After missing Sunday’s semifinal game due to COVID-19 protocol, the Chicago Red Stars’ Mallory Pugh and Kayla Sharples are questionable for the NWSL championship game on Saturday.

Chicago head coach Rory Dames said after the game that Pugh and Sharples are both “symptom-free” but he does not know whether they will be available next weekend. The Red Stars will meet the Washington Spirit in the final in Louisville after upsetting the Portland Thorns 2-0 on the road.

Rory Dames says it is too early to know what Kealia Watt's injury is. He does not know whether Mallory Pugh or Kayla Sharples will be available for the final, but says they are both "symptom-free" while in COVID-19 protocol. #NWSL

— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) November 15, 2021

Pugh and Sharples were first ruled out of the semifinal game this past Saturday after being placed in COVID-19 protocol. Sharples addressed the injury report on social media on Sunday, revealing that she is fully vaccinated against the virus and has received her booster shot.

“I wish I could be with my team today but I have so much belief in them,” the defender wrote.

Forward Kealia Watt is also questionable for the championship game after exiting Sunday’s semifinal early with a knee injury. Dames said he did not yet know the extent of the injury.

The Red Stars take on the Spirit in the NWSL Championship on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.

Trinity Rodman is officially staying in the NWSL, as the USWNT star announced a deal to return to the Washington Spirit in a high-profile press conference on Thursday night.

Signed through 2028, the 23-year-old forward's new contract is reportedly worth over $2 million per year, making her the world's highest-paid women's soccer player.

"I've made the DMV my home and the Spirit my family, and I knew this was where I wanted to enter the next chapter of my career," Rodman said in a club statement.

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The Rodman deal marks a major win for both the Washington Spirit and the NWSL, as USWNT standouts like former Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson and ex-Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey leave the US league to pursue opportunities overseas.

Notably, the deal utilizes the new "High Impact Player" (HIP) rule allowing clubs to exceed the NWSL salary cap for top talent. It results in more balanced terms than Washington's previous back-loaded offer, which the league rejected.

"[Trinity] represents the future of this club and the future of women's soccer," said Spirit owner Michele Kang. "This agreement reflects our belief that elite talent deserves elite commitment."

While the HIP rule is still under arbitration due to an NWSLPA grievance, Rodman's re-signing could be the light at the end of the NWSL's tunnel.

How to watch Trinity Rodman in this weekend's women's soccer lineup

Trinity Rodman will suit up for the USWNT tomorrow, facing Paraguay in the first of two January friendlies. The match kicks off at 5:30 PM ET, live on TNT.

Unrivaled Basketball has officially announced the return of its marquee 1v1 tournament for the 2026 season.

Dubbed "Crown the One," the three-day competition will run February 11th through 14th inside Miami's Sephora Arena. The contest will feature 32 of the offseason league’s top competitors, showcasing individual skills and high-intensity matchups in a format that departs from the league's standard 3×3 play.

However, 2025 Unrivaled 1v1 champion Napheesa Collier will not compete. The Lunar Owls forward remains sidelined with injury this season.

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To maximize speed and efficiency, each 1v1 game will last a maximum of 10 minutes — or until a player reaches 11 points. A seven-second shot clock will cover every possession, with the game clock running continuously throughout.

The championship round, set for the tournament's last night, will shift to a best-of-three series. Here, each game will play out to a seven-point winning score to determine the overall winner.

Financial incentives drive much of Unrivaled Basketball's events, aligning with the offseason venture's mission to directly invest in its players. The 1v1 tournament's total prize pool is $300,000, with the champion earning $200,000, while the runner-up receives $50,000. Each of the two semifinalists will take home $25,000.

Additional details, including the full athlete roster and tournament brackets, are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

How to watch Unrivaled Basketball 1v1 tournament

Broadcasting for the event will be managed by TNT Sports.

The opening round tips off on Wednesday, February 11th, when 16 matchups air live on truTV at 7 PM ET. Coverage continues on Friday, February 13th, when the second round and quarterfinals air across TNT and truTV starting at 7:30 PM ET.

Lastly, the semifinals and finals conclude the tournament starting at 6 PM ET on Saturday, February 14th.

All games will also be available for streaming via HBO Max.

A major winter storm moving from New Mexico to New England has caused significant changes to the women’s college basketball calendar this weekend, with several teams adjusting their schedules ahead of predicted snow and ice.

Top-ranked UConn moved its game against Seton Hall from Sunday to Saturday afternoon. No. 14 Baylor postponed its matchup against Houston until Tuesday. Other programs, including No. 20 Princeton, Cincinnati, and Rice, moved their Saturday start times earlier to avoid deteriorating road conditions.

Elsewhere, North Carolina Central postponed two scheduled women's games in Durham, while the Sun Belt Conference proactively rescheduled its entire women's basketball slate from Thursday through Saturday. Similar adjustments occurred in the Big South, where the USC Upstate at Longwood game was moved from Saturday to Friday.

And the storm isn't just impacting college basketball. In the SEC, the top 15 swimming and diving dual meet between No. 9 Tennessee and No. 14 Georgia moved from Saturday to Friday, while No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 5 Georgia pushed up Friday's gymnastics meet from 6 PM ET to 2:45 PM ET.

Athletic departments across the country continue to monitor weather updates for further potential disruptions caused by the winter storm.

How to watch women's college basketball games impacted by the winter storm

Eastern Kentucky vs. North Florida has moved to 11 AM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.

No. 1 UConn vs. Seton Hall has moved from Sunday to 12 PM ET on Saturday, live on NBC Sports.

No. 20 Princeton vs. Brown has moved to 12 PM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.

Cincinnati vs. Arizona State has moved to 2 PM ET to 12 PM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.

Jacksonville State vs. UTEP has moved to 1 PM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.

No. 21 Duke vs. Pitt has moved from Sunday to Saturday at 4 PM ET, live on ACC Network.

Boston College vs. No. 8 Louisville has moved from 2 PM ET to 11 AM ET on Sunday, live on ACC Network.

Houston vs. No 14 Baylor has moved from Sunday to 7 PM ET on Tuesday, live on ESPN+.

Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round of the 2026 Australian Open with a three-set victory over Sorana Cirstea on Thursday.

But the hard-fought win was overshadowed by a heated exchange at the net and a subsequent public apology from the former Japanese fan favorite.

After Osaka defeated the unseeded 35-year-old 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 at Margaret Court Arena, the two shared a tense handshake before Cirstea reportedly called Osaka out for her on-court conduct. The issue apparently centered on Osaka’s habit of shouting "Come on!" to celebrate points, specifically between Cirstea’s first and second serves — a move the Romanian considered both a distraction and a breach of sportsmanship.

In her immediate postmatch interview, Osaka dismissed Cirstea's complaints.

"Apparently a lot of 'come-ons' that she was angry about, but whatever," Osaka said. "I think this was her last Australian Open, so, okay, sorry she was mad about it."

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However, during her subsequent press conference, Osaka apologized for her dismissive tone.

"I'm a little confused. I guess that emotions were very high for her," Osaka said. " I also want to apologize. I think the first couple of things that I said on the court were disrespectful. I don't like disrespecting people. That's not what I do."

Osaka went on to clarify that her vocal outbursts are self-motivating and not an attempt to rattle her opponent.

Cirstea, who recently announced that the 2026 season will be her last on the WTA Tour, later downplayed the incident. She called it a "five-second exchange between two players," insisting that "there was no drama."

Osaka, the No. 16 seed, will next face unseeded Australian Maddison Inglis in the third round on Friday.

How to watch Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open this week

No. 16 Naomi Osaka takes the court against Australia's Maddison Inglis this Friday (time TBA), live on ESPN.