To say Gotham FC’s 2022 season didn’t go as planned would be an understatement. Despite signing a number of high-profile players to the roster before the season, the New Jersey club finished last in the NWSL standings after scoring the fewest goals and conceding the most.

The team’s response in the 2023 offseason was not to completely commit to a rebuild, but rather to move with ambition. Gotham was involved in trading both the No. 1 and the No. 2 picks in the NWSL draft, while picking up a few key signings through the league’s first free-agency period.

Gotham’s offseason moves show a deep commitment to improving upon their 2022 results, but as the dust settles, let’s take a look at a team still searching for its identity.

2022 Year in Review: A rough season in the rearview

Results in soccer don’t always tell the full picture. Some teams simply have bad luck, and their underlying stats outperform their real-life results. Usually, the response to that is to trust the process and let the results start to reflect the positive play.

But Gotham’s stats in 2022 didn’t really indicate that this would be the right way forward. The New Jersey club finished last in the NWSL with a goal differential of minus-30. The advanced stats weren’t much kinder: Gotham finished last in American Soccer Analysis’ g+ estimation, which computes collective positive actions that lead to goal-scoring chances. They were also last in the league in xG, which computes the quality of goal-scoring chances, and xPass, which computes likelihood of successful passing.

In short, Gotham struggled to progress the ball and turn progression into quality chances. Loss of possession led to pressure on the backline, and they had a hard time getting back into games after conceding goals.

“We absolutely are very unhappy with where we ended last season. We’re all really competitive people, we’re in freakin’ New Jersey, New York. We don’t lose, like that’s not okay there,” general manager Yael Averbuch West said at the 2023 NWSL draft.

Star striker Midge Purce also didn’t mince words when speaking to reporters during Gotham media day this week: “Last year is not something that was enjoyable for me. Not scoring goals, it makes me sick. And this year, I want to score goals on both the national team and for club. I want to be a top player in both settings.”

At the draft in January, Averbuch West reflected on a team in search of its identity. Heading into the 2023 season, Gotham is prioritizing attitude and team fit as much as soccer qualities.

“It’s not just looking at soccer players, it’s looking at people who are going to help us continue to build and elevate our culture through that — the way they view their craft, their footballing minds and just who they are as professionals,” she said.

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Gotham made a blockbuster trade for USWNT forward Lynn Williams in the offseason. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Offseason moves: Pulling off a strategic rebuild

Faced with the team’s lack of scoring in 2022, Gotham made intentional moves to bolster very specific areas of the pitch. The club acquired Yazmeen Ryan from Portland in exchange for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. In Ryan, Gotham gets a player who is as comfortable on the frontline as she is in the attacking midfield and who was arguably one of the best players on the pitch during the 2022 NWSL championship game.

They also leveled up in the attack, bringing in USWNT forward Lynn Williams to round out the front three with Purce and Ifeoma Onumonu. Williams is a prolific NWSL goal-scorer who has looked like her old self with the USWNT after coming off of a long-term hamstring injury. Gotham will likely lose at least one forward during the 2023 World Cup, and will possibly be without all three starters, but the addition of Williams will create new problems for opposing defenses to solve.

Williams also provides a good example of how new head coach Juan Carlos Amorós wants his team to play.

“We want to be a team that dominates all the six moments of the game,” he said at the draft. “I am a big fan of the counter-press. We’re trying to regain the ball as high as possible, trying to create chances out of those situations.”

Dominating all moments of the game include plans for when the team is controlling possession, losing possession and regaining possession. To set a new defensive tone, Amorós’ Gotham could shift to a high-risk, high-reward defensive press that will attempt to pounce on unwitting NWSL backlines.

In that regard, Williams is the perfect player for the system. For a team that looked a step off in defensive transition in 2022, the change will be noticeable.

“[She brings] the right dose of standards on the defensive side,” Amorós said of Williams. “So everyone is committed.”

When asked about her approach to off-the-ball defending, Williams said in an introductory press conference, “I don’t think it’s a secret that I am like a very defensive hard working forward. I think that if you can win the ball higher up the field, then you don’t have to run back as far, so why not do that? I think that I can bring an intensity to the game that’s just, the quicker we win [the ball] back, the quicker we can be in control of the game, and the quicker we can score goals.”

While Purce wouldn’t divulge particular tactical shifts during media day, she expressed confidence in the team’s new approach.

“[Amorós is] very good at making sure everyone knows that we’re on the same page,” she said. “So tactically, technically, in every way, we all know what we’re supposed to be doing.”

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Gotham hired head coach Juan Carlos Amorós away from Houston in November. (Courtesy of Gotham FC)

2023 outlook: Risk and reward

While Gotham boosted their attacking depth in the offseason, their season might live or die at the hands of their defense. Gotham shored up the right-back position with the free-agency signing of Kelley O’Hara, who is functionally replacing former NWSL Defender of the Year Caprice Dydasco. The team also signed former Portland backup goalkeeper Abby Smith, who has NWSL starting experience and should take over full time.

But so much of the team’s 2023 success will depend on what happens when Gotham’s counter-press breaks down and the team has to adjust to quick shifts in play. The club has a number of options for center-back pairings, including Ali Krieger, Mandy Freeman and Kristen Edmonds. But they don’t necessarily have any one player who can keep up with the pace of speedy opposing forwards, so they’ll have to be prepared for counter-attacks when their energy dips.

The team is also relying heavily on the return of Allie Long in the defensive midfield to control the pace of games. During her career, Long has steadily worked her way backward in position, having developed into a hyper-accurate possessor and passer before taking a season off due to pregnancy. The 35-year-old could be the key to making sure the defense doesn’t suffer from quick switches in play in moments when Gotham has to save their legs and wants to possess.

Gotham might be able to score goals at will in 2023, but their success will depend on what they do without the ball.

“We want people to drive a standard, the winning mentality,” said Amorós.

That might be exactly the identity that Gotham is looking for.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

The U.S. women’s national team is gearing up for its Oct. 7 friendly against England, with the Wembley Stadium fixture marking the latest chapter in a budding cross-pond rivalry.

Friday’s match will mark the 19th meeting between the USWNT and the Lionesses and the teams’ third matchup in England. Both of the previous games in England were held in 2011, with the teams splitting the results.

Twelve years later, the USWNT returns to England to take on a hot Lionesses squad, which is fresh off an inaugural Euros title under the leadership of new coach Sarina Wiegman.

“These are big tests for our team in front of crowds cheering against us and after long travel, but our players absolutely love games like these,” USWNT coach Andonovski said. “The group we are bringing to Europe includes players who have a lot of experience against top European teams and some that don’t, so these games are even more critical for our growth as our team. Our whole squad needs to get a clear picture of what these games are like as we continue to prepare for the World Cup.”

Rivalry rewind: Breaking down the USWNT’s five most recent meetings with England

1. SheBelieves Cup: March 5, 2020

USWNT 2, England 0

The United States and England most recently met at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, with the USWNT walking away with a shutout. Christen Press, who is currently injured, and Carli Loyd, who has since retired, found the back of the net for the USWNT in the match, bringing the crowd at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium to its feet.

The 2020 victory marked Andonovski’s first win over England as leader of the USWNT.

2. World Cup Semifinal: July 2, 2019

USWNT 2, England 1

The most recent high-profile meeting between the USWNT and England came in this 2019 World Cup semifinal clash. The USWNT walked away with a hard-fought victory in Lyon, France, advancing to the tournament final.

Press opened up scoring for the USWNT, with since-retired England star Ellen White responding ten minutes later to equalize.

Alex Morgan ultimately played hero for the USWNT, notching the go-ahead goal and celebrating her epic finish with a memorable tea-sipping celebration.

3. SheBelieves Cup: March 2, 2019

USWNT 2, England 2

The USWNT and England played to a 2-2 draw at Nissan Stadium during the 2019 iteration of the SheBelieves Cup.

Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath put away two finishes for the USWNT, while longtime Lionesses captain Steph Houghton and Nikita Parris scored for England.

Rapinoe is the only player who scored during the 2019 meeting that will be present at the 2022 fixture at Wembley.

4. SheBelieves Cup: March 7, 2018

USWNT 1, England 0

An own goal from England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley was the deciding factor in the USWNT’s 2018 victory over the Lionesses.

The 2018 SheBelieves Cup was a frustrating tournament for England, with the team struggling on defense, notching three own goals throughout the competition.

5. SheBelieves Cup: March 4, 2017

USWNT 0, England 1

This shutout stands as England’s most recent win over the USWNT.

The Lionesses broke the 0-0 deadlock in thrilling fashion, with White following a brilliant Lucy Bronze strike that ricocheted off the crossbar. The electrifying go-ahead finish came in the 89th minute, leaving the USWNT little time to respond.

The USWNT will take on England at Wembley Stadium at 3 p.m. ET Friday, Oct. 7. The match will air on Fox in the U.S.

The U.S. women’s national soccer team will play the first of its two friendlies against Nigeria on Saturday.

But the squad that takes the pitch will look very different from the one that faced the Super Falcons in their last meeting back in June 2021, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

The USWNT brings a roster in transition to Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City.

In the team’s most recent match against Nigeria, a 2-0 win for the United States in Austin, Carli Lloyd, Christen Press and Megan Rapinoe lined up on the forward line.

Kristie Mewis, Lindsay Horan and Sam Mewis made up the starting midfield, while Kelley O’Hara, Abby Dahlkemper, Becky Sauerbrunn and Crystal Dunn anchored the backline, with Alyssa Naeher in net.

Six of those players are not on the roster for Saturday’s match.

Lloyd has since retired, while Sam Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper have been away from the team due to injury. O’Hara served as a veteran presence during the Concacaf W Championship in July, but she is out with a hip injury.

Dunn is just beginning to work her way back after giving birth to her son three months ago, and she practiced with the team in Kansas City but is not on the roster.

Press and substitute Lynn Williams were the two goal scorers for the USWNT last June, but both are sidelined with long-term injuries. (And, per USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski, Press was not considered for the roster this summer even before she tore her ACL in June.)

With an eye toward youth, the USWNT has begun to evolve ahead of the 2023 World Cup, integrating less experienced players with the likes of Rapinoe and Sauerbrunn.

Fielding a new attacking lineup that features Alex Morgan alongside Sophia Smith and Mallory Pugh, the USWNT will be eager to show consistent offensive production.

The team, while dominant during its Concacaf run, has yet to display dependable finishing and needs to make teams pay in the final third.

Still in flux, the USWNT midfield will look to tidy up its performance down the spine of the pitch while getting Rose Lavelle, Horan and Ashley Sanchez more directly involved in the attack.

On the backline, relative newbies Naomi Girma and Alana Cooke will look to continue to impress as center-backs, while Sofia Huerta and Emily Fox make their case on the flanks.

The USWNT will take on Nigeria at 1 p.m. Saturday. The match will air on Fox.

When organizations like the NFL and Nike throw their weight behind girls’ sports, some amazing things come to fruition.

One such example is taking place this Friday when two high school girls’ flag football teams will face off as part of the inaugural Nike Kickoff Classic to celebrate the return of football season around the country. Highlighting one of the fastest-growing sports for girls on the grandest stage yet proffered, the Alonso (Fla.) Ravens will take on the Robinson (Fla.) Knights at 3 p.m. local time in a game that will be broadcast nationwide on NFL Network YouTube from Ronaldo Field at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.

Interestingly, the schools are both located in Hillsborough County, Fla., and have regularly met face-to-face on the gridiron since the sport first took off in the area in the mid-2000s. So, why bring two teams from the very same county across the U.S. for this marquee matchup? Well, although they are only 15 miles apart, the girls’ flag football teams at Alonso and Robinson are two of the top five teams in the state of Florida, which has been the epicenter of the sport since it was first sanctioned in 2002, long before it caught on in other states.

In 2016, the Florida High School Athletic Association even expanded the sport into two classifications because so many schools had added teams. Alonso is a 2A school, while Robinson is 1A, meaning the schools no longer go head-to-head for the state championship. But that doesn’t mean they don’t still view each other as rivals.

For the Ravens, head coach Matt Hernandez has led the team to the state championship game four times since taking over the program 15 years ago, winning the title in both 2018 and 2019. Josh Saunders, his counterpart at Robinson who’s been with the Knights for 16 seasons, has taken his team to the state championship eight years in a row, winning seven titles and the last six in a row in 1A.

Merely based on rankings and state titles, Alonso enters the game as the presumptive underdog, and perhaps that’s the mindset the Ravens’ three senior captains are instilling in their teammates as they prepare for the biggest game of their teenage lives.

One of those captains, Alonso quarterback Mieke Rowe, led the state in passing yards (5,091), passing touchdowns (91) and total TDs (98) as a junior last season. Eryn Klaus, a co-captain and one of Rowe’s top targets, has been a starting wide receiver on the varsity team for four years, earning first team all-state honors as both a sophomore and junior.

But perhaps the most exciting Ravens player to watch is sophomore wide receiver Makenna Sturgis, who led the state in yards per catch (18.8) a year ago as a freshman and was second in the state in total receiving yards (1,333), receiving touchdowns (25) and total touchdowns (29).

Whereas Alonso has a seasoned and accomplished quarterback in Rowe, Robinson sophomore Haidyn Spano will be the one taking snaps and running the offense for the Knights. It’s the first time since 2015 that the Knights’ starting quarterback has not been a senior and the first time since 2007 that a sophomore has earned that key role for the squad.

Luckily, Spano will have wide receiver Katejion Robinson, a two-time first team all-state wide receiver who led the state in total scoring last year. Leading the defensive efforts for the Knights is senior captain Julia Guillermo, a first team all-state rusher who notched an impressive 98 tackles and 39 sacks last season.

For those new to flag football, the sport resembles the traditional version of America’s most popular sport in most aspects, except, of course, that no tackles are allowed. Instead, a player is considered down where her feet are when one of the two flags from her belt has been pulled free by a defender.

At the high-school level, teams play 7-on-7, with a center, quarterback and five eligible receivers on offense. The field is 40 yards wide and 80 yards long between end zones, with yard lines marked at the 40-yard midfield line and at each 20-yard line. The quarterback can run, hand off or pass the ball, and the team has four downs to progress to the next 20-yard marker.

Touchdowns are worth six points, and the scoring team then chooses whether to attempt a one-point, two-point or three-point conversion. As there are no linemen or blocking, a defensive line of scrimmage is separated from the offensive line by a 5- or 7-yard neutral zone that cannot be entered until the ball is snapped. There are no helmets or pads, but mouthpieces are required.

When you extract traditional tackling from American football, the game is distilled down to one of extreme speed, agility and accuracy, which girls have been displaying on football fields across the country in ever-increasing numbers as flag football spreads like wildfire.

For the Ravens and Knights, Friday’s game is two things at once: the next of many games against a longtime rival and an unprecedented opportunity to showcase an empowering arena for girls in football to the entire country.

Tessa Nichols is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports.

The Under Armour Next Elite 24 games return Friday in Chicago following a six-year hiatus, featuring 24 top prospects in the inaugural girls game.

The all-star showcase will air live on ESPNU from Northerly Island on Chicago’s lakefront, with the girls game set to tip off at 5 p.m. ET. The boys game will follow at 7 p.m.

Top 2023 recruit Mikaylah Williams, an LSU commit, is among the players who will take part in the showcase. She’ll be joined on the Breakthru squad by Team USA teammate Hannah Hidalgo. The Ascent squad includes four players who competed for Team USA over the summer, including the U17 national team’s Jaloni Cambridge. U18 national team members Courtney Ogden, Chloe Kitts and Aaliyah Del Rosario are also on Ascent.

Both US national teams won gold over the summer — the U17 team claimed its fifth gold medal at the World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary, while the U18 team won gold at the Americas Championship in Buenos Aires.

Since it began in 2006, the Next Elite 24 has been played at Rucker Park in Harlem, Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn and Venice Beach in Los Angeles. It is notably the only all-star event to be played outside.

Check out the full rosters below.

Team Breakthru

No. 0 | Taliah Scott, 5-9 guard, Saint John’s Country Day School (Fla.), Sr.
No. 1 | Dee Alexander, 6-1 guard, Purcell Marian (Ohio), Soph.
No. 2 | Essence Cody, 6-3 post, Valdosta (Ga.), Sr.
No. 4 | Reniya Kelly, 5-5 point guard, Hoover (Ala.), Sr.
No. 5 | Cassandre Prosper, 6-2 forward, Cairine Wilson Secondary School (Can.), Sr.
No. 6 | Mikaylah Williams, 6-foot guard, Parkway (La.), Sr.
No. 8 | Malaysia Fulwiley, 5-6 guard, W.J. Keenan (S.C.), Sr.
No. 10 | Jasmine Davidson, 6-1 wing, Clackamas (Ore.), Soph.
No. 12 | Deniya Prawl, 5-11 guard, Fort Erie International Academy (Can.), Soph.
No. 14 | Blanca Thomas, 6-5 post, Charlotte Catholic (N.C.), Jr.
No. 16 | Maddy McDaniel, 5-5 point guard, Bishop McNamara (Md.), Jr.
No. 22 | Hannah Hidalgo, 5-6 point guard, Paul VI (N.J.), Sr.

Team Ascent

No. 1 | Ashlynn Shade, 5-9 guard, Noblesville (Ind.), Sr.
No. 4 | Jasmine Brown, 5-9 guard, Example Academy (Ill.), Sr.
No. 5 | Adhel Tac, 6-5 post, South Grand Prairie (Texas), Jr.
No. 9 | Kymora Johnson, 5-7 guard, Saint Annes-Belfield (Va.), Sr.
No. 13 | Zakiyah Johnson, 5-11 guard, Sacred Heart Academy (Ky.), Soph.
No. 17 | Joyce Edwards, 6-2 forward, Camden (S.C.), Jr.
No. 20 | Olivia Olson, 6-foot point guard, Benilde Saint Margaret (Minn.), Jr.
No. 22 | Jaloni Cambridge, 5-6 point guard, The Ensworth School (Tenn.), Jr.
No. 23 | Courtney Ogden, 5-11 wing, Westminster School (Ga.), Sr.
No. 26 | Chloe Kitts, 6-2 forward, DME Academy (Fla.), Sr.
No. 32 | Sarah Strong, 6-2 forward, Grace Academy (N.C.), Jr.
No. 35 | Aalyah Del Rosario, 6-5 post, The Webb School (Tenn.), Sr.

Trent Singer is the High School Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @trentsinger.

This year’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is the fifth major championship held at the Blue Course at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., and the first for women.

In addition, the LPGA plays the course for the first time since its year-and-a-half renovation in June 2021.

Here are some of the storylines to follow from this year’s tournament, which begins Thursday.

The major purse surge continues

The 2022 season will go down as one of historic purse raises on the LPGA Tour.

From the U.S. Women’s Open breaking tradition with the first presenting sponsor to bring the purse from $5.5 million to $10 million, only two weeks later the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship doubled from $4.5 million to $9 million.

“When this partnership came about and we had the first KPMG Women’s Championship in 2014, we really made a commitment,” PGA of America President Jim Richerson said. “We really wanted to make sure we utilized this event to showcase the best women’s players in the game and do that with one of the biggest purses.”

All five LPGA majors have had purses increase by over $1 million in 2022. The Chevron Championship went from $3.1 million to $5 million, the Amundi Evian Championship went from $4.5 million to $6.5 million and the AIG Women’s Open went from $5.6 million to $6.8 million. The total is an incredible $13.9 million increase in major purse size, just shy of the total purse of the LPGA’s 1990 season, which surpassed $14.8 million.

With a first-place check of $1.35 million, once the announcement reached players’ email inboxes, they quickly got moving to practice.

“Someone else said that the news hit while the players were in dining,” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said, “and all of a sudden they all scurried out to the range. That was the joke in dining.”

It’ll be the fourth check exceeding a million dollars handed out this year, with Minjee Lee and Mina Harigae winning $1.8 million and $1.05 million, respectively, at the U.S. Women’s Open and $2 million to the CME Group Tour Championship victor, the first multi-million dollar prize in LPGA history.

U.S. Solheim Cup 2021 roster performing well at majors

American Solheim Cup Captain Stacy Lewis had 20 players out for dinner in Bethesda to chat about the team and keep them in the loop about plans for the 2023 match-play event in Spain. While Lewis didn’t point out any specific name, she gave props to potential rookies Lilia Vu, who finished third at the LPGA’s Bank of Hope Match Play in late May, and Andrea Lee, who posted two top-five finishes in her last five starts.

Lewis went on to acknowledge team veterans Nelly Korda, who lost in a playoff last week in her second start since returning after four months away due to a blood clot complication, and Lexi Thompson, who has four top-five finishes in eight starts this season.

“I think American golf is in a good spot,” Lewis said, “It’s just different faces than everybody is used to, and that’s just the natural progression of it. There’s always going to be changes. There’s always going to be changing kind of rolling over of players. This new guard coming up is really good. Got some new names for people to learn.”

Three Americans have won or finished runner-up at the year’s first two majors. First, Jennifer Kupcho won the Chevron Championship, with Jessica Korda finishing in second. Then Mina Harigae followed up with a runner-up finish at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Kupcho became one of two multiple-time winners in 2022, along with Minjee Lee, after defeating Korda and Leona Maguire in a playoff last week at the Meijer LPGA Classic.

“I think for sure we’re definitely trending that direction more so than even when I first came out here,” Kupcho said, “I think there’s a lot of great American players right now.”

Minjee Lee takes aim at third major

Last year, Nelly Korda was No. 3 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings before winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. This year, Lee — arguably the top-performing golfer on the LPGA this year with two wins, including the U.S. Women’s Open, and eight top-25 finishes in nine starts — sits in the No. 3 spot in the world rankings.

Fueling the Australian’s campaign is the working out she did in the offseason, mainly throwing a medicine ball around to average 270 off the tee. It’s eight yards further than 2021, helping her to lead the tour in birdieing 26.7% of her holes, a 2.5% lead over Atthaya Thitikul and a 5% leap from last season.

It led the eight-time winner to the 72-hole scoring record in the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles (271), and she’s leading the LPGA in major scoring with a combined score of 38-under par, leading Nelly Korda by four strokes.

If her current form holds, Lee may end up in the winner’s circle for her third major title in her last five major starts, becoming the first multi-major winner in a season since Jin Young Ko in 2019.

“I like to embrace the challenge [of majors],” Lee said, “and I think the harder the golf courses get, I think the better I play. You do have to focus a little bit more on smaller details, so I think that’s where I kind of excel. When I play under pressure, that is where I excel as well. I think it just really sets up well.”

Kent Paisley is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering golf and the LPGA. He also contributes to Golf Digest. Follow him on Twitter @KentPaisley.

The USA Basketball run at the FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup has been emphatically noted. They’ve won four of the last five times the event has been held, and they’ll look to add to that dominance again this year.

Mikaylah Williams, Juju Watkins and Breya Cunningham are among the top three recruits headlining the star-studded U17 National Team, a 12-player squad that was finalized on June 1.

They’ll gear up for next month’s action at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup, which is slated to take place July 9-17 in Debrecen, Hungary, and head coach Sue Phillips is thrilled at the versatility this year’s roster has to offer.

“Understanding that it will take perhaps a variety of styles of play to be effective on any given night, I love the prospects of the interchangeable pieces and the different types of roster formations that we can put on the floor to be effective,” Phillips said.

This year marks the fifth USA Basketball coaching assignment for the longtime coach, who led the U16 team to a gold medal a year ago at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Mexico. Cunningham, Watkins, Madison Booker, Jaloni Cambridge, Jadyn Donovan, and Jada Williams were each members of that team, which defeated Canada 118-45 in the final.

Her experience with the U17 team is also worth noting. In 2014, Phillips helmed a squad that survived a 40-point performance from Angela Salvadores in the championship game, claiming a 77-75 win over Spain. That gold-medal team was also star-studded in its own right, including the likes of Arike Ogunbowale, Lauren Cox, Asia Durr and Sabrina Ionescu.

“We’re not only going to need to utilize our talent, but we have to play smart and play hard and play together. We can’t play hero ball,” Phillips said. “A lot of these teams that we’ll be competing against have been together for months, if not years, and their ability to work a two-player game and have this incredible chemistry on the floor is a given. So we are going to have to have our two-player defensive strategies on point.”

Mikaylah Williams is the two-time reigning Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year after leading Parkway High School (La.) to a 32-2 record and a state championship last season, during which she averaged 22.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game. She remains uncommitted but has narrowed her list of schools down to five — Baylor, Duke, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

Phillips lauds Williams’ “instant offense” and is thrilled to have the top recruit in the class of 2023 leading the way for Team USA.

“I think she has a beautiful mid-range game. It’s automatic,” Phillips said. “She has a knack for scoring. You give her a seam or space, she’s going to be able to get us a bucket. She’s strong, explosive. She can get on the glass. We’re going to need our guards to rebound to gain us some extra possessions and to secure the defensive stops.”

The reigning 2021-22 Gatorade California Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Watkins is also no stranger to Phillips. In March, Watkins notched a double-double with 23 points and 19 rebounds to lead Sierra Canyon to an 85-61 win over Archbishop Mitty in the Open Division state championship.

That Archbishop Mitty team was coached by none other than Phillips, who saw first-hand just how dynamic Watkins has become.

“Her team was victorious, and Juju was a big part of that,” Phillips said about Watkins, who averaged 25.0 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in guiding the Trailblazers to a 30-2 record last season. “She’s a three-level scorer. She’s probably one of the best I’ve seen in my 30-year coaching tenure in being able to finish with and through contact. She’s incredibly strong and creative with her finishes around the rim. She can impact the game defensively as well. She has great anticipation and athleticism, just an incredible feel for the game.”

Phillips is joined by assistant coaches Tom McConnell (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and Brittanny Johnson (Evanston Township High School [Ill.]). Phillips believes both excel in different ways to create a fully-formed unit.

“Being able to help us conduct an effective and efficient practice and then also provide the mid-game adjustment insights, I really enjoy working with Tom and look forward to the coming weeks,” Phillips said. “Brittanny was a court coach last year and has now been put on the coaching staff as one of my assistants. I really enjoyed working with her in trials a few weeks ago. I think she is very intuitive about the game. She has a great understanding of the sense of strengths that our players can bring to the table.”

Selected by the USA Basketball Developmental National Team Committee, the U17 team is made up of future graduates from 2023 and 2024. They were chosen after six days of trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., where 40 invitees were dwindled down to a dozen.

Additionally, Kennedy Umeh was a finalist for the 2021 U16 roster, while Mikaylah Williams also has experience with USA Basketball, helping lead her team to a gold medal finish at the 2021 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup.

With the start of training camp looming ahead on June 26, Phillips is filling that time coaching her club and AAU teams. But the anticipation of heading to Europe to compete for gold is building by the day.

Times like these are everything to a coach who’s been in the ranks for more than 20 years.

“It’s an amazing two weeks. I just love basketball,” Phillips said. “I love teaching and coaching the game. I couldn’t be more excited to support the red, white and blue with this particular roster and coaching staff. I’m excited with our prospects and ability to make the World Cup, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Click here to see a preview of the U18 National Team roster.

MEET THE TEAM

Sunaja Agara, 16, Hopkins HS (Minn.)
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
Height: 6-2
Class: 2023
Commitment: Stanford

Madison Booker, 16, Germantown HS (Miss.)
Hometown: Ridgeland, Miss.
Height: 6-1
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Jaloni Cambridge, 16, The Ensworth School (Tenn.)
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Height: 5-0
Class: 2024
Commitment: Undeclared

Morgan Cheli, 16, Archbishop Mitty HS (Calif.)
Hometown: Los Altos, Calif.
Height: 6-1
Class: 2024
Commitment: Undeclared

Breya Cunningham, 17, La Jolla Country Day School (Calif.)
Hometown: Chula Vista, Calif.
Height: 6-4
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Jadyn Donovan, 16, Sidwell Friends School (Washington, D.C.)
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, Md.
Height: 6-0
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Hannah Hidalgo, 17, Paul VI HS (N.J.)
Hometown: Merchantville, N.J.
Height: 5-7
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Mackenly Randolph, 16, Sierra Canyon School (Calif.)
Hometown: Encino, Calif.
Height: 6-1
Class: 2024
Commitment: Undeclared

Kennedy Umeh, 15, McDonogh School (Md.)
Hometown: Columbia, Md.
Height: 6-4
Class: 2024
Commitment: Undeclared

Judea Watkins, 16, Sierra Canyon School (Calif.)
Hometown: Sylmar, Calif.
Height: 6-1
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Jada Williams, 17, La Jolla Country Day School (Calif.)
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Height: 5-8
Class: 2023
Commitment: UCLA

Mikaylah Williams, 16, Parkway HS (La.)
Hometown: Bossier City, La.
Height: 6-1
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Anyone looking to maintain their softball fix need look no further than AUX Softball, a condensed, three-series season that starts June 13.

On the heels of the Women’s College World Series, the new Athletes Unlimited softball tournament features some of the biggest names in softball. A total of 42 players have signed on for the season, including 2021 Athletes Unlimited champion Aleshia Ocasio.

What is it?

AUX is a new, two-week competition taking place June 13-26 in San Diego, Calif.

How does the points system work?

The rankings work the same way as in regular Athletes Unlimited seasons. Players will accumulate points for offensive and defensive plays as well as team wins. The players at the top of the leaderboard after each three-team, six-game series will then draft new teams. The leader at the end of the three series will be crowned champion.

Who is playing?

The most notable name on the roster, Aleshia Ocasio made a splash in her second AU season, winning the title with 2,096 points – nearly 400 more than the next closest player – and improving on her 11th-place finish from the year before.

The pitcher racked up 784 points on 196 total outs and allowed only 18 runs in a league-high 13 games pitched. Across 66 innings, Ocasio recorded 55 strikeouts and four complete games en route to a 2.32 ERA. With eight MVP honors on the season, she finished just one behind the record set by 2020 champion Cat Osterman.

Amanda Chidester, the runner-up in 2021, and Carrie Eberle, who placed fourth, are also heading to San Diego for AUX, and will serve as team captains for the first series alongside Ocasio.

In her second AU season, Chidester increased her points total from 1,030 (good for 32nd place in 2021) to 1,714. Eberle was named 2021 Rookie of the Year, thriving at the pro level after a successful college career at Oklahoma State.

Of the 13 college athletes drafted by Athletes Unlimited in early May, just three will participate in AUX: Maggie Balint, Georgina Corrick and Danielle Gibson.

Corrick, a pitcher out of South Florida, led the Bulls to the first round of the NCAA tournament this year and was named a finalist for USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year award, won by Oklahoma slugger Jocelyn Alo. With a 28-5 record this season, Corrick had the most wins of any pitcher in the NCAA. She also set the program record — and led the country — with 20 shutouts while managing an impressive 0.53 ERA.

Balint, fresh off of her senior season at San Diego State, is also poised to be a threat in the circle. She began her freshman year at Oregon, where she was named to the Pac-12 all-freshman team and Pac-12 first team and was a finalist for NFCA National Freshman of the Year and USA Softball Player of the Year awards. This past season was Balint’s best with the Aztecs. In 41 appearances and 185 innings pitched, she went 18-6 with a 2.12 ERA.

Gibson, one of four finalists for the 2022 Honda Sport Award for softball, brings experience in the infield and at the plate. At Arkansas this season, she drove in 70 runs while posting a .445 batting average. The first-team NFCA All-American led the Razorbacks to the Super Regionals of the NCAA softball tournament, where they lost to eventual WCWS runner-up Texas.

When is it, and how do I watch?

As part of a recent broadcasting deal with ESPN, all AUX games will be aired on ESPN’s family of networks.

Series 1

Monday, June 13

  • Game 1 @ 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU
  • Game 2 @ 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Tuesday, June 14

  • Game 3 @ 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU
  • Game 4 @ 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU

Wednesday, June 15

  • Game 5 @ 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2
  • Game 6 @ 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Series 2

Saturday, June 18

  • Game 7 @ 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU
  • Game 8 @ 6:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU

Sunday, June 19

  • Game 9 @ 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU
  • Game 10 @ 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU

Monday, June 20

  • Game 11 @ 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2
  • Game 12 @ 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Series 3

  • Thursday, June 23
    • Game 13 @ 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU
    • Game 14 @ 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU
  •  Friday, June 24
    • Game 15 @ 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU
    • Game 16 @ 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU
  •  Saturday, June 25
    • Game 17 @ 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU
    • Game 18 @ 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU

Emma Hruby is an Associate Editor at Just Women’s Sports.

The NWSL is back in action this weekend, with Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit highlighting the East Coast lineup, while Portland Thorns and Angel City face off in the West Coast’s marquee match.

Three Storylines To Watch

Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit continue their rivalry

Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit will reignite their rivalry Saturday, facing off at Red Bull Arena for their first regular-season matchup and third game of 2022.

There is no love lost between these two clubs after a Twitter feud erupted between Gotham and Spirit players following their Challenge Cup contest in March. The dispute started with Gotham goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris publicly criticizing Segra Field after the Spirit posted a video of Ashley Sanchez putting Ali Krieger on skates.

The social media call-out led to a back-and-forth between Harris and Washington star Trinity Rodman. The veteran goalie wrote, “Oh my bad… one camp in and she’s feeling confident hunny,” in reference to the USWNT rookie.

Rodman responded on the pitch, notching a brace in the Washington Spirit’s 3-1 win over the NJ/NY club in their second Challenge Cup battle.

Gotham FC will look to log their first win over Washington, capitalizing on home-field advantage while hosting a fatigued Spirit side. The Spirit have been dealt a grueling start to their regular-season schedule, but they should be a worthy opponent for Gotham, who have yet to deploy a consistent attack.

Can OL Reign maintain their run of clean sheets?

Solid defense doesn’t always elicit excitement, but this matchup between the Chicago Red Stars and OL Reign is one to watch, with both squads boasting stalwart defensive lineups.

USWNT star goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has been stellar for Chicago, while Phallon Tullis-Joyce shines for OL Reign. With 24 saves in six games, Tullis-Joyce has allowed just four goals in the back of her net.

OL Reign enters Saturday’s game with four straight clean sheets and will look to continue their tidy defensive record against Chicago. Alana Cook anchors the Seattle backline, providing a sturdy presence in the center back position. Sofia Huerta has been critical for the club as well, contributing defensively while dominating the wings, recording two assists on the season.

Both sides’ defenses will be tested Saturday, as Mal Pugh is expected to get more minutes for Chicago and Rose Lavelle is coming into form for OL Reign.

NWSL turns focus to gun violence

The NWSL is turning orange Friday in recognition of National Gun Violence Awareness Day. To honor of the recent lives lost to gun violence and to call for change to address the crisis, the league is participating in the #WearOrange campaign.

The Portland Thorns will be encouraging fans to take action on gun violence during their home match against Angel City on Friday, a match that will also serve as a celebration of Pride month.

“While we celebrate Pride tomorrow, we grieve those who are unable to be here and have lost their lives to gun violence,” the club wrote in a statement, urging supporters to visit Everytown.org.

The Houston Dash and Orlando Pride both posted support of the Wear Orange movement ahead of their matchup, putting the issue of gun violence at the forefront.

National Gun Violence Awareness Day comes after a series of mass shootings, including the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, the shooting at a Buffalo grocery store and the shooting at a Tulsa medical center.

Week 6 Schedule

  • Houston Dash vs. Orlando Pride, Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+
  • Portland Thorns vs. Angel City, Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+
  • Chicago Red Stars vs. OL Reign, Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET on Twitch
  • Gotham FC vs. Washington Spirit, Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on Twitch
  • Racing Louisville vs. North Carolina Courage, Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+
  • Kansas City vs. San Diego Wave FC, Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+

The NWSL is back in action Saturday, with all 12 teams taking the pitch over the weekend.

Three storylines to watch

OL Reign seeks redemption

OL Reign will take on the Spirit for the third time in less than a month Sunday after falling to Washington in the Challenge Cup semifinal and the regular-season opener.

The Spirit enter the matchup on just three days’ rest, while OL Reign hasn’t taken the pitch in 10 days. With zero wins to their name, the Reign will look to improve their 0-2-1 record and clinch their first regular-season victory of the year.

Rose Lavelle will be critical for OL Reign, pulling the strings of the club’s midfield and springing the team’s quick transition.

Sunday’s contest will be a must-win for the Reign at home at Lumen Field.

KC Current and North Carolina look for first wins

Kansas City and North Carolina both had promising Challenge Cup showings, but both clubs have failed to register a win in the regular season.

The Courage have been without key players as the team has several starters in COVID-19 protocols. North Carolina will look to get its season back on track when it hosts San Diego at WakeMed on Sunday.

Kansas City has also struggled in its start to the regular season after being shut out twice and playing to a 2-2 draw with the Pride last Saturday. The Current will look to shore up some of their defensive issues and put together a comprehensive performance Saturday when they play Angel City FC.

Can the veterans keep it up?

San Diego’s Alex Morgan and ACFC’s Christen Press have kicked off the regular season with impressive performances, leading their clubs to the top of the NWSL table.

Morgan leads the league in goals with five, energizing the Wave’s attack and lifting the team to three wins so far on the season.

Press has similarly anchored Angel City’s frontline, leading the club to two wins, including one over the reigning NWSL champion Washington Spirit.

Week 4 schedule

  • Portland Thorns vs. Houston Dash, Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on Twitch
  • Angel City vs. Kansas City Current, Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET on Twitch
  • North Carolina vs. San Diego Wave FC, Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on Paramount+
  • NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC, Sunday at 5 p.m. ET on Paramount+
  • OL Reign vs. Washington Spirit, Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on Paramount+
  • Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars, Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on Paramount+