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Interview: Haylie Mccleney

CHIBA, JAPAN – AUGUST 12: Haylie Ann McCleney #8 of United States reacts against Japan during their World Championship Final match at ZOZO Marine Stadium on day eleven of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship on August 12, 2018 in Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)

Haylie McCleney has been a member of Team USA since 2013. She was a four-time All-American at Alabama, where she ended her career as the program’s all-time leader in batting average (.447), on base percentage (.569), walks (199), and triples (16).

Team USA qualified for the Olympics by reaching the gold medal game of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship in 2018. What was it like to try and play for a championship after hearing the news? 

We only knew about an hour before warmups that we had qualified due to Japan beating Canada. It was crazy. Individually, we were dealing with all kinds of emotions, like, Oh my God, each of us now has a real shot at playing in the Olympics because we’re on this roster already. The only spot that had been secured was for Team USA as a whole, but each of us has to try out every year to earn a place on the team. So naturally when the team qualified, everyone is thinking about what they have to do to keep their spot. But then we had to immediately lock in and say, let’s go win a gold medal. We ended up doing it. We walked off in Japan, against Japan, in extra innings, which is pretty insane.

Do you remember what was going through your head when you found out you’d made the Olympic roster? 

I just realized how worth it the journey had been. I started playing for Team USA when I was a sophomore in college, and honestly, I just saw it then as more of an opportunity to play some extra games. At the time, college softball was everything. It was all anyone watched, and no one was really concerned with the national team because softball wasn’t in the Olympics. And then in 2016, which was my senior year in college, it was voted back into the Olympics. Suddenly people started paying attention. The team started to evolve. And having the opportunity, personally, to evolve with the team has been really special. To go from playing for nothing other than the opportunity to wear USA across your chest, to now having the opportunity to compete for a medal, to potentially end up on a podium with a gold medal around your neck, listening to the national anthem… It’s amazing. And it was only when the final roster was announced that I felt the full shock of like, I’m actually going to the Olympics.

What are you most looking forward to at the Olympics?

You know, most Olympic athletes know well ahead of time that their sport is going to be in the games, so they know they have a shot at competing. We had no idea until 2016. And we still don’t really know what our careers look like after 2020, because it’s not guaranteed that softball will still be in the subsequent summer games. Not a lot of teams have had the journey we’ve had, so we’re just doing everything possible to make this year count, because we don’t know if this opportunity is ever going to come again.

What does your current training schedule look like at the moment?

We’re traveling all across the country on our Olympic tour, playing in different cities against colleges and other teams. Honestly, my life has been a whirlwind since October, and it’s going to continue to be that way until late July when we head to Tokyo. And I’m totally okay with that. I’m living my best life right now. I’m playing softball for a living, I don’t have to have another job, which is unlike anything I’ve experienced in the past. I’ve always either had school or had another full time job. This is the first time in my life where I actually feel like a professional athlete, which is super cool.

What’s the team dynamic been like given the range of ages? 

I think the age difference between the oldest and the youngest is honestly really beneficial for us. We have so many different perspectives, which are great to have, especially in high pressure games. We’re playing NCAA teams on this tour, and there’s pressure to do really well as the Olympic team. There’s 78 games, and we’re supposed to win all of them. That’s a lot of stress to carry with you day after day, which is why I think having the perspective of older players, like Cat [Osterman] and Monica [Abbott], comes into play. They’ve been through this before and they know when we need to step back and remember that this is about the process and the big picture.

At the same time, sometimes you have a tense situation where, instead of panicking, everyone just needs to play free and loose like little kids again. And that’s where the younger players’ perspectives, like Rachel Garcia and Bubba Nickles, come in — they’re always smiling and just happy to be there. Honestly, they probably had no clue a few years ago that they would be on the Olympic roster, so they’re full of gratitude and just genuinely happy. That helps our dynamic a lot.

How would you describe the international competition? 

The closest thing I would compare it to is like the Women’s College World Series on steroids. These women are on a whole different level. I mean, they’re in their late twenties, early thirties, in the peak of their athletic prime. And the way they approach the game mentally is just on a completely different level than what you see in college. We only have six teams in our Olympic bracket, so we don’t have to worry about preparing for every single country. But these six teams have really good athletes, so we aren’t taking the competition lightly. Australia is historically a very good international program. Italy has really good pitching and they’re really scrappy at the plate. Canada is always a team that we compete with. Japan is very disciplined and they’re going to be playing in their home country. It’s going to be a battle, but we’re going to be ready for it, and I like our odds.

Transitioning to your life off the field, I know your fiance also plays softball. What’s it like being able to share that with her? 

I wouldn’t have met Kylee if it wasn’t for softball. We played on the same travel ball team when we met. I was 17. And we talked to each other for about a year and got really close, and then we started dating my freshman year of college. So we’ve been together for a little over six years now. And we are planning on getting married after the Olympics. But it’s not just my relationship with Kylee that I have to thank softball for. Almost all of the relationships I have in my life center either around the game of softball or sports in general. The coolest part about softball is not only all the cool places I have been able to travel to, but also all the cool people I’ve been able to meet. What is crazy about it is that at the root of the game, it’s a sport of failure. If I’m batting .400, that means I’m failing six out of ten times. But you can still be an All-American with that number.

Last question: is there a particular moment in your life where you were able to get over a hump because of the lessons you’ve learned as an athlete? 

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from playing this game for so long is to just keep moving forward. Two years ago, I was hired for my first full time job at Florida A&M as a strength and conditioning coach, and I was immediately thrown into the fire. I was in charge of running all the strength and conditioning programs for eight teams at FAMU with only four weight racks. But even though I was in way over my head, I was able to react to the pressure and chaos because of what I’d learned playing softball. I wouldn’t have nearly as much perseverance, grit, or selflessness if it wasn’t for the sport. Every day at FAMU, I woke up at four am to get to work at six, and then woke up the next day to do it all over again. And I did that for almost two years. Now, when I look back, I know that it was the best situation I could have been in after graduating, because it helped me grow as a coach and a person. It was another reminder that I’m not sure who I would be without the sport of softball. It means everything to me, and I want to play as long as I can and as long as my body will let me. I can’t let it go.

Christen Press back training with Angel City FC

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Christen Press #23 of Angel City FC waves to fans following a game between the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

Christen Press continues to inch her way back to a return, having returned to training with the team. 

Angel City coach Becki Tweed said on Wednesday that Press is back with the team full-time as she continues to make her way back from an ACL injury. While she’s still working on rehab, her being back with the team gives staff a better picture of her progress. 

"Christen [Press] is back with us full time which is amazing,” she said. “Having her in and around the team every day, continuing to work hard on rehab ... she's in a space where being in with the team is really important to her and her progression as well.”

The status update comes days after Press posted videos to social media that featured her doing lateral movement in cleats on grass. 

“Look out world she’s on the move !” Press captioned it. 

Press has been sidelined with an ACL injury since 2022, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup. She’s since had four separate surgeries to help repair her ACL. Press told The Athletic a month ago that she’s been “relentless” in her optimism with her recovery despite it being a “slow process.”

“I have a bit of relentless optimism,” she told The Athletic. “I never, ever doubted that I would make it back on any of the timelines I’ve been on. Every single time I’ve heard, ‘You have to have surgery,’ I’m completely shocked,” she said. “When somebody asks me how it’s going, I’m like, ‘It’s going great. And it was going great every time. So I don’t know what to tell you anymore!’”

Sophia Smith re-signs with Portland on record deal

(Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

Sophia Smith is now the NWSL’s highest-paid player. 

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that they have signed Smith to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the team did reveal that Smith is now the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

It’s the latest in what has been a series of record-breaking contracts in the NWSL offseason. 

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2 million and $2.5 million in total. While Smith’s contract is shorter and not worth as much over the long-term, the annual worth is higher. 

“We are over the moon to have Soph commit again to the Thorns. She is a proven, world-class talent and one that we are excited to have contribute to the team’s continued success,” said head coach Mike Norris in a statement. “We look forward to working with her in a Thorns jersey as she continues to shine as one of the top strikers in the world.”

In just four seasons in the NWSL, Smith has led the Thorns to five trophies – including the 2022 NWSL championship – while winning league and championship MVP in 2022. In 61 appearances with Portland, she has 34 goals – including a brace to start this season against Kansas City. 

She’s also a member of the USWNT, having scored 16 goals in 44 international appearances.  Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, she told ESPN she “thought of all the options” but ultimately Portland felt like the right decision.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

She also told ESPN that the team’s new ownership “changes everything.” The club is now led by the Bhathal family, who bought the club after Merritt Paulson was forced to sell it following his part in the NWSL’s abuse scandal. 

"Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” Smith said. 

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally.”

Caitlin Clark offered $5 million to compete in Ice Cube’s league

IOWA CITY, IOWA- MARCH 25: Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates as time runs out in the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during their second round match-up in the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Championship at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 25, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark has been offered $5 million to play in Ice Cube's Big3 league, he confirmed on social media Wednesday after the offer leaked.

"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," Ice Cube wrote on social media. "But I won't deny what's now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn't we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."

While there has yet to be a women's player in the league, both Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie have been part of the league as coaches and won championships.

"The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men's pro team, and she won the championship in her first year," Ice Cube continued. "Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes."

Ice Cube, whose name is O’Shea Jackson, says that the offer was made with the intention that Clark be able to compete in the WNBA “offseason.” Clark is largely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft in April. But it’s unclear how the scheduling of the two leagues would work. 

The 2024 Big3 season is set to tip off on June 15, with 10 games spanning through mid-August. The WNBA regular season, meanwhile, begins on May 14 and ends on Sept. 19.

On “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, Jackson said that the league has yet to hear back from Clark. 

“We just need an answer, as soon as they are ready to give it to us,” he said. “It’s always 50-50 till we get a no. At the end of the day, it’s a generous offer.”

The offer – as well as the confusion on Jackson’s part about the timing of the WNBA season – caused some current WNBA players to react. 

"It's funny cause I be seeing his son at W games.. they don't talk?" wrote former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard

"So no other women's basketball player has came to mind in the last 7 years?" wrote Lexie Brown, adding that she'd support if Ice Cube wanted to build a women's iteration of the league. She later discussed it on the Gils Arena Show, noting that his reasoning of wanting to “uplift and support WNBA players and women athletes” is a “cop out.”

Kalani Brown, meanwhile, told Clark to "take that money" and start a women's Big3.

WNBA salaries has been a talking point in recent months as more collegiate stars declare for the league. WNBA stars have often made more money playing abroad than they have in the WNBA. Clark is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 15, with a rookie salary of $76,535 for lottery draft picks (Nos. 1-4) that rises to $97,582 by her fourth season. But she also has an NIL valuation of almost $3.5 million.

Diana Taurasi famously skipped the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian club, who paid her more to sit out than she would have made in the W. Her contract with the club was reportedly near $1.5 million per year.

Jackson also seemed to suggest that his league could be an alternative to going abroad

“America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet,” he wrote. Although it’s unclear whether or not the rapper intends to make offers to additional WNBA players. 

While the league does hold prioritization rules in its CBA, those typically apply only to players playing in overseas leagues. It’s unclear whether or not that would prevent Clark’s participation in the Big3 league. WNBA players that don’t want to go overseas currently have the option of playing in Athletes Unlimited, which competes in the WNBA offseason.

USC’s Aaliyah Gayles Opens Up About Her Journey Back to Basketball

USC Basketball - Aaliyah Gayles

As part of our 1-v-1 video series, USC’s India Otto sat down to interview her teammate Aaliyah Gayles. Here are five things to know from our conversation with the redshirt freshman guard from Las Vegas.

#1 Aaliyah suffered from a near-death act of violence in 2022.

The incident taught her a lot about herself and the support around her. “[USC] Coach Lindsay [Gottlieb] was one of the first people to fly out there and come see me. That means a lot to me off the court.” 

#2 Her favorite USC memory is when she surprised her teammates after getting out of the hospital.

She left her walker at the door to show she was on the road to returning to the court. “That was my favorite memory because it was family. It was my first time being able to walk to you guys and see you practice.”

#3 There's a reason she wears #3.

#3 was her grandpa’s favorite number and a golden number in her life. Plus, AG3 has a nice ring to it. 

#4 She has a list of basketball GOAT’s:

Candace Parker, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Cason Wallace.

#5 There have been many celebrity appearances at USC’s games over the years, especially this season.

Aaliyah’s favorites include Will Ferrell, Kehlani, and Saweetie. And she hopes Lil Durk will come to watch a game soon.

Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.

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