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College Lax: 10 Players to Watch

Stanford, Ca – April 19, 2019: The Stanford Cardinal v University of California Golden Bears Women’s Lacrosse at Maloney Field at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium in Stanford, CA. Final score, Stanford Cardinal 17, University of California Golden Bears 6.

Spring is almost upon us, which means college lax is officially back. As the 2020 season gets underway, we’ve got a list of the ten players you should expect to see filling up the stat sheets, taking home some hardware, and leading their teams on deep tournament runs come May.

1. Jamie Ortega, University of North Carolina, Junior

Named the US Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Player of the Year, Ortega holds UNC’s single-season record with 81 goals. She was named MVP of the 2019 ACC tournament after putting up a school-record 12 points in the Tarheel’s championship victory. Known for making big plays in big moments, Ortega was also named to the 2019 All-NCAA Tournament Team after racking up five goals and two assists in the semifinal game. Our prediction: Ortega takes home this year’s Tewaaraton (Player of the Year Award) as she extends her reign as one of the greatest offensive threats in the country.

2. Kali Hartshorn, University of Maryland, Senior

Hartshorn has dominated the past few seasons as a draw control specialist and a goal scorer, recording at least 100 draws controls and 35 goals each season since her freshman year. She’s on track to surpass the draw control record of Maryland legend – and perhaps the greatest college lacrosse player ever – Taylor Cummings. After recording 137 draw controls and putting up an impressive 48 goals last year, Hartshorn will have a chance to beat Cummings’ single-season record for draw controls in Maryland history this year (144). Whether or not she hits that mark, expect her to still net her fair share of head-turning goals.

3. Charlotte North, Boston College, Junior

North is one of the best ball-handlers in the game right now (and here’s the proof). A recent transfer from Duke, she led the Blue Devils with 59 and 82 goals as a freshman and sophomore, respectively. Now she’ll have a chance to be BC’s main offensive threat, after the Eagles graduated most of their top scorers from last year. A walking highlight-reel, expect North to come out firing as she looks to find a rhythm with her new teammates.

4. Brindi Griffin, University of Maryland, Senior

In 2019, she led her team in assists and scored a hat-trick in the Terps’ 2019 National Championship win. Griffin’s playing style is similar to her sister Brooke’s, a former two-time All-American and National Champion at Maryland, as both excell at feeding and dodging to the goal. While she hasn’t yet been recognized as an All-American, don’t be surprised to see her end up on the first team this year as she establishes herself as the leader of Maryland’s offense while continuing to put up goals like this:

5. Katie Hoeg, University of North Carolina, Senior

Last season, Hoeg clocked 73 single-season assists, breaking her own single-season school record of 50 set the year prior. Named an IWLCA second-team All-American, Hoeg became the second Tarheel to ever record 104 points in a season, joining fellow attacker Jamie Ortega. After last year’s loss in the NCAA semifinals, you better believe Hoeg will be hungry for a title this year. If her and Ortega can continue to find each other, expect UNC’s offense to be just about unstoppable.

6. Ali Biacco, Stanford University, Junior

Biacco has almost single-handedly transformed the once-sluggish Stanford offense since arriving as a freshmen, turning the Cardinal attack into a well-oiled machine defined by quick execution and crisp transition play. Biacco won the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Award in 2018 before leading the Pac-12 with an astonishing 80 goals (and nine hat tricks) as a sophomore. Under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Megan Whittle, a three-time All American at Maryland, expect Biacco to push the tempo as she looks for creative ways to score against defenses committed to shutting her off.

7. Quinton Hoch-Bullen, University of Denver, Junior

Hailing from Canada, Hoch-Bullen is best known for her otherworldly stick skills. In 2019, she was named the Big East Attacker of the Year and ended the season with 59 goals. In an especially memorable performance, Hoch-Bullen netted a team-high five goals against Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, ultimately leading Denver to its first-ever NCAA Quarterfinal appearance. Expect her to repeat as Big East Attacker of the Year this year as she helps Denver reclaim the league championship after just falling short in double overtime last year.

8. Kerrigan Miller, University of Southern California, Senior

When all is said and done, Miller might go down as one of the best west coast lacrosse players of all time – and it’s not hard to see why. Last season, Kerrigan made waves as one of youngest players to play for the US National Team in the Spring Premiere. She then went on to lead the Pac-12 in caused turnovers (a whopping 41) while repeating as the league’s Midfielder of the Year. Expect her to both be a Tewaaraton finalist and claim her first All-American First Team award as she continues to captain USC’s offense.

9. Emma Trenchhard, University of North Carolina, Junior

The reigning ACC Defender of the Year, Trenchard will once again be one of the top defensive players in the game this year. In 2019, Trenchard recorded 24 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers while regularly shutting down the other team’s best player. After spending her off-season training with Team USA, expect Trenchard to anchor the best defense in the country alongside Kayla Wood and Catie Woodruff as the Tarheels look to secure their third NCAA title.

10. Sam Fish, Princeton University, Junior

A one-woman brick wall, Fish gained national attention last year in the 2019 Quarterfinals when she stopped a record nine goals against then No. 1 Boston College. With 192 saves and a .482 save percentage, she went on to win IVY League Goalie of the Year, solidifying her reputation as one of the best netminders in all of college. Look for her to be the backbone of a Princeton team that may just surprise a few people come tournament time.

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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