Beath Mead and Vivianne Miedema are set to work with FIFA to help further understand ACL injuries in women’s football, according to the BBC.

Both sustained ACL injuries at the end of 2022, forcing them to miss last year’s Women’s World Cup. They also both recently returned to club action.

Prior to her injury, Mead was runner-up for the Ballon d’Or in 2022, having been the top scorer at the Euros tournament that year. The duo, who both play for Arsenal, have spoken out about ACL injuries in women’s soccer.

The number of injuries continues to grow, with Chelsea strikers Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel having both picked up ACL injuries this year. Arsenal defender Leah Williamson also missed last summer’s World Cup with a tear.

“There were a few ACL injuries in the World Cup and there’s been quite a few since this season,” Mead said. “We brought our documentary out to bring it to light a little bit better. Off the back of that, we’ve linked up with a few more [people].

“Hopefully we can get more data put out there and more specific information rather than just taking a survey that people do online in 10 or 15 minutes. We can be a bit more specific and nail down on it.”

Mead said that she’s learned a lot about ACL injuries in the last year, but the “million dollar question” is what is causing them.

“Someone has got to be very rich to figure out how to stop these injuries,” she added. “There’s no definitive answer on how to stop it and I think that’s the frustrating part. We do feel the responsibility. There’s a lot of us that have power in a good way to try to help and push on with the research.

“It’s funny how much knowledge you actually get throughout [ACL injury recovery]. I saw [Chelsea manager] Emma Hayes’ interview and I thought it was interesting what she said about the 10 days between swapping from club and country [being the most dangerous time for ACL injuries].

“Mine was actually in that period. I’d just come back from England and transferred to club that weekend. I do believe the stress, mental components and the scheduling are big, big factors that affect this injury.”

Mead has since returned to the England squad, saying that she’s “getting into a good swing,” although it’s hard not to compare herself to when she was at her best.

“Even when I first started training, stuff that I knew I was always good at, was a little bit different. I’d still be so critical of myself,” she said. “It’s a tough injury. You look at everyone and they come back differently.”

The WNBA recognized May’s top performers on Wednesday, handing out the first round of monthly awards to early-season standouts across the league.

Lynx star Napheesa Collier picked up Western Conference Player of the Month, with the forward averaging 26.8 points per game while leading Minnesota to a 6-0 May start.

Earning the same honor in the Eastern Conference was Dream standout guard Allisha Gray, who started the season with a 21.4 points-per-game average to help boost Atlanta to third in the league standings.

New York Liberty manager Sandy Brondello won Coach of the Month — a natural fit after leading the 2024 WNBA champs to their best opening record since 1997.

The most surprising nod, however, went to Rookie of the Month Kiki Iriafen, with the Mystics forward averaging a 13.9-point, 10.1-rebound double-double while shooting 47.4% from the field in her first month as a pro.

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The USC product opened the season with a bang, becoming just the second rookie in WNBA history to record four double-doubles in her first five games, joining Utah Starzz forward Natalie Williams, who did so in 1999 — three years before Iriafen was born.

The day-one Mystics starter is also the first Rookie of the Month in Washington franchise history, telling reporters, "From the day I got drafted to the Mystics, I just put my head down, like, I'm going to work… I'm just giving my best effort every single time that I'm playing, and it's nice to see the fruits of your labor come to fruition."

How to watch the winners of May's WNBA awards in action

While Collier's Lynx and Gray's Dream are off until the weekend, Brondello's Liberty will visit Iriafen and the Mystics at 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, live on Prime.

Texas softball took Game 1 of the 2025 Women's College World Series (WCWS) championship series by topping in-state rivals Texas Tech 2-1 on Wednesday night, putting the Longhorns just one win away from clinching a program-first national championship.

"It's tight, especially when you're facing a good pitcher," said Texas catcher Reese Atwood, who delivered the game-winning hit. "Any momentum, any energy, we'll take it."

After a controversial obstruction call gifted Texas Tech a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth, a rare misstep from Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady gave Texas the daylight they needed to pull ahead.

With two Longhorns in scoring position and Atwood — the nation's RBI leader — stepping to the plate, Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco decided to take advantage of the vacant first base by instructing Canady to intentionally walk Atwood.

Noticing that Canady's intentional balls were dangerously close to the strike zone, Atwood capitalized, launching a game-winning two-run single on a 3-0 count — her first hit of the WCWS.

"Maybe it was the wrong decision. Maybe we should've went at her," said Glasco following the loss.

With up to two games left to play, the 2025 WCWS has already been a huge hit, averaging 1.1 million viewers on ESPN before the championship series even began — the network's highest pre-finals viewership on record.

While this year's NCAA tournament chases even more viewership history, Texas Tech will be hunting a Game 2 win to keep their championship dreams alive.

How to watch Game 2 of the 2025 WCWS championship series

The Red Raiders and Longhorns will square off again at 8 PM ET in Thursday's Game 2 of the best-of-three series, airing live on ESPN.

England dropped its 2025 Euro roster on Thursday morning, with manager Sarina Wiegman's title-defending squad facing major shakeups after three longtime staples recently withdrew from consideration.

Forward Fran Kirby and goalkeeper Mary Earps officially announced their international retirements mere days before the drop, with Wiegman previously informing 31-year-old Kirby of her omission from this summer's lineup.

Defender Millie Bright followed suit, stepping back from the team in a Wednesday social media post that stated she's "not able to give 100% mentally or physically."

While these shifts don't necessarily spell defeat, England now faces an uphill climb in their hunt for a second straight European title.

The Lionesses will start their campaign in Group D, a tricky division featuring perennial powerhouses France and the Netherlands plus regional rival Wales.

To further complicate things, England is also coming off a rocky Nations League run, failing to qualify for this year's Finals after finishing second behind Group A3 winner — and 2023 World Cup champs — Spain.

Though their 2025 Euro roster is missing some homegrown talent, the England lineup does feature a handful of NWSL stars stepping into the spotlight.

Washington defender Esme Morgan will make her Euro debut after helping lead the Lionesses to the 2023 World Cup final, while Gotham defender Jess Carter and Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse return to the competition to defend their 2022 success.

All in all, with a refreshed roster and increased parity across the women's game, the Lionesses' path to 2025 Euro victory is now more uncertain than ever.

England's 2025 Euro roster

• Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)

• Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Maya le Tissier (Manchester United)

• Midfielders: Ella Toone (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Chelsea), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Jess Park (Manchester City)

• Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, on loan from Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Michelle Agyemang (Brighton, on loan from Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)

Reebok Basketball dropped the first player exclusive shoe from WNBA star Angel Reese on Wednesday, just one week after the debuting the Chicago Sky standout's signature logo.

Alongside her name, Reese's logo features on the tongue of the two-tone black cherry and pink "Pretty Gritty" Engine A shoes.

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The player-exclusive colorway is a limited-edition release, with Reese most recently sporting a pair of the "Pretty Gritty" sneakers in Chicago's 97-92 win over the Dallas Wings last Thursday.

Reese signed with Reebok during her senior year at LSU in 2023, with this week's drop marking the WNBA sophomore's first-ever basketball shoe.

Reese's customized version of Reebok's existing Engine A sneakers comes as the apparel giant works with the Sky forward to design her first signature shoe. That ensuing collaboration will drop in 2026.

"I'm excited to give fans a glimpse into what's to come in our overall partnership, and we're still just getting started," said Reese about her player exclusive.

How to buy Angel Reese player exclusive Reebok sneaker

Angel Reese's "Pretty Gritty" Engine A sneakers are on sale now at select retail locations as well as via Reebok's website.