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College Athletes Reflect On Seasons Cut Short

KAREN AMBROSE HICKEY/ISI PHOTOS

It’s still difficult to believe that it’s been less than a week since the NCAA announced their decision to cancel all remaining winter and spring sports seasons. Although it was the only responsible decision, student-athletes across the country continue to mourn the loss of their season and, for some, the end of their sports career. Just Women’s Sports sat down — virtually and most definitely six feet away — with college athletes from around the country to discuss the impact of the coronavirus and life without sports. 

What were your initial reactions when you heard your season was canceled?

“Tufts University was one of the first to receive news that spring sports were cancelled, and at the time it felt so unfair, like ‘why us?’ Not many other schools in the nation, besides some close to us, were cancelling their seasons at that point. It felt like something was being taken from us while others still continued like nothing was wrong. Now athletes across the country are dealing with the same issues. In a sense, it kind of lessens the blow, but it still hurts. Our seniors are the ones that suffered the most. Specifically for our team, which is DIII. Our conference doesn’t have a fall season so our seniors didn’t even get to put a jersey on this year. There was no way for them to prepare for the end of their softball careers, and that’s what hurts me the most. Everything changed so quickly, with absolutely no warning. One day our team was practicing and planning for our first trip of the season to Florida and the next day our coach was telling us it could be our last practice of the season.” — Sofia Molina, Tufts Softball

“I was heartbroken. I have so many friends who were in the thick of their winter seasons and excited for the NCAA tournament. Our women’s basketball team was having an incredible season and to end it like this is so sad. I also feel for the spring sports who never even really got a chance to compete. Playing sports brings us all so much joy. To have that taken away from you is so disappointing, especially when college seasons are so short. It makes you really appreciate your sport. I think everyone at Stanford understands that cancelling sports is the right thing to do, but athletes are also devastated that they don’t have a chance to play out their season.” — Sierra Enge, Stanford Soccer

“It’s pretty crazy. It all happened so suddenly. I think a lot of people kind of knew in the back of their minds that this was a very real possibility after hearing about the NBA cancelling and then a bunch of professional sports leagues cancelling. We figured that it was only a matter of time before the NCAA decided to do the same thing. But obviously everyone’s devastated because we worked so hard all year, and then not being able to finish out your season is just really tough. The seniors probably took it the hardest out of everyone just because it all really came to an end for them. It was really sad and still is really sad, for all of us.” — Taylor Scornavacco, Stanford Lacrosse

“I was with a few of my teammates when we officially found out, and they started crying. I was just in complete shock of it all. I just didn’t know how to feel. Softball has been so important to me for so long that I couldn’t even comprehend the fact that I might not have my final season and that the sport was over for me entirely. It was just heartbreaking.” — Casey Maggiore, Tufts Softball

“It was definitely a whirlwind of events. We came back from our qualifying competition for the NCAA Championships only to find out the next day that they were cancelled. It was definitely heartbreaking to hear considering we have worked all season for this, and our team was more than ready to show how hard we have been working. It was the worst watching the seniors on our team hear the news, because they had no idea they were done with their season.” — Daria Lenz, Stanford Swimming and Diving

“At first, I was in disbelief. We had heard about other schools in previous days cancelling classes for a few weeks, but very few schools had addressed sports. I think it was really hard to hear that our season was cancelled because we had worked all fall and winter training, and we finally got to be in season and were coming off a huge win against Villanova, as well as close games against other top teams.” — Charlotte Clark, Harvard Lacrosse

Since the NCAA announced the cancelation of all sports there has been talk about eligibility relief for student-athletes whose seasons were affected. What are your thoughts?

“None of this has been easy, but we have all started to lean on each other during these tough times. That is the most important thing we can do. Being a senior, I definitely have yet to really come to terms with softball being over. I think it is great that the NCAA is potentially offering some type of eligibility relief, but I am not sure it will be all that easy for seniors who may have jobs lined up or financial concerns. Since the announcement, I have definitely started thinking about pursuing grad school at Tufts and using a redshirt year to play out my last season. But honestly, it all depends.” — Casey Maggiore, Tufts Softball

“I think that it is really important that seniors don’t lose their opportunity to play, especially in their last year of eligibility. But even if eligibility relief is guaranteed by the NCAA, Harvard seniors probably won’t redshirt at our school because we do not have graduate programs for them to continue their education. Additionally, because this was never foreseen, a lot of seniors already have jobs set up for after school, so it would be difficult to put everything on halt and start over.” — Charlotte Clark, Harvard Lacrosse

What was your coach’s reaction?

“Everyone was really disappointed and speechless, especially the seniors. It was hard for my coaches and teammates to really say anything. Our coaches knew how upset we were but they continued to offer their support and reminded us how this isn’t anyone’s fault and it is out of our hands. The overall message was to stay positive and to stick together.” — Charlotte Clark, Harvard Lacrosse

“They took it very hard. But they were all very strong for us. They said this sucks, but you know, life is going to teach you lessons sometimes and this is just one of those lessons that you have to overcome.” — Casey Maggiore, Tufts Softball

“We had a team meeting, and our coach’s message to the team was to stick together. She was obviously upset and unprepared for our season to end so suddenly and felt deeply for the seniors. She said how she didn’t plan for that meeting to be the last time she speaks to us as a team and wants to, once everything settles, give the seniors a proper send off. But at this point, for her, she’s all about trying to get us to ride through this together and stick together, not lose those relationships that we’ve worked so hard to develop.” — Taylor Scornavacco, Stanford Lacrosse

“Our team had a meeting, and it was great to get everyone to talk about the issue all together. It started out pretty sad, but our coaches ended it on a great note, recognizing that our hard work made this year something we will never forget. We all agreed that we didn’t need the NCAA Championships to recognize what we achieved throughout the season.” — Daria Lenz, Stanford Swimming and Diving

How has your offseason training been affected by all of this? 

“It’s hard to complain when other sports lost their entire season. But the spring offseason is still very important for our soccer team. We graduated a lot of players in the fall and the spring is the time when we have the most hours to train with our coaches and when we can play games. We had 5 spring games lined up, 2 against boys teams to help us prepare for the season. Not being able to compete will be tough for our development. We are also not able to train together at all. It’s hard to train for a game by yourself. Nothing really gets you prepared except training in a high intensity environment like Stanford.” — Sierra Enge, Stanford Soccer

How is the virus now impacting your training with the US team? 

“I am currently at home, where the facilities are closed. We are taking this week off, but we are unsure of how we will be training and when we will return to campus. The Olympic Trials are still taking place, but everything is up in the air as of now.” — Daria Lenz, Stanford Swimming and Diving

“US soccer has cancelled all events until April and will reassess the situation then. I train with the U20 team and our U20 World Cup is supposed to be in August, but who knows if that will happen anymore. These next few months were going to be the time for us to train hard and prepare to hopefully win a World Cup. Our trip to Spain in April is cancelled, and we are just waiting to hear about when we will be together next. As of right now we do not know much. We were just sent a fitness packet for the next four weeks and told that they would reassess the situation after that four weeks and get back to us. The US hasn’t won a U20 World Cup since 2012, and we wanted to represent the US and go back to our winning history. I don’t know what will happen with the tournament, but not being able to train together is obviously a huge disadvantage.” — Sierra Enge, Stanford Soccer

How do you plan to stay active during this time off?

“I’m definitely just trying to make sure that I’m staying balanced and healthy. I am focused on my school work, even though my classes are online, and I am enjoying time with my family at home. From all of this, we are all learning to not take anyone or anything for granted.” — Taylor Scornavacco, Stanford Lacrosse

“Right now, our coaches told us to keep touching our stick and working, but they are not going to give us a training plan until the summer. So we will all just need to stay active and fit on our own.” — Charlotte Clark, Harvard Lacrosse

“I definitely have less resources at home than I do at school. I am not sure how I will be training the next couple of weeks. As of now, we are all just waiting it out.” — Daria Lenz, Stanford Swimming and Diving

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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