Caprice Dydasco is a defender for Sky Blue FC of the NWSL. In the lead-up to the Challenge Cup, she tore her ACL in training and had to miss the tournament. She recently sat down with Just Women’s Sports to talk about her injury, documenting her recovery on social media, and the success of the NWSL’s Challenge Cup.

Can you talk us through your recent ACL injury?

So this injury happened on June 1st. It was our second week back to training after quarantine and it was just a freak thing. The sprinklers went off at training, so we stopped working. When we continued, I went in for a tackle and my back foot slipped because it was a little slippery, and as I tried to recover, I just heard my knee buckle. It was my third one [ACL tear], so I heard the pop and I tried to be in denial for a little, but as I was walking off the field it just gave out. Right then I knew that I had torn my ACL again.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CAP (@capricedydasco)

Luckily, I was able to get diagnosed quickly with a torn ACL and MCL and within two weeks I was able to get surgery. I then stayed in New Jersey and New York for two weeks before coming back home to Hawaii.

I’m now six weeks out of surgery and I’m feeling really good. My physical trainer here has been really happy with my progress, and throughout this recovery, I’ve been keeping in touch with the team and our staff. I’m making really good progress and my goal is to be back for 2021.

This unfortunately isn’t the first time you’ve torn your ACL, so when this happened again, you already knew what it was?

Yeah. Every athlete’s nightmare is hearing that sound and after hearing that pop twice before, I was like, “There’s no way this is ever going to happen to me again.” It’s really strange because every single time it has happened, I’ve felt the best I’ve ever felt physically – just super in shape, playing really well, playing the best I’ve ever played – and it’s always something you just cannot prepare for.

As soon as you hear that noise, you just know right away. You go into waves of denial, of like, “Oh, I didn’t tear my ACL. Maybe it’s just a hyperextension,” and then you go to walk and your knee gives out. Then the roller coaster of emotions hits you until you finally get your MRI back, and then you’re like, “Okay, at least I know for a fact that this is what it is.”

Do you approach this injury the same way as the previous two? 

So the first two, I tore just my ACL. This time around, I tore my ACL and MCL, so it was a little bit longer of a process to recover because it takes a longer time to heal. With just a torn ACL, you start doing rehab right after surgery, but for a torn MCL you have to be a little bit more tender with it.

Knowing this, as soon as I hurt my knee, I knew that I had to be strong going into surgery because that helps the recovery after surgery. I also knew that I had to start bending my knee right after surgery. So my slight experience in this field definitely helped some of those little things, plus knowing how to prepare mentally for surgery. For this third one, I’m like, “All right. It is what it is. Let’s just do it.”

2020 has been a pretty wild year. Has quarantine affected your recovery at all?

I would say it’s a little bit more normal now than when quarantine first started during preseason. I think back then it was harder because we needed to physically go out and train and be around the team and stuff, but rehab is a very individual thing, So I’m able to do that on my own and I’m very lucky that physical therapy is considered “essential” because it’s open and I have full access to it.

I have a really good relationship with my physical therapist and I’ve been seeing him since I was 12. So I’m able to go in every day and he’s able to give me everything that I need. I also got really lucky with surgery because at the time of my tear, the hospital had just reopened the week before. So they were able to fit me in in the middle of this pandemic and all of the testing going on.

What has a typical day in Hawaii been like? That doesn’t seem like the worst place to be stuck during all this.

Honestly, I would’ve rather been in Utah. But I’m lucky that my family and my parents are very supportive of me and they’re always here in Hawaii, so it’s really not a bad place to be for recovery.

Every morning I wake up, have breakfast, coffee, and then I’ll go to PT. I’ve also been trying to spend time with my grandparents and my family as much as I can while I’m here, so I’ll go to lunch with my grandparents. Typically, I go to the beach in the afternoons just for a little swim and then have dinner with my friends or my family. So it’s very chill when I’m home. There’s not much that’s open, but it’s been nice. Since quarantine, I’ve become a professional chiller.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CAP (@capricedydasco)

We’ve seen a side of your recovery on the Instagram Account @ScarredTogether. Can you talk to us about this organization and what it’s like to go through the injury process with 4 other NWSL athletes?

So, Jordan Angeli is the founder of The ACL Club, and I’ve known her for a few years. She’s always been super supportive and as soon as I tore my ACL again, my agent and I jumped on a call with her to discuss documenting my recovery while using my platform on the ACL Club’s account.

So that’s how it all started. I was the first one to tear my ACL, but as soon as the tournament started, unfortunately, there was one tear after another, after another. When you tear your ACL, you just have this weird bond with each other because you’re going through the same issues and you all have this scar to show for it. When you’re an athlete, you just put so much work in, and then when it happens, it’s so devastating.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SCARRED TOGETHER (@scarredtogether)

Jordan and I talked about how amazing it is for athletes to bond together during these circumstances and we wanted to show other people what we’re going through. This platform allows us to collaborate with so many other people going through all kinds of injuries and I think it’s really cool to see that we all go through the same struggles, same downs, and same ups. Hopefully, we can help each other out through this whole process and go tackle obstacles together. Eventually, I would love to organize something where we have Instagram Lives and have people ask questions about anything – physically or mentally. I want to use this platform as an open and safe space for people to be vulnerable and share their thoughts.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SCARRED TOGETHER (@scarredtogether)

Shifting gears to NWSL Challenge Cup, what was the team’s mindset going into that? 

At the beginning of quarantine, we were all just training on our own at home and it was hard because we thought this was going to be a week or a month-long thing. We’d get workouts weekly and the staff would say like, “Okay, maybe another month of this.”

It was hard to stay motivated during this whole process, leading up to July, but eventually, we heard from the league about this potential month-long tournament. That’s when the buzz started to go around and there were plenty of mixed emotions. We’re in the middle of a pandemic and they’re asking us to go somewhere remote for a month and we had no idea what the health risks were and no clue where we were going to live.

Even with these mixed emotions, I think our staff did a great job in relaying all the information needed to make sure we felt prepared and comfortable way before anyone was to step foot in Utah.

What were your thoughts on how the league handled this return?

Lisa Baird, our commissioner, did an amazing job of making sure that all the players were involved in the decision making. They ran a bunch of surveys and league calls to make sure that everyone felt comfortable and all of our questions were answered before heading there.

So it was a really good combination of everyone’s input of what needed to be done for everyone to feel safe. And once the girls got there, they told me that the bubble felt really safe and secure.

It takes the whole league’s effort to make something like this work. Everyone involved was fully invested in following all of the rules, and I think that’s why it worked out so well.

How do you think your club, Sky Blue FC, fared throughout it all?

I was just so bummed the way it ended. I felt like if they had just five more minutes, they would’ve tied it up. But it’s encouraging and awesome that we feel this way – that we’re very disappointed in not making it to the finals. We just know the potential of this team and where we can go and it’s going to be exciting for everyone to come back, be hungry again and bring that same attitude and that feeling from losing into next season.

Looking ahead, what are some of your goals as you prepare for your 7th NWSL Season in 2021?

At the beginning of this season, I finally got a hold of the league and my style of play. I just felt really good. This year, I know my body’s a little older, so I just want to listen to it and take this recovery day-by-day. I know I don’t have to rush because time is on my side, but I would love to just work on just feeling strong.

And then once I’m ready to start playing again, I just really want to focus on working from the ground up. This isn’t a make-or-break year for me, but I’d rather not have people consistently bring up that I tore my ACL last year. I would want them to focus instead on how hard I worked this offseason.

Ultimately, I’m really stoked to just be around the team and get going again.

A feeling of quiet exuberance pervaded Gotham FC's postgame press conference on Sunday. It was moments after the No. 8 Bats bounced No. 1 Kansas City, the winningest team in NWSL history, from the first round of the 2025 playoffs.

Despite competing for a top-four finish up until the regular season finale, the New York/New Jersey side slid into the postseason as the lowest-seeded contender. But that was before they pulled off the ultimate upset against the league's best.

"Underdog, my ass — we are not an underdog," Gotham forward Jaedyn Shaw said with a wry smile, taking the mic to discuss the team's belief in one another.

She answered the postgame questions with the same level of confidence as she played, registering both the opening goal and an assist on Katie Stengel's extra-time game-winner. She impacted the match on levels, showing unfettered commitment to the club that made a million-dollar gamble on her midseason.

But Shaw hasn't always been as self-assured as Sunday's performance would bely. Her current tenacity on the pitch is a result of a non-linear journey back to playing with joy. And that's a factor she's always considered her superpower.

Shaw enters her New York era as Gotham picks up speed

Shaw is taking to city life like a natural, she told Just Women's Sports in the lull between the regular season and the playoffs. She found herself adjusting to the change of scenery in September, following a league-record transfer from the North Carolina Courage. It was a move she pursued after seeing her on-field progress stall in her first year in Cary.

"I definitely am a bit more of a city girl," the Dallas-area native said. "It's fun for this part of my life — I'm turning 21 this month. I just feel like my early 20s is going to be a fun era."

After months of uncertainty, Shaw's latest era appears to be in a complete upswing. After landing in North Carolina by way of the San Diego Wave, her playing time and attacking efficiency dwindled. But the 20-year-old has looked like a brand new player since making the jump to New Jersey. She scored in her first match against the Wave, and in October she returned to the ranks of the senior USWNT for the first time since April. 

Of course, her progress hasn't been lost on Gotham. The club recently signed Shaw to a contract extension through 2029.

"Everyone has been so welcoming to me and has made this place feel like home, and it's been a really easy transition for me," she said, days before her standout playoff performance.

Shaw's rising star takes flight in San Diego

One of the pioneers of the NWSL's U-18 entry mechanism, Shaw has always been comfortable following  the game. She knows that growth isn't always linear, and faces setbacks that all young footballers battle early in their careers. She burst onto the scene in 2022 at the age of 17, looking like the Wave's next cornerstone creator and immediately gelling with USWNT superstar Alex Morgan. 

But things changed ahead of the 2025 season. San Diego made a swift coaching change, and Morgan rode off into the retirement sunset. That's when Shaw requested a move to the Courage. She wanted to play a higher-possession style that seemed to favor her instincts as a deep attacker or creative midfielder. 

However, Shaw's style and the Courage's philosophy fairly quickly proved not to be a good fit. She struggled to marry her desire for fearless attacking with the club's more methodical approach, seeing less and less playing time. After winning Olympic gold with the USWNT in 2024, Shaw fell out of senior team consideration during the summer. She didn't wait long to request another change.

Gotham took a gamble on Shaw — and it's paying off

Gotham set a new intra-league transfer record bringing Shaw in midseason, betting big on her ability to change the tempo. 

"The staff knew a little bit the way the first part of the season had gone for me as an individual," she said. "They really focused on the delivery of things towards me, making me feel really confident and comfortable in this environment." 

The Gotham locker room presented very few question marks, packed with Shaw's USWNT teammates like Midge Purce, Rose Lavelle, and Emily Sonnett. Youth level compatriots like Lilly Reale, Sofia Cook, and Sarah Schupansky were also there. But not only did she find connection off the field, she also took to the faster pace and heightened creativity on the pitch.

"I have freedom once I get to a certain part of the field, playing with risk-takers like Rose and Midge and Esthér," said Shaw. She was impressed by her teammates' bravery in one-on-one situations, not losing confidence even if combinations don't work right away. And the coaching staff supports them all the way.

"Trying [something] again without hesitation and not getting screamed at or pulled off the field, feeling like someone's ready to come in and replace you after you make a mistake, is something that I really feel in this environment," Shaw explained.

And the feeling is mutual. "Jaedyn, for me, is definitely one of the best players in the world," Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amoros said on Sunday. He credited her rejection of the team's underdog status as a feeling that permeated his entire squad. 

"It's been so fun being a part of this club," Shaw told reporters. "We all knew that we were going to come into this game and give everything that we had."

Building a foundation as Shaw's USWNT ambitions rise

Shaw might have found immediate success. But she also stressed that her comfort at Gotham needs to be a foundation rather than a short burst of quality.

"I think this year has been a lot of mental growth," she said. "How do I weather storms? Recover from mistakes? Recover from losses? How do I recover from bad performances? That's the biggest thing for me, to continue growing as a player and a professional." 

She wants to keep excelling with the USWNT, whether at the U23 or senior level. And Gotham has her back there. "I feel like [Gotham's] goals align with mine," she said. "They know how important the national team is to me."

Gotham also knows that much of the club's success hinges their young star's willingness to maintain the mental edge that propelled her initial rise. 

"My style of play is very based on how I feel and how comfortable I am, how much I believe in myself, and confidence in the environment," she added.

Whether or not Shaw's resurgence can take Gotham all the way to their second NWSL championship is yet to be seen. But regardless, the dividends are already paying off for everyone involved.

"[Gotham's] brought me back to how I was when I was younger, the way that I trained and what got me to this place," Shaw said. "I feel like I'm playing with that joy, and that's really important to me."

The USA women's hockey team came out on top over the weekend, kicking off the four-game 2025 Rivalry Series against Canada by dominating their northern neighbors, outscoring them by an impressive 10-2 margin across the pair's first two games.

US forward Abbey Murphy emerged as a series star, scoring a natural hat trick in the team's 4-1 win in Cleveland on Thursday — the first three-goal turn by a USA player against Canada since team captain Hilary Knight did so at the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship.

"I told [Murphy], 'You set the bar pretty high,'" said Knight, who added her own hat trick to the mix in Saturday's 6-1 victory in Buffalo.

"I love how we showed up," the 36-year-old continued. "We've been working like dogs since August and to get rewarded for our work, and see situations that we need to work on."

Notably, while the USA brought their entire 2025 world championship-winning roster to the first two Rivalry Series games, Canada chose to evaluate some fresh faces while resting a number of standout veterans, including their No. 1 goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens — a fact that should temper the sting of adding two big losses to their now four-game skid against the US.

With women's hockey taking over Milan at the 2026 Winter Olympics in February, the last two 2025 Rivalry Series matchups will more likely see both sides testing their final rosters for Italy.

How to watch the final games in the 2025 Rivalry Series

Canada will welcome the USA for the last two matchups in the 2025 Rivalry Series, with the puck dropping in Edmonton, Alberta, at 9 PM ET for both the December 10th and 13th clashes.

Both games will air live on the NHL Network.

The LPGA is bringing star power to Florida this week, as a wealth of women's golf talent — and one basketball superstar — tee off at the 2025 edition of The ANNIKA.

Kicking off the event on Wednesday was the annual Pro-Am, with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark headlining the field for the second straight year.

World No. 2 golfer Nelly Korda once again joined Clark through her first nine holes, as Fever teammates Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull served as guest caddies.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

The four-day professional tournament will then tee off on Thursday, though current world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul will not be in attendance for the second year in a row.

Korda, however, will lead the charge to both defend her 2024 title and secure her first win of the 2025 LPGA season — as well as add to her full trio of trophies collected at The ANNIKA.

Four other Top-10 players will look to upend Korda's back-to-back bid, including No. 3 Miyu Yamashita, No. 6 Charley Hull, No. 9 Mao Saigo, and No. 10 Lottie Woad.

With the 2025 CMA Group Tour Championship capping the LPGA season later this month, The ANNIKA will also see golfers on the bubble — like US stars Rose Zhang and 2023 champion Lilia Vu — try to snag enough points to make the end-of-year tournament's final 60-player cut.

How to watch The ANNIKA 2025 LPGA tournament

Coverage of the fifth edition of The ANNIKA continues through Sunday, airing live on the Golf Channel.

The No. 3 UCLA Bruins rose to the occasion on Monday, looking like 2025/26 NCAA basketball championship contenders as they took down the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners 73-59 in Sacramento.

Utah transfer Gianna Kneepkens made the difference for the Bruins, leading all scorers with 20 points while opposing defenses limited both UCLA center Lauren Betts and Oklahoma big Raegan Beers to single digits.

Bruins forward Angela Dugalić also put up a standout performance, coming off the bench to score 16 points and snag 15 rebounds on Monday.

"There are so many weapons that I feel like it's hard for the defense to choose what to take away," Kneepkens said ahead of Monday's matchup. "What makes this team special is that any night could be someone's night."

Monday's clash with UCLA also served as the national broadcast debut of Oklahoma freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez, with the No. 1 high school basketball recruit seeing her first Top 10 NCAA matchup as a Sooner.

Chavez had a slow start against the experienced Bruins, registering 11 points, three assists, and two rebounds across her 32 minutes on the court.

How to watch UCLA basketball this week

The heat continues for No. 3 UCLA on Thursday, when the Bruins will host the No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels at 9 PM ET, airing live on ESPN.