In what became a pandemic trend among US women’s national team players, Christen Press joined the American exodus this fall in electing to move to the FA Women’s Super League and join Manchester United alongside fellow national teamer Tobin Heath. Earlier, Manchester City signed Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis, another USWNT duo, shaking up the soccer world while also setting up an epic Manchester derby, which will finally kick off this Saturday.

There she is ????????#MUWomen @ChristenPress pic.twitter.com/cb99thSIxY

— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) September 24, 2020

“I’m really excited to be joining Manchester United this season,” Press said of her signing. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to play for such an elite club and beyond ready to get back on the field. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to continue to strive to be my best and to compete for trophies this year.”

I’m excited to share that I am joining Manchester United this season! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to play for such an elite club and beyond ready to get back on the field! @ManUtdWomen pic.twitter.com/JH9viQu5E4

— Christen Press (@ChristenPress) September 9, 2020

In an exclusive interview with Manchester United TV, Press indicated that her entrance into the Women’s Super League will offer a unique test of her skills. “It’s going to be a huge challenge. It always is when you’re changing culture. It’s not just the lifestyle culture, it’s the football culture, it’s the approach in training.”

Lights ????
Camera ????
Action ????

It's time for a peek at @ChristenPress's first #MUWomen interview! ✨ pic.twitter.com/j1Xi0QrEYI

— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) September 24, 2020

Press is known for her lethality up top, boasting impressive stats in stints with the Chicago Red Stars, with whom she spent four seasons, the Utah Royals, with whom she spent two seasons, and the US women’s national team. Press has also spent time playing professionally in Sweden during her career.

While with the Red Stars, Press made 60 appearances, notching 35 goals and captaining the team in 2016 and 2017. She was then acquired by the Utah Royals in June of 2018, where she tallied 10 goals and 4 assists in 25 matches. Named to the NWSL Best XI in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, Press certainly left her mark on the National Women’s Soccer League. Likewise stellar with the USWNT, Press is a two-time World Cup champion and has netted 58 goals and assisted 37 in 138 caps for her country.

It’s heavier than it looks ????@SInow pic.twitter.com/Kp9i21kiFX

— Christen Press (@ChristenPress) July 12, 2019

Most recently, she was awarded the honorary Golden Ball at the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament and named to the tournament’s Best XI. Many believed this performance marked a turning point in Press’s career on the national team. Under new coach Vlatko Andonovski, she was given the chance to start after largely coming off the bench at the last World Cup under former coach Jill Ellis. And her CONCACAF performance provided all the evidence needed that she should likely keep that starting spot at next summer’s Olympics.

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It was never a question of if Press would become an impact player for Manchester United, only a matter of when. Her speed, footwork, and goal-scoring abilities alone make Press an asset for any team fortunate enough to add her to their offense — a fact that is certainly not lost upon Manchester United manager Casey Stoney, who had high praise for the 31 year old.

“Christen is a world-class player and we are thrilled to have her on board at the club. She has a proven record and her stats speak for themselves; she’s a ruthless striker who scores so many different types of goals, and I know she can add some real quality to our squad,” said Stoney, “Christen is also hugely experienced and for me it’s fantastic to add another senior figure like her in the dressing room.”

Thus far, Press has made four appearances for Manchester United during the 2020/2021 season, opening her scoring account in her third match with the club to lift United to a 4-2 win over West Ham United. By chance, fellow USWNT star Tobin Heath scored her first United goal in the very same match. Most recently, Press was commended for her role in Manchester United’s win over “big three” squad Arsenal to take first place in WSL standings, in which she connected with Tobin Heath on two scoring opportunities and made her presence known to the Arsenal defense, leading the charge in the attacking third.

Another from a @USWNT team member? Another indeed!

Christen Press gets on the @ManUtdWomen score sheet to make it 4-2!

Watch live: https://t.co/5gD9M8JxFB pic.twitter.com/WPnqzgv7hy

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 18, 2020

Since the addition of Press and Heath, it has been smooth sailing for Manchester United, who have scored 15 goals in six matches to hold onto a 5-1-0 record, remaining undefeated on the regular season with 16 points. But this is no time for United to catch their breath —still hot on their heels are Arsenal and Chelsea, who currently sit at second and third place in the league with 15 points and 13 points.

The #BarclaysFAWSL table after gameweek 6️⃣ ????@ManUtdWomen ???????? pic.twitter.com/GoY45UX3MG

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 8, 2020

On the horizon is this weekend’s much-anticipated Manchester derby, in which Christen Press, Tobin Heath, and a talented Manchester United squad will take on the reigning FA Women’s Cup champion Manchester City, featuring national teammates Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle. It will be well worth getting up early to witness the showdown between these two Manchester units this Saturday, November 14th at 7:30 a.m. EST — set your alarm accordingly! And catch a livestream of the game at AtaFootball.com.

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE FA WSL:

 

November 14th 

Manchester United vs. Manchester City @ 7:30 a.m. EST

Aston Villa vs. Birmingham City @ 9:30 a.m. EST

Everton vs. Reading FC @ 11:30 a.m. EST

Bristol City vs. Tottenham @ 1:30 p.m. EST

November 15th

West Ham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion @ 7:30 a.m. EST

Arsenal vs. Chelsea @ 9:30 a.m. EST

This year's WNBA MVP favorite A'ja Wilson reached yet another milestone on Sunday, becoming the first player to ever record 1000+ points in a single season.

The superstar's latest feat — achieved in her 29-point performance in the Aces' 84-71 win over Connecticut — comes just days after she shattered the league's single-season scoring record​.

All-but-guaranteed to finish 2024 as the WNBA's single-season points leader,​ Wilson has put together one of the most impressive statistical campaigns in league history. As of today, she's only three rebounds away from breaking Angel Reese's new single-season rebounds record​, set before the Chicago rookie's season-ending injury.

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Rookie Caitlin Clark captures two more WNBA records

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark added two more records to her historic rookie season this weekend, breaking the league's single-season assist record on Friday night before setting the single-season rookie scoring record on Sunday.

The Rookie of the Year frontrunner surpassed Alyssa Thomas's 2023 record of 316 assists in Friday's 78-74 loss to the Aces. Clark extended her hold on the league's new record on Sunday, now boasting 329 dimes on the season with one game left.

Also in Sunday's 110-109 Fever victory over the Wings, Clark put up a career-high 35 points, including one that officially broke Seimone Augustus's single-season rookie scoring record of 744 set in 2006. Clark now has 761 points across Indiana's 39 completed games.

Notably, the WNBA's expanded 40-game schedule means that four-time WNBA champion Augustus still holds the rookie record for points per game, as her fallen record was in a 34-game season.

Three-way team tie adds to WNBA playoff race drama

With the Sky's two weekend losses plus the Mystics and Dream splitting their two weekend contests with one win apiece, Chicago, Washington, and Atlanta all sit with 13-25 season records. All three are still in postseason contention with the final WNBA Playoff spot up for grabs.

League tiebreakers give Washington, who currently sits in the coveted eighth-place position, the postseason edge. The Mystics will try to maintain their tenuous hold on that spot when they face the league-leading Liberty tomorrow before closing out their season against a tough Indiana team on Thursday.

The ninth-place Sky and 10th-place Dream face equal uphill battles to usurp the Mystics this week. After playing each other on Tuesday, Chicago will close out their 2024 regular season against the third-place Sun while Atlanta does the same against the Liberty on Thursday.

With just six games to play, the currently unbeaten Orlando Pride could become the first club in NWSL history to finish regular-season play without a single loss.

Having already clinched an NWSL playoff spot — the Pride's first since 2017 — Orlando extended their record-breaking unbeaten run to 21​ with Friday's 0-0 draw with third-place Kansas City. The weekend's result was also the club's fourth-straight clean sheet, setting a new club record.

However, the path to NWSL glory won't be easy: Orlando will face four top teams before the regular season's early November finale.

Portland Thorns continue late-season NWSL losing streak

Elsewhere on Friday, USWNT stars Sophia Smith​ and Sam Coffey's Portland Thorns dropped their fourth-straight​ match — the longest regular-season losing streak in club history.

After a historically slow start to 2024, Portland reassigned head coach Mike Norris and promoted assistant coach Rob Gale. The team quickly responded, rattling off result after result to climb the NWSL table and insert themselves into Shield contention. Momentum, however, has waned since the Olympic break.

With Friday's 1-0 loss to Chicago on Friday, Portland is still sixth in the standings, but a slim two points over Bay FC is all that separates them from the eighth and final playoff spot.

With the playoff race heating up​, the four-time league champs​ must rally around standouts like Smith. Otherwise, the Thorns are in danger of putting up the worst regular-season finish in club history.

Washington Spirit win books ticket to NWSL postseason

In other postseason news, the Spirit became the second club to clinch a playoff berth this weekend, downing Houston 3-0 on Sunday.

Striker Ashley Hatch led Washington's scoring with a first-half brace, while forward Trinity Rodman notched an assist before netting the team's third goal.

The WNBA has a new single-season scoring champ in A'ja Wilson, who surpassed Jewell Loyd's 2023 record of 939 points by dropping 27 against Indiana on Wednesday, boosting her season total to 956.

With four games left​ in Las Vegas's season, Wilson could easily become the first WNBA player to ever record 1,000+ points in one season.

"She's not just the best player in the world, she might be the most loved and adored by her teammates. I mean, this woman is special," commented Aces head coach Becky Hammon after the game.

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2024 has been the year of the broken WNBA record

Thanks to achievements at both the individual and team level, the 2024 WNBA season has already left a lasting impression on the record books. In addition to Wilson's points tally, Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese set a new single-season rebound record before a wrist injury cut her season short.

Just five assists away from setting a new single-season assists record, Indiana rookie Caitlin Clark is on the brink of joining the bar-raising party.

While adding games likely plays a role in these feats, 2024 — the league's second 40-game run — has seen all three major stats fall in record time. Reese broke Sylvia Fowles's rebound record in 32 games this season, Wilson surpassed Loyd's scoring record in 35, and Clark is looking to break Alyssa Thomas's assist record in 38.

Final WNBA playoff spot on the line in last regular-season weekend

Tonight, Wilson and Clark will face off in their last regular-season matchup, as Indiana tries to earn their first win against the reigning champs this year.

Meanwhile, the race for the final playoff spot has never been tighter. Wednesday's huge win over Chicago putting the 10th-place Mystics just one game outside of postseason contention. With two games against ninth-place Atlanta this weekend, Washington could officially rise into that last playoff spot by Sunday night.

As for current eight-spot Chicago, the Sky will try to maintain their position by bouncing back against second-place Minnesota tonight before the top four teams in the standings battle for survival on Sunday.

Earlier this week, the WNBA Players Union (WNBPA) spoke up against controversial comments made by league commissioner Cathy Engelbert on CNBC's Power Lunch on Monday.

When asked to address concerning social media exchanges regarding superstar rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese "where race... where sexuality is sometimes introduced into the conversation," Engelbert dodged the question, choosing instead to frame what she described as a "rivalry" in a positive light.

"The one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry," said the commissioner, comparing Reese and Clark to Magic Johnson​ and Larry Bird. "That's what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don't want everybody being nice to one another."

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WNBPA calls out subjects WNBA comm'r Engelbert dodged

After players began calling Engelbert out online, the WNBPA issued a statement denouncing racism, homophobia, and misogyny.

"Here is the answer that the Commissioner should have provided to the very clear question regarding the racism, misogyny, and harassment experienced by the Players," the statement read.

There is absolutely no place in sport — or in life — for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments, and the misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media.... Fandom should lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life."

WNBA stars address Engelbert's CNBC comments

Some of the league's top players took to the press to reinforce the WNBPA's words, including Aces forward Alysha Clark.

"It's taken a darker turn in terms of the types of comments and the vitriol that's coming through to the players, and it's not okay," Clark told ESPN. "I wish [Engelbert] would have just said that — 'It's not okay.'"

Liberty star Breanna Stewart echoed Clark's sentiments, saying "The way that the fans have surged, and especially behind Caitlin and Angel coming to this league, but also bringing a race aspect to a different level — you know, there's no place for that in our sport."

Engelbert later responded to the Players Union's statement in a post on X, writing "there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else."