NWSL Draft day is nearly upon us, and all the players available to be selected have submitted their names.

A few picks appear to be set in stone, but more twists and turns that will shape the 2023 draft class may be awaiting us on Thursday night. Here’s a look at some of the top talent available, and how I think the first round of the draft could shake out.

No. 1: Angel City FC

Alyssa Thompson, F, Harvard-Westlake Prep

This pick is all but finalized, with multiple reports linking Thompson to Angel City after the Los Angeles club traded for the No. 1 pick last week. The 18-year-old officially registered for the draft the day after the trade, opting to go pro rather than attend Stanford. Thompson has huge upside, including the potential to become a USWNT mainstay for the next 15 years. With Angel City, she’ll be able to develop near home under the mentorship of players like Christen Press, Sydney Leroux and Simone Charley.

No. 2: Gotham FC

Michelle Cooper, F, Duke

Gotham needs goals: Enter Michelle Cooper. Cooper would likely be the No. 1 pick without Thompson’s surprise entry into professional soccer, and for good reason. The rising sophomore’s conversion rate in college was scorching, and she has intangibles in spades as the former captain of the USWNT U-20 squad. Inserting Cooper alongside Midge Purce and Ifeoma Onumonu could radically change Gotham’s fortunes in 2023.

No. 3: Orlando Pride

Jenna Nighswonger, M, Florida State

The Pride could go in many different directions with this pick, but they’ll be tempted to pick up Nighswonger, who has the ability to reshape the way the team moves the ball and connects with the attack. More than anything, Orlando’s progress in 2023 could hinge on shoring up the defense. If I were the Pride, I’d take a hard look at Emily Madril or Reyna Reyes, but I think Nighswonger will be too enticing to pass up.

No. 4: Racing Louisville

Emily Madril, D, Florida State

What Louisville should consider with this pick is an offer to change places with Orlando in front of them to ensure they grab Madril, who has Louisville youth connections. But if the Pride are assured in their decision to go for a playmaker, Madril to Louisville makes sense for both sides. The defender fills a major team need and is already familiar with the organization.

No. 5: Portland Thorns

Penelope Hocking, F, Penn State

The Thorns should go with an attacker at No. 5, no matter what. There’s a tempting toss-up between Hocking, Alexa Spaanstra and Izzy D’Aquila, though each player has slightly different playing profiles. D’Aquila has had one of the hotter seasons going into the draft, but Hocking is a known product at the U.S. youth levels and was a standout in two different college systems, first at USC and then at Penn State.

No. 6: North Carolina Courage

Alexa Spaanstra, F, Virginia

The Courage currently have three picks in the first round, which gives them some flexibility with their selections. North Carolina will have to figure out how to make up for the loss of Debinha’s output, and they may target a forward right away. Spaanstra is a versatile winger who could work well with Kerolin and former UVA teammate Diana Ordoñez.

No. 7: Chicago Red Stars

Sophie Jones, M, Duke

If Jones makes it to No. 7, Chicago fans will be one of the happiest groups coming out of the first round. Jones has the ability to set the tempo of a game, is a strong player off the ball and is coming off one of her best seasons as a senior. The Red Stars need to shore up their spine as much as they need to add playmakers, and Jones has the potential to be another great defensive midfielder in Chicago.

No. 8: Houston Dash

Reyna Reyes, D, Alabama

Reyes making it to No. 8 would be a gift to Houston. In this case, the Dash should be quick to select the best player available. It’s unclear exactly how new manager Sam Laity wants to progress the ball, but Reyes is an elite left back who can also play in the midfield and would bring versatility to the Dash that is difficult to defend.

No. 9: North Carolina Courage

Clara Robbins, M, Florida State

Robbins is a game-changer, and even though she’s only now making the jump to the pros, she’s got plenty of experience: The redshirt senior played 110 games in college, the second most in women’s college soccer history. The Courage are currently in the midst of a midfield rejuvenation project, and Robbins could be the perfect fit for their new system.

No. 10: Kansas City Current

Jyllissa Harris, D, South Carolina

With Kristen Edmonds off to Gotham FC, the Current need center-back depth, and Harris is one of the top prospects at the position. South Carolina conceded only 15 goals in 2022 with Harris as the cornerstone, and in an aggressive wingback system, the Current can use a defender with a calm head under pressure.

No. 11: North Carolina Courage

Messiah Bright, F, TCU

North Carolina could use this space for a defender, but with Kaleigh Kurtz’s contract extension and Abby Erceg’s retirement from international play, the Courage also have room to go all-in on attacking talent. Bright is a TCU standout with a consistent track record, having averaged a goal every other game throughout her college career.

No. 12: Portland Thorns

Summer Yates, M, Washington

For their second pick in the first round, the Thorns could stay relatively close to home. Summer Yates was a standout midfielder at the University of Washington, leading the team in goals and assists in 2022. As a hybrid attacking midfielder/forward, she could provide a spark when Portland’s internationals are away during the World Cup period.

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

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins examines Angel City FC's early success in the young 2025 NWSL season.

Off to an undefeated 2025 campaign, a stat only the 2024 championship-winning Orlando Pride and powerhouse Kansas City Current also boast, 2022 expansion side Angel City launched itself into the early contender conversation after missing the NWSL Playoffs entirely last season.

Watkins digs into the LA club, chatting through the team's star-studded formation, its early days, as well as its young core, highlighted by star sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson — all while weighing if the squad is truly ready to level up into the league's title-seeking echelon.

Angel City is beginning to see some payoff from its early developmental strategy, with Watkins pointing out that taking winger Alyssa Thompson straight out of high school is now providing major returns.

"She's got three goals in four games in 2025, she's the second youngest NWSL player to hit 10 goals and 10 assists in her career," noted Watkins. "Teams are having trouble accounting for her despite knowing that she is their offensive focal point at this moment."

That said, even with Thompson's prowess, Watkins does expect the club's hot start to cool, though she does predict a 2025 NWSL Playoff berth for the LA team.

"They are getting through on moments of brilliance, on chemistry and mental fortitude," noted Watkins. "It's a long season, and those kinds of things can start to slip as you get tired and other teams get used to the way that you play."

About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.

Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) hired former MLB executive Kim Ng as its first-ever commissioner on Wednesday, tapping into Ng’s 21 years of top-level experience ahead of the league’s inaugural 2025 season.

After becoming the youngest assistant general manager in baseball history for the New York Yankees in 1998, Ng inked another line into the record books as the first woman GM in any major US men’s sports league in November 2020, when she took over the front office for MLB’s Miami Marlins.

Her three-season tenure in Miami culminated in a 2023 playoff appearance — the Marlins' first in 20 years.

Ng's pivot to softball is a homecoming for the trailblazing 56-year-old exec, who played NCAA softball before breaking down MLB barriers.

"I think after 30-plus years in the business, I also owe it to myself to do some things that I hadn't necessarily had the opportunity to do in the past," Ng told The Athletic about her decision to join AUSL. "And this is, for me, it's a passion."

Prior to her commissioner appointment, Ng served as a senior advisor for AUSL, helping to develop the league into existence from a landscape full of growing parity at the college level, yet few viable pro opportunities.

"Knowing what an established, mature system of governance looks like, I think will be really helpful in establishing this league," Ng added.

AUSL takes the field with 2025 tour

Launching on June 7th — immediately following the 2025 NCAA Women's College World Series — each of the AUSL's four inaugural teams will play 24 games across a seven-week season.

The league's 2025 debut will function as a tour, with regular-season games played across eight different cities before two additional locations are added for the first-ever AUSL All-Star Cup in August.

Each city is auditioning to become one of six permanent markets for the league, which will transition to a traditional location-based set-up in 2026.

The PWHL dropped its 2025 Draft details on Tuesday, with the league’s third-annual entry draft set to take over Ottawa, Canada — home of the Charge — on June 24th.

Eligible NCAA standouts and other pro hockey prospects have until May 8th to declare for selection, following the PWHL’s May 3rd regular-season finale.

Notably, the second-year league follows the Gold Plan when it comes to determining draft order. Under this system, teams eliminated from the playoffs have an incentive to continue hunting wins, as franchises who amass more points post-elimination secure higher draft picks.

The New York Sirens and 2024 champions Minnesota Frost currently sit below the postseason cutoff line, meaning both teams could snag the most draft capital when the league returns from international break later this month.

NCAA stars likely to top 2025 PWHL Draft selections

Last year, the New York Sirens selected Princeton star Sarah Fillier as the overall No. 1 pick, with the rookie forward having an immediate impact in her debut pro season.

Fillier currently ranks second in individual points scored on the 2024/25 PWHL stat sheet, trailing only US hockey legend and Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight.

As for who will join Fillier and Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise — the inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft No. 1 pick — atop this year's draft, two NCAA standouts are likely contenders.

Should she declare, University of Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy is the projected 2025 No. 1 pick.

However, Murphy could return to the Golden Gophers for a final NCAA season following her international duty with the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship semifinals-bound Team USA.

Should Murphy defer her pro debut, 2024/25 NCAA MVP Casey O'Brien is the likely top selectee, having already declared for the draft.

The Wisconsin captain wrapped up her NCAA campaign as this season's leading scorer, claiming 88 points on 26 goals and 62 assists en route to this year’s national championship — the third NCAA title of her college career.

Eight top squads are edging closer to Saturday’s 2025 NCAA gymnastics championships team trophy, with the pivotal semifinal round kicking off on Thursday afternoon.

No. 2-seed Oklahoma, No. 3 Florida, No. 7 Missouri, and No. 11 Alabama will hit the mat first, before 2024 winners and the 2025 bracket's No. 1-seed LSU goes to work to defend their title against No. 4 Utah, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 8 Michigan State.

The top two teams from each of Thursday's semifinals will advance to compete for the national title on Saturday.

Semifinal meets will crown individual NCAA champions

First, however, five individual NCAA trophies will be bestowed on Thursday night, as the semifinal meets will determine the 2025 all-around and event champions.

In addition to the athletes on the eight qualifying teams, four all-around competitors and 16 event specialists will join the race for solo NCAA hardware, with each earning an invite as the top performer in their respective category at one of the sport's four Regional tournaments.

These individual contenders will follow a qualified team's rotation schedule during their semifinal meet.

Leading the all-around pack is LSU star and 2024 individual champ Haleigh Bryant, though she'll face stiff competition in her bid for a back-to-back championship.

Standing in Bryant's path are Oregon State's Jade Carey, Arkansas's Joscelyn Roberson, Denver's Madison Ulrich, and Washington's Mary McDonough, alongside qualified team athletes like UCLA's Jordan Chiles — Carey’s 2024 Olympics teammate.

Bryant will also defend her shared 2024 vault title, though her co-champion on that event, Cal's Mya Lauzon, will instead compete for beam and floor hardware this week.

All other 2024 event winners are also back, with LSU's Konnor McClain and Florida's Leanne Wong seeking to repeat on beam and floor, respectively. Wong will also hunt another trophy on bars, alongside last year's co-champ, Utah's Grace McCallum.

How to watch the 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championships

The first 2025 NCAA gymnastics semifinal starts at 4:30 PM ET on Thursday, followed by the second semi at 9 PM ET.

Live coverage of both semifinal meets will air on ESPN2.