she was pregnant, giving birth in May 2020, and taking maternity leave after.

In a recent interview, Morgan has stated that she is unsure as to whether she will stay in North London past the holidays, stating that it “depends on COVID, it depends on the NWSL” and that she is taking it week by week.

It takes time to regain full match fitness after even a minor injury, let alone giving birth, and the Spurs obviously were aware of Morgan’s situation, knowing that she wouldn’t be fit to start the season when they chose to sign her. But with the team struggling as they have to start the season, Morgan’s return to play can’t come soon enough. While one player alone can’t turn around a campaign, the Spurs will need someone with Morgan’s talent if they want to come close to achieving their goals for the season.

 

SPURS’ LACKLUSTER START TO THE SEASON

To say that Tottenham has struggled this season is an understatement. Five games into the season, and the Spurs sit ninth in the table with one draw and four losses; they’re only two spots above the relegation zone, only being ahead of West Ham on goal difference.

Their last match was a blowout 6-1 loss to North London rival Arsenal, who currently sits atop the table.

One of the main reasons Tottenham has struggled this season, specifically when it comes to scoring goals, is the fact that their 4-2-3-1 formation leaves whoever is playing in that striker position very isolated up top. The forward attacking players (the wingers, and the attacking midfielder) only contribute to the isolation of the striker whenver they struggle to transition from defense to attack.

So far this season, Tottenham has spent a lot of time without the ball. They have averaged 43.9% possession in league games so far, with their lowest possession game (32.71%) coming in their loss to Arsenal and their highest (52.68%) in a draw against West Ham.

Because they see so little of the ball, every attack for the Spurs must count; and when players lag in their transition from defense to attack, they struggle to make runs in behind, provide defense-splitting passes, and penetrate the opposition’s backlines. With only three goals scored this season, it’s clear that something needs to change.

 

WHAT MORGAN CAN BRING TO THIS TEAM

It almost feels like Morgan’s skillset was specifically catered to fix the Spurs’ attacking problems. The USWNT star has experience playing as the main focal point in attack, for both club and country, and she knows how to position herself not to be isolated on the pitch. Coming into the lineup, Morgan should encourage more link-up play, allowing for better penetration of the defense. Her goal-scoring rate speaks for itself with 52 goals in 122 club appearances across her career. Morgan, at her best, will provide an immediate boost to the Spurs attack.

The question is whether Morgan will be at her best, and then, whether she chooses to stay in England past the New Year. Morgan has hinted that her debut could be any weekend, but in terms of whether she’ll stick with the club, it’s anyone’s guess. Like the rest of the world, Morgan is taking things week by week, meaning we likely won’t know her plans until much later this year.

TOTTENHAM’S AMBITIONS

This is only Tottenham’s second season in the top division, but it’s clear that they are an ambitious club. Signing Alex Morgan was a statement; despite being new to the league, they want to compete with the best teams at the top of the table for silverware. If Morgan returns to form and then decides to stay through the end of the season, it’ll justify the team’s decision to sign her while doubling as a sign of better things to come.

Professional female athletes are often forced to rely heavily on individual sponsorships in order to make a living. Their body’s ability to perform at peak level is crucial to their negotiating leverage. Thus, pregnancy and childbirth can often throw a significant wrench into these negotiations, so much so that pregnancy itself has historically been called “the kiss of death” for a female athlete’s career.

This is exactly what happened to Olympic track star Allyson Felix when she began talks with Nike in 2018 to sign a new contract. Early on in this process Felix was happily but trepidatiously pregnant. And according to Felix, even before she disclosed her pregnancy, the sports apparel giant told her they’d be reducing her pay by 70%.

Why such a drastic reduction in their valuation of her? It could have been that based on her age (32 at the time), Nike felt that Felix’s career had peaked. Whether they factored in the likelihood of her starting a family is unknown, but regardless of the rationale, it was clear to Felix that these negotiations were going to be tough.

“That’s what really terrified me,” Felix tells Kelley O’Hara on the Just Women’s Sports podcast. “Here we are beginning this conversation before I disclose my pregnancy, and it really led to me going through my pregnancy in silence.”

Felix says she started training at 4:00am in the morning so that nobody would see her and discover she was pregnant..

“Because at the time I still didn’t have an offer on paper. I felt like it was going to disappear.”

When her daughter Camryn was born November 28, 2018 via emergency C-section at 32 weeks due to severe pre-eclampsia, Felix was still at a crossroads with Nike. The sticking point? Maternity protections. Felix was willing to consider reduced pay, but she was adamant that her new contract, and the contracts of all female Nike athletes, include protections against performance-related reductions and right of termination clauses in the months around pregnancy and childbirth. In other words, Felix wanted it in writing that female athletes’ pay could no longer be paused, reduced, or terminated when they couldn’t meet contractual performance standards due to pregnancy and postpartum recovery.

“It wasn’t enough for them just to put it in for me, this needed to happen for everyone,” she tells O’Hara.

In May 2019, taking the lead from two of her fellow athletes, Felix penned a powerful piece for the New York Times detailing her frustrations with Nike, a risky move seeing as they still hadn’t reached an agreement. But watching her baby daughter fight for her life in the NICU had given Felix a new level of bravery and perspective about what was most important to her.

“It was also having my daughter,” she tells O’Hara, explaining the decision to go public. “Thinking, I don’t want her to go through the same struggle… it’s standing up for myself, for other women, and for her. That’s what it was really about.”

To add to the risk she was taking, Felix says she didn’t have another sponsor waiting on the table.

“I just had to go with what I believe in at the end of the day.”

After Felix and her colleagues spoke out, there was significant public outcry aimed at Nike, as well as a Congressional Inquiry into their maternity policies for athletes. A few months later, Nike announced new maternity protections to be written into contracts for all its female athletes: an 18 month period beginning eight months prior to the due date during which an athlete’s pay could no longer be reduced or terminated due to pregnancy.

While the change was a welcome one, it came a little too late for Felix, who had already walked away from the table with Nike. A month prior to the Nike announcement, Felix signed with Athleta, becoming their first sponsored athlete.

“I just liked the way they approached sponsorship,” she tells O’Hara. “They were taking a really holistic approach. You know, seeing me as a mom, obviously as an athlete, but also they supported my work in advocacy and fighting for women’s rights.”

Today, Felix says she feels like she is exactly where she is supposed to be.

Nike may have decided that Felix’s athletic peak was behind here, but what the company drastically underestimated was just how much the public looked up to Allyson Felix as both an athlete and a person. A Black female Olympic champion fighting through a complicated birth and recovery in order to compete for a chance at an astonishing fifth Olympic games, all while advocating for women’s rights and changing the way sports companies understand pregnancy?

We’re here for ALL of that.

Listen to Allyson Felix’s full conversation with Kelley O’Hara on the Just Women’s Sports podcast here.

When news of Sam Mewis signing with Manchester City broke back in August, it sent NWSL fans everywhere into a frenzy. In only three seasons with the North Carolina Courage, Mewis had proven herself a highly valuable asset, clocking a grand total of 5,121 minutes of playing time, scoring 14 goals and assisting 11 since 2017.

Still skeptical about her lethality in the midfield? Mewis has the hardware to back it – in her first season with the Courage, she was named to the NWSL Best XI and was a finalist for the NWSL Most Valuable Player Award. Since Mewis’ arrival with the team, the Courage have won three consecutive NWSL Shields in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and most recently were the victors of back-to-back NWSL championships in 2018 and 2019.

Mewis’ stats with the Courage are certainly impressive, and her time with the USWNT has been likewise dominant. In 67 appearances for her country, Mewis has 18 goals, two of which were in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and 6 assists. Most importantly, she was hoisting the World Cup trophy with her teammates a little over a year ago, sealing her status as a world champion in her fifth season as a professional player… and at only 27 years old.

In terms of Mewis’ move to the Women’s Super League, there had been speculation back in July that Mewis and fellow USWNT teammate Rose Lavelle were headed to Manchester City following the NWSL Challenge Cup. On July 23rd, Meg Linehan, a staff writer at The Athletic, reported that Sam Mewis had already signed with Man. City while Lavelle was still weighing an offer from the club. The headline gained traction immediately and was met with a mixture of shock, excitement, and disbelief, particularly from fans of the North Carolina Courage and the Washington Spirit.

A few weeks later, on August 10th, Mewis’ signing was confirmed by multiple sources, Mewis herself included. In a statement to the North Carolina Courage team, staff, and fans, she wrote, “I have grown so much with this team thanks to the constant challenges from the staff, the love and dedication from my teammates, and the unwavering support from our fans. I’m forever indebted to this club for showing me what it takes to win consistently, and I hope that I’ve demonstrated my gratitude over the years,” Mewis continued, “North Carolina will always have a piece of my heart, and I’m hoping there will be an opportunity to return whenever my time in Manchester concludes.”

As you might guess, Mewis’ arrival in the UK was met with monstrous expectations. Would her talents transfer over to her new team? How long would it take for her to find her “groove” in the Man. City lineup? Would she become an integral part of their midfield? Thus far, the answer has been a resounding “yes.” Beginning as early as a pre-season friendly against Everton, in which Mewis scored a goal and recorded two assists in only 45 minutes of play, the American has left quite an early impression.

With the regular season now well underway, Mewis has continued to exceed the hype, notching two goals for her new club in only five appearances. One of those goals? A game-winner against Arsenal to send Man. City into the Women’s FA Cup Final, of course.

The question is no longer whether Mewis can be an impact player in the FA Women’s Super League. Already, she’s proven to have not missed a step in her transition across the pond. What remains to be seen is if she can carry her new club when it counts the most and add to the the Blues’ already extensive trophy case. Mewis will get her first chance this weekend: tune in this Sunday as Manchester City takes on Everton in the FA Cup Final at 9:30am EST.

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE FA WSL:

 

November 7th:

Manchester City vs. Bristol City @ 10:00 a.m. EST

November 8th:

Chelsea vs. Everton @ 7:00 a.m. EST

Manchester United vs. Arsenal @ 7:00 a.m. EST

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Aston Villa @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Birmingham City vs. West Ham United @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Tottenham vs. Reading FC @ 9:00 a.m. EST

For the South Carolina Gamecocks, the 2020-2021 season is all about unfinished business and building a legacy. In Dawn Staley’s 13th season as head coach, South Carolina is still in the process of cementing its position as a perennial powerhouse.

The top of the line recruiting that has become the standard for South Carolina was no more apparent than last season, when Staley brought in the top-ranked recruiting class in the country and started three freshmen all season on the way to an SEC championship and a No. 1 ranking in the AP and Coaches’ polls. Of course, with South Carolina in line for the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament, and with regional play in Greenville, the tournament and the season were canceled, and there was no crowning moment.

What makes the unfinished business narrative so enticing is also what leaves it incomplete. The path to a national championship in 2020 was there, but it’s still waiting in 2021, 2022 and beyond. Staley and the South Carolina coaching staff are recruiting better than anyone right now, as last year’s success so readily indicates. And with a trio of experienced underclassmen leading the way, there’s really no limit as to how good this program can be.

The top-rated recruiting class coming into the season, South Carolina’s freshmen contributed immediately last year. Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Brea Beal put on a clinic on making the leap from high school, starting all 32 games. And while South Carolina lost its two senior starters, Ty Harris and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, to the WNBA draft, Staley says the two left a legacy of leadership. Already, the coach has credited Victaria Saxton with filling the void and leading the charge.

South Carolina, affected by the pandemic, returned to campus for the first time in mid-July. Even when the season seemed in doubt, Staley has never been worried about her team lacking motivation. The coach described her group as ultra-competitive, and coming off a dominating season with a 32-1 record and holding the nation’s longest winning streak, South Carolina will be ready to prove they can hang with anyone.

Like so many coaches, Staley has been forced to guide her team through a preseason program without knowing when or where games will be played. A complete schedule has to yet be released, but to hear Boston describe it, the team isn’t concerned.

“We’re not really sure what schedule we’re looking at or things like that, but we know the start date of November 25, so we just keep working no matter what, because we know something, something is going to come,” Boston said.

Last year, Boston became the first player in program history to be named the National Freshman of the Year. Rewriting the record books while averaging 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds a game, Boston was also named the conference’s Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year. Cooke averaged 12.1 points per game, and Staley has said she considers the guard one of the most athletic players she has ever coached. Beal will only grow on her 6 points and 5.4 rebounds from her freshman season.

And of course, there are so many others poised to contribute. Destanni Henderson played some of her best basketball at the end of last season, getting named to the SEC All-Tournament team after a 4-for-9 performance against Arkansas in the semis. LeLe Grissett started games in both her freshman and sophomore seasons, averaged 6.4 points per game last season, and had the highest field goal percentage on the team at 62.8%. Laeticia Amihere, who missed four games while helping Team Canada qualify for the Olympics, averaged 1.1 blocks per game.

South Carolina added five star point guard Eniya Russell as the only member of the 2020 recruiting class, and Olivia Thompson, a walk on in the 2019 class, was awarded a scholarship and will look to build on her high school reputation of prolific 3-point shooting after making 11-of-36 in her first collegiate season.

Altogether, this is a deep, talented team, one that is paradoxically both young and experienced. And yet no matter what happens for South Carolina this season, this team’s business will remain unfinished. For the program to firmly establish itself as one of basketball’s unquestionable elites, dominating the next decade as thoroughly as UConn the last two, winning in 2021 would only be a first, but necessary step.

But if the Gamecocks prevail, watch out: The 2021 recruiting class is already the highest ranked in the nation, led by guard Raven Johnson, guard Saniya Rivers and forward Sania Feagin, the second through fourth-ranked players in the class, and guard Aubryanna Hall, who is ranked 14th.

Add those players to a defending champion and, well—let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s still 2020, after all.

For 24 consecutive years, Notre Dame reached the NCAA tournament. Until it didn’t.

At 13-18 and 8-10 in ACC play, there was little chance of the Fighting Irish making the 2020 NCAA tournament. Only then there was no NCAA tournament.

Instead, Hall of Fame head coach Muffett McGraw’s 33-year career ended with a 67-65 loss to Pitt in the first round of the conference tournament. And the streak lived on.

When McGraw announced her retirement, it came as a surprise to nearly everyone, including the woman who has been tapped as the successor, Niele Ivey. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick was one of the only people who knew of McGraw’s decision ahead of time, and had a written agreement that the reigns would be passed off to Ivey.

Ivey, who was there for the first national championship in program history as a player and for the second as an assistant coach, has spent a total of 17 years at Notre Dame. This past season, she coached for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, a job she held when she received the shocking news that McGraw was calling it a career. After checking on her mentor, it was a quick process for Ivey to accept one of the most high profile coaching jobs in the sport.

Replacing Muffet McGraw is no easy task, one that was only made harder by the pandemic. Four months after her hiring, Ivey still had items in storage. After guidelines cost the team more than eight weeks together over the summer, Ivey and her players only initially met up in person on Aug. 1.

Usually, a coach would have all summer to install a new system, acclimate, and begin a new dynasty. Instead, Ivey, like everyone else, has had to make it up as she goes during an offseason dominated by Zoom meetings.

Notre Dame has never reached a Final Four without Ivey. Now, the team is hoping their new head coach will spark a tenth. But what do their prospects look like following 2019’s letdown?

During her time on the coaching staff, Ivey was often leading the charge on recruiting. She was instrumental in the recruitment of Skylar Diggins-Smith, and later Jewell Loyd and Arike Ogunbowale.

Ivey, like McGraw, is a former point guard. At the time of the hiring, Diggins-Smith posted this clip of her coach in action in the Final Four.

Now, Ivey can reap the benefits of her own recruiting as she inherits a stacked team. The freshman class was ranked third in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz behind UConn and Oregon. After a number of small classes, Notre Dame signed five players to its roster, including four five stars. Madeline Westbeld, Allison Campbell, Natalija Marshall, Alasia Hayes and Amirah Abdur-Rahim should all be able to make an immediate impact.

The 2019 class was ranked 11th despite there being just two members: Sam Brunelle and Anaya Peoples. The two five stars started the season opener, becoming the first pair to do so for Notre Dame since Teresa Borton and Jacqueline Batteast in the 2001-02 opener.

Peoples played in 17 games before a shoulder injury cut her season short, still finishing with a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game and 12.6 points per game, which would have been the best among ACC freshmen if not for Brunelle. The forward averaged 13.9 points per game and will continue to be a factor in 2020-21.

Katlyn Gilbert made more field goals than anyone on the team last year. While fellow foreigner five star Jordan Nixon transferred to Texas A&M, Danielle Cosgrove caught fire from behind the arc to shoot 8-for-20 over the last nine games, and Abby Prohaska will be returning from a medical redshirt.

Last year, Mikayla Vaughn was the only player with significant on court experience returning from the 2019 national championship appearance, but missed 11 games with a sprain in her right knee, after tearing the ACL in her left knee as a freshman. In 20 games, all starts, Vaughn shot a team-high 58.4% from the field with 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Granted a sixth year, returning leading scorer will be back for her second year with the team after coming over from North Carolina. Dara Mabrey, who transferred from Virginia Tech, will not be eligible for the 2020-21 season, but will look to add her 3-point shooting and follow in her sisters’ footsteps in finding success in a Notre Dame uniform.

Ivey’s legacy as a fantastic recruiter is already showing up. Olivia Miles, the second highest rated player in 2021, and Sonia Citron, also in the top 20, verbally committed within the first week of Ivey’s tenure.

Notre Dame can also expect Ivey, like McGraw and so many others throughout the women’s game, to continue to be a champion for issues off the court.

“What sets Niele apart is her ability to connect with all generations — alums, her current team and future student-athletes,” McGraw said. “She will be a fantastic role model and a leader in the women’s empowerment movement, and she will represent Notre Dame in a way that will make our fans proud.”

Well, that was fun.

With time to process everything that went down in this WNBA season, that was the first thought that came to mind. The season actually happened! There was a champion!

Not only that, but the players took advantage of the stage they earned in Bradenton and turned it into their own messaging platform for Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name, all while driving a voter registration campaign and increasing television viewership by 68%. For everyone watching at home, the season was fantastic. From network broadcasts to those on streaming platforms, the fans saw great basketball, and for all of the worries about opt-outs and lack of rest days, this may have been the best season ever.

Here’s why.

Offense was better than ever

Two years ago, WNBA offense peaked. The league average offensive rating (an estimate of the points scored per 100 possessions) was 105.6. While that number dipped ever so slightly to 104.4 in 2020 (the second highest in league history), every other significant offensive number was up.

The league’s 44.6% field goal percentage was the best in the its 24 year history. The 34.6% 3-point percentage was the highest since 2013, when the 3-point line was set at its current distance of 22 feet and 1 3⁄4 inches, and seventh-best ever. The 49.2% 2-point field goal percentage was the highest ever. The 80.7% free throw conversion rate was the highest ever. The 83 points per game was the highest ever.

And none of this was accomplished through isolation basketball either. The league tallied the fourth highest assist rate ever, with 62.7% of field goals coming off a pass.

Even without the numbers to back it up, it was clear from the proverbial “eye test” that offense was on the rise. Over the two months, there were some fantastic displays of individual offensive excellence. Courtney Vandersloot set the single-game assist record with 18 and ended the season as the first player to average double digit assists. In the playoffs, Sue Bird set a playoff record with 16 assists in Game 1 of the Finals.

Veterans turned back the clock

Speaking of Sue Bird, the four-time WNBA champion showed she still has a lot left in the tank, even now that’s 40. Bird, along with Diana Taurasi and Angel McCoughtry, are three veteran hoopers still deserving of the spotlight. Somehow, in season 17, 16, and 10 respectively, each found new heights.

Taurasi made a career-high 4.1 3-pointers per 36 minutes. Her 17% defensive rebounds percentage was the second best of her Hall of Fame career, as was her 62.5% true shooting percentage. 2020 also saw her record her fourth highest win shares per 40 minutes.

As expected, Taurasi’s star shined even brighter in the playoffs. The 25.5 points and 7.5 assists across Phoenix’s two playoff games were both the highest of her career.

While McCoughtry is still looking for her first Finals win, to say nothing of a championship ring, she was a crucial addition for the Las Vegas Aces, without whom a runner-up season would not have been possible. Las Vegas lost Kelsey Plum to injury and Liz Cambage to opt out before the season even started, but still managed to reach the Finals. Once there, and without Sixth Woman of the Year Dearica Hamby, the Seattle juggernaut was just too much. That didn’t stop McCoughtry from giving it everything she had.

Her 51.8% from the field was the best of her career by four percent. And if that’s impressive, then her 47.1% from 3-point range is simply absurd. That number is 10% higher than her next best season.

McCoughtry also shot a career-best 88.2% from the free throw line, despite being an 80.1% shooter lifetime. While her minutes were down from her peak, her 25.9 points per 36 minutes was the second highest of her career, and in those minutes, she had a more positive impact than ever before, recording a career-best in win shares (0.288 per 40 minutes). Her rebound rate (14.5%), true shooting rate (61.1%) and player efficiency rating (29.1) were all the highest of her career, while her turnover rate (12.8%) was the lowest.

It shouldn’t be possible to improve every aspect of your game at this point in your career. But inside the bubble, McCoughtry proved she’s still well in her prime.

And then there’s the champion, Bird, who played the fewest minutes per game in the regular season of this trio while also missing 11 games with an injury. Unbothered, Bird’s 49.4% field goal percentage, 2.1 3-pointers a game and 46.9% 3-point percentage were all the best of her career.

And even as she became a more efficient and versatile scorer, Bird continued to orchestrate the Seattle offense. Her eight assists per 36 minutes tied for second best in her career. And in addition to the single-game playoff record for assists, she averaged 9.2 per game in the postseason, the highest of her career. Breanna Stewart might have Finals MVP, and rightfully so, but Sue Bird proved she’s still the one piloting the Storm’s offensive juggernaut.

While publicly undecided about her 2021 season prospects, the public is begging for another chance to see Bird play in person. And after watching her dominate the 2020 season, it’s hard to see how one of the sport’s great competitors could walk away now.

The future looks very, very bright

Perhaps the best part of 2020 was the preview it provided of what’s to come. To say the league is in good hands would be an understatement.

First of all, Elena Delle Donne, Jonquel Jones, Liz Cambage, and Tina Charles, among others, are all set to return after sitting out the reason due to health concerns. That talent infusion alone is enough reason to be excitied for 2021.

Then there are the players whose careers are just beginning. The 2020 rookie class was supposed to be deep, and it proved to be historically so: for the first time ever, a second round pick won Rookie of the Year. Crystal Dangerfield became the second Lynx roookie to win the award after Napheesa Collier did so in 2019. For an organization that is supposed to be rebuilding, Minnesota is well ahead of schedule after making it to the semifinals of the playoffs despite missing Sylvia Fowles for much of the season.

First overall pick Sabrina Ionescu came into the league with unprecedented hype. She’ll basically get a do-over next year after only playing in three games this season before spraining her ankle. Still, in just her second game, Ionescu dropped 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. That was enough to leave Liberty fans dreaming of what’s to come with both a healthy Ionescu and Asia Durr sharing the backcourt.

What we saw from the Dallas Wings inside the bubble is likewise enticing. Arike Ogunbowale led the entire league in scoring, rookie Satou Sabally proved that every aspect of her play can translate to the pros, and Allisha Gray, the only player with a positive net rating for the season, continued to make strides since her Rookie of the Year award in 2017. To top it off, Marina Mabrey made the fifth most 3-pointers per game in her second year.

Many were surprised to hear that Brian Agler and Dallas were mutually parting ways after the season. “Philosophical differences” doesn’t seem like a good reason to walk away from a roster with this much talent. Regardless, whoever steps in will be given the keys to a team that’s ready to make the leap.

And then there’s Chennedy Carter, the walking highlight real who scored in bunches and with ease. Against Seattle, the league’s best defense, Carter put up 35 points and seven assists. Rookies aren’t supposed to do that, and Atlanta wasn’t supposed to be a borderline playoff team. They now have a franchise centerpiece around which to build.

So yeah, 2020 was fun. But I’m already ready for 2021.

The scouting report on Catarina Macario is this: she can do everything.

Just last week, in one 24 hr period, Macario both became a U.S. citizen and was called into her first senior national team camp.

On the field, she’s an even more prolific multitasker. In 24 of her 68 appearances for Stanford, Macario has recorded at least a goal and an assist. Twice, she has scored a hat trick. Macario is an Academic All American and two-time National Champion. She has won the Hermann Trophy the last two years in a row, a claim only four other women can make.

In 2019, Macario scored more points in an NCAA season than all but two players in history — Mia Hamm and Christine Sinclair.

Her first two seasons on the Farm she played the nine to perfection. Last year, an abundance of attacking options made it opportune to slide Macario into the midfield. She responded with 32 goals and 23 assists.

Last season was also her healthiest year. She was fit heading into preseason and it showed from the first game through the national championship, her second in three years.

At Stanford, she was recognized with the Al Masters Award in 2020, the highest honor recognizing athletics, leadership and academics.

A player with Macario’s brilliance makes everyone around her better by definition. The attention she commands of a defense automatically frees up teammates. Her effect transcends that mark by leaps and bounds. She is adored in the locker room, including by former Stanford teammate and potential future national team teammate Tierna Davidson.

Her story has been told beautifully before. Like many other girls, especially in Latin America, she looked up to a brother who played soccer. In São Luís, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, Macario honed her skills playing with boys. When she was seven, the family moved to Brasilia so her mother could practice surgery. At age 12, Macario’s star grew too big, and she, her father, and her brother left her mother behind to move to San Diego and play with the Surf.

While the transition to the national stage will be closely monitored, as everyone looks for flaws in “the next great player,” Macario has so far met and exceeded each new challenge.

First with the San Diego Surf, then with Stanford, she has contributed immediately and meaningfully, including goals in her first seven collegiate games. And in limited time playing with the U-23’s against NWSL competition, she has continued to dominate.

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski appears confident that Macario will be eligible to play for his side by the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Given that Olympic rosters are only 18 deep, Macario would likely be displacing a more-established World Cup winner were she to make the team.

But if she can continue to produce highlights like these against the top level of competition, the bigger controversy might be leaving her at home.

While there’s still two games to go in the NWSL’s Fall Series, the top two teams have already been decided: Portland is walking away with the Verizon Community Shield and a $25,000 for local business Mimi’s Fresh Tees. The Houston Dash will take second after previously winning the Challenge Cup this summer. Their $15,000 grant will be going to the Houston chapter of the NAACP.

As we look ahead to the final two games this Saturday, here’s a look back at the top plays from the weekend.

 

5. CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP ONUMONU

The vision shown here by Sarah Woldmoe is what we soccer fans live for. Turning upfield, Woldmoe threads a brilliant ball between the backline of Chicago. Outside forward Paige Monaghan beats her mark in a footrace to the ball, chipping it into the box to teammate Ifeoma Onumonu, who collects it off her waist before sliding it past the keeper. Omumonu’s goal, her third in four games, doubled Sky Blue’s lead, helping the club wrap up its Fall Series with a 3-1 win over the Red Stars.

 

4. SYD LEROUX, WE LOVE YOU

Leroux may be number two on the field, but she’s number one in our hearts. Just at the start of the second half, Orlando plays a quick ball down the line to Abby Elinsky, who hits a one-time cross into the six. Leroux beats her defender to the ball and roofs it over the keepers’ hands, cutting Houston’s lead in half. Leroux’s goal was unfortunately, not quite enough, as Houston walked away with a 2-1 victory over Orlando. But regardless of the outcome, we’re psyched to see Leroux back on the scoreboard.

 

3. BROOKS FLEXES HER REFLEXES

 

2. WAP – WILSON AS PRESIDENT

Brittany Wilson made her NWSL debut this past Friday for the Orlando Pride, and she proved she deserves to play in the big leagues. Sophie Schmidt of Houston Dash receives the ball from a throw-in, takes a touch, and hammers a curling shot into the upper corner near the back post. But reading Schmidt’s shot perfectly, Wilson sticks out her paw and pushes the ball safely out of play. The 23 year old’s epic save kept the Pride in the game, and we have a feeling that’s not the last time we’ll be talking about Wilson making a difference.

 

1. DÉJÀ GROOM

Groom had one of the goals of the Challenge Cup when she climbed the ladder to bury a clutch header into the back of the net. Don’t look now, but she’s done it again. This time we can’t act surprised. Brianna Visalli initiates the action by winning a tackle in her defensive end before dishing the ball ahead to Kristie Mewis. In a full sprint, Mewis catches up to the ball before floating it into the box. Groom heads it with authority, knocking the ball into the back of the corner, reminding everyone why she’s the league’s second leading scorer, and Mewis is first in assists. Groom’s header put Houston on the fast track in their 2-1 win over the Orlando Pride.