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With Angel City FC, Dani Weatherholt is finally home

L.A. native Dani Weatherholt has started seven games for Angel City this season. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Dani Weatherholt’s first-ever soccer team was with her imaginary friends in the backyard of her childhood home just outside of Los Angeles. She’d organize scrimmages on the lawn beside the chipped chimney that she pitched softballs against for hours before.

“I would say, ‘Who’s she talking to?’” laughs her mother, Gail.

One of Weatherholt’s softball friends had invited her to the SoCal Blues’ Friday night clinics, but Gail had missed the sign-up. So, Weatherholt spent an entire season initiating her own backyard training sessions before joining the Blues at the age of 9, getting a banana and a Snickers bar from her dad before every game.

Her older, baseball-playing brothers were her role models at the time. There was no Angel City FC, no women’s professional soccer nearby. She had no idea that she would go from her empty backyard in Capistrano Beach, Calif., to a sold-out Banc of California Stadium two decades later, when Angel City joined the NWSL.

“It’s a dream come true,” Weatherholt, 28, says now, two months into her first season with the expansion club. “I don’t think many people get the opportunity to play where they grew up.”

‘Bigger than soccer’

Weatherholt’s rise up the youth soccer ranks was far from a straight-line path.

Nursing a torn meniscus at 9 years old, Weatherholt was placed on the SoCals B team and ended up staying there until the age of 14. Other soccer parents would tell her to go to a different club, that she deserved to play at a higher level. Her dad, however, believed if she wanted a spot on an A team, she had to earn it.

Weatherholt was finally called up to the A team midway through one season in her early teenage years. But she didn’t go. There was no way she was leaving her B teammates and coach behind, so she remained with them until the end of the year.

“She cared more about the team than herself and that was unheard of. It still is unheard of,” says Weatherholt’s high school coach, Stacey Finnerty. “I think kids, especially with women’s soccer, girls’ soccer, the parents are like, ‘You’ve got to be on the best team, be with the best kids and leave everyone,’ and they leave their teammates. With Dani, she just doesn’t do that. She’s team first.”

Finnerty coached Weatherholt for four years at San Clemente High School, becoming one of Weatherholt’s first and most impactful female role models in soccer. As the only female coach in the league, Finnerty demonstrated the value of women leadership, years before Weatherholt joined Angel City, with a majority female ownership group and front office staff.

After Weatherholt made the A team, she peaked as a soccer player, becoming more aware of the field and better positioned to shut down dangerous opponents. Soon, she earned a call-up to the U17 and U18 national programs.

For all of her successes, Weatherholt remained an “old soul” who always put others above herself. The San Clemente Hall of Famer certainly had the normal teenage struggles, juggling school and life, but the way she carried herself made it hard for others to know that.

As Finnerty explains, she had a way of connecting with her teammates and making every one of them feel special. On and off the field, she brought out the best in both the star and bench players. When she was on the San Clemente bench with an injury, she was able to get the beginners more engaged in the game than they otherwise would have been.

“No one really played just for themselves, and she cultured that into our program, into our team. It’s easy to win with Dani because she was who she was — a super magical, special kid,” Finnerty says.

That Weatherholt could make time for soccer in the first place was as impressive as her contributions to her teams.

The only female athlete in San Clemente history with 12 varsity letters, Weatherholt, at times, played for eight teams at once. Heavily involved in golf and softball as well as soccer, she dropped everything else to be at practices, games and class, and whenever she missed something, she would find a way to catch up and make up for it.

“I don’t know how she did it,” says Finnerty.

Through it all, she ended up as the fifth-ranked high school soccer player in SoCal and the 19th nationally, leading her team to their first state regional championship and a top national ranking.

Her motto: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

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Being a good teammate has been central to Weatherholt's soccer career. (Jenny Chuang/Angel City FC)

Of all the sports Weatherholt played, soccer was her favorite because it allowed for more creativity than golf and softball.

She also found a sense of community in soccer, as it connected her with people from other parts of the world. When she was young, her family would visit her dad’s fishing friends in Mexico. Returning every Easter, Weatherholt would bring them soccer equipment and find commonalities through soccer.

With a love of travel and community, Weatherholt has continued to share the game with kids around the world. She traveled to Nicaragua with Soccer Without Borders, an organization that gives underprivileged youth an opportunity to receive coaching and equipment. They knocked on doors and invited young girls to come play for the first time.

“Soccer was always something where you put the ball down and it didn’t matter where you came from, it immediately broke barriers,” she says. “It became a pillar to why I play the game, and ever since then, it’s always had to be something bigger than soccer.”

The journey back to L.A.

Weatherholt left California in 2016 as a goal-driven 22-year-old, eager to get her first pro contract with the Orlando Pride, who selected her as the 31st overall pick in that year’s College Draft.

After going to school at Santa Clara, Weatherholt was living away from California for the first time and regularly moving to different apartments. In 2018, she even went overseas to Australia for 12 matches with the Melbourne Victory. Through the constant changes, she learned to create a home within herself, until she reached a point when she was ready to return to the West Coast and play closer to her physical home.

Ahead of the 2020 season, Weatherholt moved to Seattle to play for OL Reign, where she was able to train for two years with some of the best midfielders in the world, including 2021 NWSL MVP Jess Fishlock, World Cup champion Rose Lavelle and Olympic gold medalist Quinn. People asked her why she went to the Reign when other teams could have given her more playing time, and she said she wanted teammates who could take her under their wing.

“It was really a good experience for me to learn from them, so I’m really grateful I put myself in that situation,” she says.

While the Reign exemplified strong team culture, the Pride, where she played from 2016-19, matched her love of getting involved with the community. That’s how she met Zayne Burton, a young cancer patient whose family Weatherholt got to know after she brought him a signed Alex Morgan jersey when he was in the hospital. She has cited her friendship with Burton and his family as one of her favorite memories during her soccer career.

When asked how the Dani Weatherholt who returned to LA is different than the 22-year-old who left it, Weatherholt says she lives more in the moment now, as opposed to the goal-centric player she was as a rookie.

“It’s great to have goals, don’t get me wrong, but I think when they consume you, then it affects your play. It affects nearly everything,” she says.

By the time Angel City was scouting for its debut NWSL season, Weatherholt’s career experiences had made into just the type of player the expansion team was looking for in its leaders.

‘She is an angel at Angel City’

Weatherholt didn’t know she was going first overall in the 2022 NWSL expansion draft until Angel City head coach Freya Coombe called her minutes before her name was announced.

She did know that playing for the club would be a possibility. At the end of the 2021 season, NWSL players were asked if they would be interested in representing either of the expansion teams in Los Angeles or San Diego. Weatherholt gave her agent the go-ahead to submit her name.

“I loved my team in Seattle, like loved them,” she says. “But I was like, everyone is going to want to go to California, so if they want me and if it if it lines up, then I would love to go.”

Ahead of the draft, Coombe was drawn to the midfielder’s roots and her desire to fight for her home community. Coombe knew those qualities would be important not only to the culture Angel City wanted to build, but also to Weatherholt’s career.

Now two months into the regular season, Weatherholt is filled with pride for her new club, which has dedicated itself to expanding access to resources both on and off the pitch. With their Angel City Sponsorship Model, in which 10 percent of all sponsorship dollars go to community programs, the club has helped provide thousands of meals, soccer equipment and essentials kits to those in need around L.A.

“It just couldn’t align more with who I am and why I play and why I continue to play,” Weatherholt says.

Weatherholt’s steadiness in possession and her reading of pace and angles at the holding midfield position have been key for Angel City, who return to play Friday in sixth place in the NWSL standings with a 4-4-1 record. The way Weatherholt pushes her teammates to match their opponent’s level demonstrates the deeper understanding of the league that Coombe was looking for when building her roster.

“She’s been a fantastic leader for us,” Coombe says. “A great person to have around, and a key player for us as well.”

Training in L.A. has helped Weatherholt find a new level of freedom in her game. A veteran with ACFC, she’s taken what she learned from her two seasons with OL Reign’s world-class midfielders and helped set the tone.

She’s also regularly able to share her experiences with her family, including her dad ( who had only seen her play live once before she returned to L.A.) and her brother (who has never seen her play professionally). Weatherholt enjoys bringing her spunky, wide-eyed nephew onto the field after matches, and her dad still offers her a Snickers bar and banana before every game.

“Whenever my family comes to watch me play, I always play well because it’s like, you know your family loves you no matter what and they know who you are,” she says. “There’s something special about that and it definitely gives me this buzz.”

Finnerty can’t wait to show up to an Angel City game with the San Clemente girls’ soccer team and a big glittery sign for Weatherholt, just like Weatherholt did years ago for Finnerty’s 5-year-old daughter.

“I admire you so much. You’re not going to stop. You’re going to keep going and doing more and being more for others,” Finnerty once told Weatherholt. “She is an angel at Angel City.”

“It’s hard to find the words because it’s like a full-circle moment,” Weatherholt says. “All the people that supported you, loved you, and then life goes on and then all of a sudden to see that they’re still supporting you, and you get to fight for that community now.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

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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