The 2022 calendar year introduced what is likely only the beginning of monumental change to professional women’s soccer in the U.S. But the process of identifying past wrongdoing in the NWSL possibly found its end on Wednesday, with the release of the NWSL and NWSLPA’s joint investigation into misconduct only a few months after Sally Q. Yates announced her own findings on the league’s culture of systemic abuse.

Action steps have been slightly slower to follow. The Yates report changed everything about how the public perceived the first 10 years of the NWSL’s existence, but it didn’t actually recommend any immediate changes in personnel. The report questioned the isolated use of SafeSport and recommended policy and process shifts to create a stronger infrastructure of transparency and care, but while it named bad actors, it deferred to the league itself on next steps.

Simultaneously, the NWSL made fact-finding one of the main objectives of its own investigation. Commissioner Jessica Berman outlined a three-pronged process for next steps before the NWSL Championship in October: “First, seeking the truth, second, corrective action, and third, systemic reform.”

At the time, Berman said the NWSL was still operating in the first stage of that overall plan: finding the facts. For a league that has long had a nebulous relationship with the truth, processing massive amounts of vetted information is no small feat. Both the Yates report and the NWSL investigation detail the ways abusive behavior had been dismissed and covered up for many years and across the majority of clubs.

The Yates report went into detail about how half-truths and words of encouragement from Merritt Paulson allowed Paul Riley to move on from misconduct at the Portland Thorns to coach the Western New York Flash and then the North Carolina Courage. The NWSL investigation further tells the stories of non-disclosure agreements — tied to severance payments — that allowed coaches like Rory Dames and Christy Holly to walk away from their positions with their reputations contractually protected. By fighting the norms that have been in place for years, simply by bringing hard truths to light, the league is making progress.

The NWSL investigation also came with a set of recommendations at both the club and league level. That list includes proposed standards for staffing, especially in human resources, and a number of policy proposals. The NWSL will establish a non-fraternization policy “that will create clear rules regarding romantic and/or sexual relationships and/or encounters between players and staff,” according to the press release. The league will also increase vetting requirements beyond basic background checks and establish standards about alcohol use in social settings.

Those kinds of changes appear to fall into the third category of Berman’s stated outline: systemic reform. But it would be fair to wonder whether the second segment — corrective action — has been lost in the shuffle.

There have already been consequences to both the Yates report and the NWSL investigation. After being implicated in the Yates report for covering up Riley’s abuse, former Thorns general manager Gavin Wilkinson and president of soccer Mike Golub were fired in October, and Paulson has announced he is divesting the Thorns from the Timbers in order to sell the team. Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler, named extensively in both reports for fostering a toxic work environment, announced in early December that he is selling the club. Amanda Cromwell was suspended as coach of the Orlando Pride while under investigation for retaliation, and later terminated for cause after the allegations were substantiated.

But Wilkinson and Golub’s firings were club decisions, and Paulson and Whisler’s choices to sell were ostensibly voluntary. The NWSL has influenced owners to sell in the past. Last year, the Washington Spirit were removed from league governance until they reached a resolution to Steve Baldwin’s decisions as owner, at which point Baldwin elected to sell his stake in the club.

Had Paulson and Whisler further dragged their feet, it’s possible the Board of Governors would have made a push for their removal. It’s also possible that concerns over potential lawsuits or damaging acts of finger-pointing would have rendered them inert.

Regardless, other questions remain. And as fans look for signs of true change in leadership, they might currently find themselves disappointed.

The NWSL report named Huw Williams, former head coach of the Kansas City Current, for retaliating against players and coaching with a detrimental communication style. Players brought concerns to ownership in August 2021, but Williams still finished the season as head coach and spent 2022 in a different front-office role. Only after the release of Wednesday’s report did the Current admit that Williams no longer worked for the club as of November. The team also released a statement that did not acknowledge the decision-making behind his move to the front-office role.

Fans in Houston also saw the unsatisfying end to James Clarkson’s tenure as head coach, after a lengthy investigation ended with no detailed action items. Clarkson, suspended first in April and then named in the NWSL investigation for emotional misconduct and insensitivity, will simply have his current contract with the Dash expire at the end of 2022.

Even less action has been taken with Racing Louisville’s James O’Connor, who was named in the Yates report for misrepresenting the recommendations he received about Christy Holly before his hiring, and for failing to properly address complaints about Holly’s coaching and behavior. O’Connor served as Racing Louisville president until October, at which point the club began looking for a general manager to run Racing’s operations (O’Connor still runs the Louisville City FC side of the organization). As with Wilkinson and Golub, O’Connor’s future seems to hinge on a club decision, and for now the club appears to be sticking by their president.

Former USWNT manager and current San Diego Wave president Jill Ellis was also named in both reports for having received complaints about NWSL coaches during her tenure with the U.S. In the NWSL report, she specifically denied seeing a complaint from Christen Press about Dames. The Wave have yet to formally acknowledge Ellis’ involvement in their statements about either investigation.

In a functioning league ecosystem, the NWSL doesn’t have to meddle in club affairs, but multiple investigations call for further consequences. Systemic change can only come from corrective action, and eyes will be on Berman’s office for moral clarity before the 2023 preseason begins.

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

Star LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson knows exactly what she'd get head coach Kim Mulkey for Christmas.

"Blue crabs," she told Just Women's Sports in November, days before DICK'S Sporting Goods declared her Greatest Wrapper in the Game, a promotion touting the college senior's own wrapping paper line and online video series. "Me and her, we like to eat blue crab."

Ranked No. 5 in the AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll, LSU is never far from the Final Four conversation. But Johnson — who's increasingly brought a personal touch to her leadership role on the Tigers — has ambitions that extend far beyond finishing out her collegiate career on top.

Already an NCAA champion with eyes on next year's WNBA draft, the 22-year-old dynamic guard  has cemented her legacy as a multi-talent. She's a decorated musician and rapper, an interdisciplinary studies major with a minor in sports administration, and a menace on the court with a motor that never quits. 

"I gotta be me first," she said — and that's the secret to her success.

As LSU's leading scorer, Flau'jae Johnson is off to the races

Johnson knows that the Tigers' nonconference schedule rarely features marquee matchups. 

"We don't play nobody in our nonconference schedule," she said. "From December on out, that's when it gets really [exciting]." 

Mulkey often schedules a slow start for the team, gradually building towards peak form once LSU enters SEC play in January.

That hasn't stopped the Tigers from showing the country what they're capable of this season. They've scored more than 100 points through all eight matchups so far, setting a new NCAA record for consecutive 100+ point games. 

Johnson's progress has featured heavily in every blowout win. She leads the team in points, assists, and three-point percentage per game. But she sees her greatest growth in the intangibles.

Flau'jae Johnson steps up as LSU coach Kim Mulkey's right hand

A self-described loner, Johnson strived to connect with new teammates throughout her four years in Baton Rouge. It's an especially important task as part of an LSU team that thrives through the transfer portal. 

The Tigers won the NCAA championship in 2023 — Johnson's freshman year — led by transfer forward Angel Reese, who was then joined the following year by high-profile transfers Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow. This season, former South Carolina Gamecock MiLaysia Fulwiley has entered the mix, with Johnson quickly creating chemistry. 

"Ballers just want to ball, like hoopers just want to hoop," she said. "You find different ways to bond and gel with teammates." 

When the accomplished hip hop artist's not in the groove working on music, she's trying to extend a hand to the team's freshest faces. "It's been a new job for me as a leader on the team," she said. "It's been easy though, because we just want to hoop."

Year-in, year-out, the Tigers' success relies on picking up instructions and learning schemes quickly, with Johnson — a player very comfortable with Mulkey's system — stepping up to take on the role of team liaison. 

"You've just got to read everybody, their emotions, how they're feeling, and you've just got to be there for everybody," she explained. "But that's not hard for me, because I'm an older sister."

Holiday trips and Secret Santas: Flau'jae Johnson's familial drive

Family is everything to Johnson. Being a college basketball star can make the holiday season tough, as the season runs straight through time she'd love to spend back home in Georgia. And with conference play on the horizon, she knows she has to stay focused on the court now more than ever.

"I kind of put that out of my mind, that I won't be with my family until I go pro, because it used to be hard on me seeing my little brothers go trick-or-treating and stuff without me," she reflected, noting how excited she was to use her own DICK'S wrapping paper to shower her family with gifts this year. 

Her favorite college holiday memory also involves her family, when her entire family traveled to the team's Thanksgiving tournament in the Bahamas. 

"My momma snuck food on the plane — literally the whole Thanksgiving, she cooked it and froze it and put it under the plane," she said, beaming. "And we had a smash Thanksgiving meal in freaking the Bahamas."

This year, Johnson's already looking forward to her team's annual Secret Santa exchange, while also planning to spend her limited time off this winter on a surprise family cabin trip to Colorado The world of NIL has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for Johnson to spread her growing wealth, and she's taken to those opportunities with easy charm.

Setting sights on No. 1, from Baton Rouge to the WNBA

Far from settling for a decorated college run and lucrative personal brand, Johnson is also locked in on making a smooth transition to the WNBA. The calendar year for rising pros is a physical gauntlet, with the draft taking place just weeks after what LSU hopes will be a deep NCAA tournament campaign.

"I'm so ready to go pro," she said. "I really want to establish myself, to show I could be the number one pick in the draft. I feel like my talent level is there, but I've got to execute." 

"The W is fascinating," she added. "It's forever growing, and it's powerful women doing these things. So I'm just excited to be in that group."

Johnson has recently been focusing on her fitness, anticipating increased physicality at the pro level — while also aiming for balance. "They're not going to be swinging me around like I'm a little rag doll," she laughed. "[But] I feel like my mind is the most important part. I want to grow, I want to get better."

Of course, other than committing to winning at all levels, Johnson doesn't know exactly what her future holds. For now, she'll continue to make music, sharpen her game, and stay true to herself. As a player with so many gifts to give, the rest will come naturally.

Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) stocked up by adding 43 former NCAA and Olympic stars to its ranks on Monday night, with Talons utility player Maya Brady — niece of retired NFL legend Tom Brady — leading the charge as the No. 1 overall pick by the incoming Oklahoma City Spark in the league's expansion draft.

Starting the inaugural 2025 AUSL campaign on injured reserve, the former UCLA standout went on to feature in six games for the championship-winning Talons, registering one double, one home run, and five RBIs on the season.

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The now-six -team league absorbed the previously independent Spark as part of an initial expansion plan, acquiring the Oklahoma City-based squad with the intention of finding permanent homes for all AUSL teams in the near future.

Also joining the AUSL next year is new franchise Cascade, which snagged Volts pitcher and former University of Oklahoma ace Sam Landry as the No. 2 overall pick on Monday.

Though the four original teams protected five players each, the Spark and Cascade raided their rosters in the expansion draft, claiming stars like infielders Sydney Romero (Talons) and Jessi Warren (Volts) as well as pitchers Alana Vawter (Blaze) and Payton Gottshall (Volts) for their debut lineups.

Immediately following the expansion draft, all six teams took part in an allocation draft, selecting athletes from either the 2025 AUSL Reserve Pool or those previously competing outside the league.

Former Oklahoma and Oklahoma State pitcher Kelly Maxwell earned the top pick in the allocation draft, with the new Cascade player joined by other recent NCAA softball legends like former Sooners Kinzie Hansen, Jayda Coleman, and Jocelyn Alo, Florida State's Kat Sandercock and Sydney Sherrill, Washington's Sis Bates, and Clemson's Valerie Cagle.

US Soccer officially launched the Kang Women's Institute on Tuesday, creating a new platform dedicated to "advancing health, performance, and development for women and girls across the sport" funded by $55 million from multi-team owner Michele Kang.

"For far too long, women and girls have trained under systems and standards built for men, and the Kang Women's Institute is an essential first step in changing that," US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a federation statement. "By grounding our work in real research and evidence, we can finally give female players the support, care, and understanding they deserve.

"This is the beginning of a much larger effort, and Michele has helped us take a huge leap forward in reshaping the future of the women's game for generations to come."

After adding a $25 million investment last April to her original $30 million pledge to US Soccer in 2024, Kang is going all in on addressing the stark lack of sports medicine and exercise science research into women athletes — and female physiology at-large.

"This Institute will put female athletes at the center of US Soccer's scientific research and build the evidence, systems, and standards that will allow women and girls to reach their full potential," promised Kang.

The Institute also outlined its early initiatives in Tuesday's press release, with injury prevention and workload management, developmental best practices, and physical and mental player well-being headlining the projects.

"This is not just about closing a research gap," said Kang. "It's about creating a future where every player has the knowledge, care, and opportunity to thrive."

The PWHL is rapidly looking to ramp up expansion, with EVP of business operations Amy Scheer saying this week that the third-year pro hockey league could welcome "two to four" new teams as soon as next year.

"If I was a betting woman, I'd say it'd be four teams. And then I think we'll hold at 12 for a bit," she told CNBC Sport, noting the league's immediate success with 2025/26 expansion sides the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Seattle Torrent — the latter of which shattered the US women's hockey attendance record in their Friday home opener.

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Accordingly, the PWHL will continue testing possible new markets using the league's historically packed Takeover Tour, with this season's 11-city route expanding to feature seven new host venues.

"What does the support of women's sports look like there?" Scheer said, outlining the league's criteria for assessing potential markets. "If there's an NHL team, what does that look like? Or from the building, is there government support there? How does it impact travel? So there's a lot of factors."

As for the league's notably speedy expansion pace, Scheer told Front Office Sports that the PWHL has "proven that time is overrated."

"The more our numbers grow, the more value we have as a league, the more value we have against our partnerships we sell, the more merchandise we sell," Scheer explained. "Those two things — growth and profitability — are not separate."