After stellar performances for both club and country, Orlando Pride star striker Barbra Banda is the 2024 BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, becoming the eighth player across the annual award's 10 editions to earn the trophy ​on Tuesday.

At just 24 years old, Banda became the highest-scoring African player in Olympic history this past summer, registering four goals — including her third Olympic hat trick — despite Zambia's group-stage elimination.

In her first season in the league, Banda finished the 2024 NWSL season second in scoring with 13 regular-season goals. She led the Pride to their first-ever Shield and Championship wins, claiming the Championship MVP trophy with her title-winning goal. Plus, with four postseason goals, Banda set a new NWSL playoff scoring record.

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The fans' favorite footballer

Fans ultimately select the annual BBC Footballer of the Year award by voting on a five-player shortlist. That shortlist is determined by a large panel of international soccer experts, including coaches, players, administrators, and independent journalists. The panel chose this year's nominees based on their performances from September 2023 to August 2024.

Though usually heavy with UK-based athletes, this year's field lacked any club or country connection with the nation. To claim the award, Banda beat out fellow finalists Aitana Bonmatí and Caroline Graham Hansen of Barcelona FC, and fellow NWSL standouts Sophia Smith (Portland) and Naomi Girma (San Diego).

Banda is now just the second winner in the award's decade-long history without a connection to England. She joins two-time victor Ada Hegerberg, a Norwegian national and striker for Lyon, in that elite club.

A surprised Banda was quick to share credit with her Orlando teammates upon hearing the news, telling the Pride, "I'm just dedicating this award to every one of you guys who has been there for me."

With Saturday's 78-68 upset win over then-No. 17 Iowa, Tennessee ​earned their first NCAA basketball AP Top 25 nod since November 2023, slotting in at No. 19 and putting an end to the historic powerhouse's longest-ever unranked streak.

The still-undefeated Vols have featured in nearly 90% of the 870 total AP polls since the list's 1976 beginnings, but this week's Top 25 return is a triumphant one.

"The beauty of it is we earned it," head coach Kim Caldwell told reporters after the rankings dropped on Monday. "Not because the name is Tennessee. We didn’t start (ranked)."

Minor shifts pervade updated AP basketball rankings

While No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, and No. 3 South Carolina held steady atop Monday's poll, last week's elite​ NCAA basketball schedule caused minor shifts throughout much of the Top 25. Behind losses to the defending champion Gamecocks, Duke dropped one spot to No. 9 and TCU slid three to No. 12.

After suffering their season's first loss on Thursday, an 80-70 overtime thriller against Notre Dame, the Texas Longhorns fell two poll positions to No. 6.

The Irish used their momentum to tack on a second victory on Sunday, routing Syracuse 93-62 behind a trio of 20+ point double-doubles from Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and Sonia Citron. Those big wins lifted Notre Dame two spots to No. 8 this week.

Behind respective losses to aforementioned Tennessee and then-unranked NC State, Iowa and Ole Miss fell the farthest, tumbling four spots each to Nos. 21 and 22.

On the other hand, undefeated Michigan State's best start in program history saw the Spartans leap seven spots to No. 17 in the poll's biggest bump.

AP basketball poll exits and newcomers

Joining Tennessee in making their 2024 AP poll debut this week is No. 25 Georgia Tech, whose 9-0 record marks the Yellow Jackets' best season start since 1977. NC State is also back, tying Ole Miss at No. 22 after a week out of the rankings.

Meanwhile, Louisville's fourth season loss by way of UConn's 85-52 Champions Classic smackdown on Saturday sent the now-unranked Cardinals packing. Joining them in leaving this week's poll are Illinois, who logged their third season loss against No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday, and Alabama, who succumbed to unranked Cal last week.

How to watch midweek Top 25 NCAA basketball

Under the new rankings, NCAA basketball has two ranked matchups on deck this week. First, No. 18 Iowa State will battle state rivals No. 21 Iowa at 9 PM ET on Wednesday, airing live on FS1.

The marquee midweek matchup, however, hits the court at 7 PM ET on Thursday, when preseason All-Americans Paige Bueckers and Hannah Hidalgo will meet when No. 8 Notre Dame hosts No. 2 UConn.

The battle between two of the nation's best guards will be broadcast on ESPN.

Week 6 AP college basketball rankings

1. 1. UCLA (9-0, Big Ten)
2. 2. UConn (8-0, Big East)
3. 3. South Carolina (9-1, SEC)
4. 4. LSU (11-0, SEC)
5. 5. USC (8-1, Big Ten)
6. 6. Texas (8-1, SEC)
7. 7. Maryland (10-0, Big Ten)
8. 8. Notre Dame (7-2, ACC)
9. 9. Duke (9-2, ACC)
10. 10. Oklahoma (8-1, SEC)
11. 11. Ohio State (8-0, Big Ten)
12. 12. TCU (9-1, Big 12)
13. 13. Kansas State (10-1, Big 12)
14. 14. UNC (9-1, ACC)
15. 15. West Virginia (9-1, Big 12)
16. 16. Kentucky (8-1, SEC)
17. 17. Michigan State (9-0, Big Ten)
18. 18. Iowa State (8-2, Big 12)
19. 19. Tennessee (7-0, SEC)
20. 20. Michigan (8-1, Big Ten)
21. 21. Iowa (8-1, Big Ten)
22. 22. Ole Miss (6-3, SEC)
23. 22. NC State (6-3, ACC)
24. 24. Nebraska (8-1, Big Ten)
25. 25. Georgia Tech (9-0, ACC)

UNC won their 22nd NCAA soccer title last night, beating Wake Forest 1-0 to lift the 2024 College Cup and end the Tar Heels' 12-year championship drought.

After a first half spent largely chasing the Demon Deacons, who outshot UNC 5-1 in that time frame, North Carolina broke through in the 62nd minute after a curling free kick from sophomore Olivia Thomas banged into the side netting.

Thomas, who only scored five regular-season goals after spending a large portion of 2024 nursing a hamstring injury, hit the gas in the postseason, ultimately tallying four goals in the NCAA tournament.

Her championship-winning strike earned Thomas the 2024 College Cup’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player award, while UNC goalkeeper Clare Gagne's trio of saves in last night's match snagged her Most Outstanding Defensive Player honors.

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A dynasty revived and a new UNC coach welcomed

With last night's victory, the UNC women's soccer dynasty once again owns more NCAA soccer hardware than all other Division I programs combined, an accomplishment made even more impressive by the hurdles the Tar Heels faced in their 2024 campaign.

After 45 years as head coach,​ UNC's program founder Anson Dorrance​ retired four days before this season's kick-off. Longtime associate coach Damon Nahas was handed the interim reins, stepping in to helm the now-champion squad.

On top of the late coaching swap, the Tar Heels were still reeling from a 2023 mass exodus in which 11 players turned pro and nine transferred out of Chapel Hill.

"We call it the great migration," remarked Thomas after the win. "Transfers came in, club players came up, and we all just meshed together so well… It could've gone any direction [but] here we are and we won it all."

Last night's trophy was ultimately both a retirement gift to Dorrance and a welcome present to Nahas, who received the official nod for the permanent head coaching position just hours before the championship match.

Nahas, who now just needs approval from the UNC Board of Trustees before signing his contract, remains steadfast that the job is merely icing on this season's cake.

"This is a unique season of an extraordinary accomplishment from a group of 27 girls that most people would never have gambled on," Nahas said about his team. "I just love coaching them."

"This national championship is... a greater gift than the head coaching position here at North Carolina. I get to share this with them for the rest of our lives."

The USWNT is challenging Brazil to an Olympic rematch in the form of ​two April 2025 friendlies, with the 2024 gold medalists kicking off against their silver counterparts on April 5th in Los Angeles before closing out the two-match series in San Jose on April 8th.

The rivals' opening LA clash will be SoFi Stadium's first-ever women's professional sporting event. The state-of-the-art NFL venue, which opened in 2020, is gearing up to host the 2026 Men's World Cup and will test its first natural grass installation in March, prior to the USWNT's visit.

"These are matches against a top team in fantastic stadiums that will be as fun for the players as they are for the fans," US boss Emma Hayes said in a statement. "To play the first ever women’s professional match at Sofi Stadium is a great honor and one worthy of this team."

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USWNT writes next chapter in a deep history

The USWNT has a long history with the 2027 World Cup hosts, and April's matches will mark their 42nd and 43rd meetings with the world No. 8 team.

That said, the No. 1 US hasn't lost to Brazil since 2014, and holds a 33-3-5 all-time record against the South American powerhouse.

Their two 2024 bouts both ended in 1-0 US victories, each in a title-clinching final. First, the USWNT claimed the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup off a game-winning Lindsey Horan header in March, before Mal Swanson's lone goal snagged August's Olympic final win.

How to buy tickets to see the USWNT vs. Brazil

Tickets for both of April's matches are available now via presale, with general sales opening at 1 PM ET on Friday.

The April 5th LA match will kick off at 5 PM ET, with live coverage on TNT. San Jose's game is set for 10:30 PM ET on April 8th, and will air on TBS.

Three players exited Gotham FC in NWSL free agency last week, putting the NJ/NY club's superteam status in question as the early offseason brings a slew of roster shakeups.

Headlining the Gotham defectors is starting midfielder Delanie Sheehan, who notched two goals and logged the third-most minutes for the NWSL semifinalists last season. Sheehan will join the Houston Dash, inking a two-year contract with an addition option for the 2027 season last Wednesday.

Joining Sheehan in signing contracts with new clubs are defenders Maitane López, who joined the newly rebranded Chicago Stars FC on a two-year deal last Thursday, and Sam Hiatt, who inked a two-season contract with a 2027 option with the Portland Thorns on Friday.

Though Gotham has seen the biggest exodus since the end of the 2024 NWSL season, they're not the only club suffering losses. Last Wednesday, defender Madison Curry, who led Angel City in tackles by a mile with 45 in her 2024 rookie season, signed a three-year deal with the Seattle Reign.

NWSL salary cap, new CBA fuel player movement

Under the NWSL's new CBA, all players out of contract automatically become unrestricted free agents, giving athletes greater control over their professional and geographical futures as their careers progress.

Pay hikes, more playing time, and other personal and professional considerations influence player movement, encouraging league parity in light of the college draft's dissolution.

Along with individual athlete preferences and an exploding pool of free agents, NWSL front offices must still contend with the league's current salary cap. Illustrated by Sheehan's choice ​to join 2024 last-place Houston​ rather than stay with a Gotham side that won the 2023 championship and finished third last season, it can be difficult to maintain such hyper-talented rosters under the current salary cap.

This lineup reshuffling will only accelerate under the NWSL's planned two-team 2026 expansion, further burgeoning this new era of league-wide change.