First Episode Features In-Depth Interview with Basketball Legend Lisa Leslie

January 10, 2022 — WNBA icon, Olympian and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has joined the podcast lineup for Just Women’s Sports (JWS), the leading multimedia platform exclusively dedicated to women’s sports, with the launch of NETLIFE, presented by Flame Bearers. The 12-episode audio offering is available every Wednesday through the NCAA basketball season, and will feature discussion on hoops, leadership, politics, and pop culture in addition to in-depth interviews with sports luminaries and trailblazers. WNBA legend Lisa Leslie joins Staley for the debut episode.

“We’re really excited to kick off 2022 with the launch of Dawn Staley’s NETLIFE podcast,” said Haley Rosen, Founder and CEO of Just Women’s Sports. “Dawn is an icon in and outside of sports, and we’re excited to work with her to share her voice and perspective.”

“I’m thrilled to be launching NETLIFE with Just Women’s Sports,” said Staley. “This team is incredibly talented and I’m looking forward to working with them to deliver meaningful interviews with individuals who have influenced my life, in hopes of inspiring listeners.”

In NETLIFE’s first episode, Staley and Leslie recount their early days playing basketball together for Team USA. They also discuss Leslie’s experience playing in the inaugural WNBA season, having children as a professional athlete, and how she’s used her platform to impact change

Alexys Feaster serves as Executive Producer of NETLIFE and Ambre Moton is Technical Producer.

JWS Audio Network Expansion

NETLIFE is the fourth offering in a JWS audio lineup focused on discussion and opinion on topics in and around the game. In 2021, JWS posted a +106% increase in composite downloads of its four podcasts dedicated to women’s sports. The industry-leading audio network includes the Just Women’s Sports podcast hosted by USWNT star Kelley O’Hara, which launched at #1 in Sports on Apple podcasts, Snacks, a podcast co-hosted by USWNT stars Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams, which debuted at #5 in Sports on Apple, and is home to Tea with A & Phee, the popular podcast hosted by 2020 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and 2019 WNBA Rookie of the Year Napheesa Collier.

MEDIA CONTACT

Rachel Zuckerman, 610-724-5078, [email protected]

About Just Women’s Sports Inc.

Established in 2020, Just Women’s Sports Inc. is the leading multimedia platform exclusively dedicated to women’s sports. Through daily content including podcasts, newsletters, online content and social media, Just Women’s Sports brings you everything you need to see and know in the world of women’s sports. Find Just Women’s Sports online, subscribe to the newsletter, and follow on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.

About Dawn Staley

As a player, Staley brought home three Olympic gold medals and returned from Tokyo this past summer with her fourth as she coached Team USA to its seventh consecutive win. Staley’s storied career began in North Philadelphia, where she grew up, before playing collegiately at the University of Virginia and then professionally in both the ABL and the WNBA. In the WNBA, Staley played for the Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets, making five All Star appearances. In 2015, she was recognized by the WNBA in their ‘Top 15’ list of most influential players in the league’s history.

Her coaching career began at Temple in 2000, while she was still playing in the WNBA. In 2008, she was named the head coach at South Carolina, and in 2017, she led the Gamecocks to the program’s first-ever national championship. Staley’s many accolades include being the first player to earn both the Naismith Player of the Year award and the Naismith Coach of the Year award. As a coach, she has twice been named the National Coach of the Year, in 2014 and 2020. Staley was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

About Flame Bearers

Flame Bearers celebrates the journeys of unsung female Olympians & Paralympians on their paths to the Games. Flame Bearers spotlights the people, sharing athletes’ often unheard stories and provides a microphone for women who are true masters of resiliency. Through storytelling, Flame Bearers uses sport as a vehicle to discuss issues such as racial justice, disability bias, and pay equity. This podcast addresses hope and the belief that we are not alone by sharing inspiring stories of athletes who have overcome countless obstacles to reach their goals. Listen to Flame Bearers wherever you get your podcasts.

The Tampa Bay Sun became the latest team to announce plans for a purpose-built women's soccer stadium this week, with the 2025 USL Super League champs looking to construct a 15,000-seat venue on the Ybor Harbor waterfront.

"We believe in the power of sport to inspire, unite, and drive meaningful change," said Sun majority owner Darryl Shaw in the club's Tuesday announcement. "By anchoring this historic neighborhood with a vibrant home for women's professional soccer, we're investing in our city's future and honoring the community that makes it thrive."

The state-of-the-art stadium for the top-flight USL club is the star of the proposal, though the 33-acre mixed-use development project also incorporates retail and residential spaces, as well as hotels, restaurants, and offices to house the United Soccer League headquarters.

While the new development has yet to announce a construction timeline or overall cost, the project comes as the USL Super League moves into its second season following a successful inaugural year.

"We're accelerating the growth of women's soccer while creating lasting benefits for Tampa Bay," said USL CEO Alec Papadakis. "The stadium development will be a place where fans and community come together and celebrate our sport."

"Tampa is a city of champions — and now we're dreaming even bigger," remarked Tampa mayor Jane Castor. "The stadium would deliver a place that captures our city's energy, inspires the next generation, and stands as a national symbol of what happens when cities invest boldly in women's sports and inclusive economic growth."

The USWNT announced a few welcome returns on Wednesday morning, tapping a roster heavy on NWSL talent for the world No. 1 team's upcoming friendlies against No. 25 Ireland and No. 8 Canada.

Veteran midfielder Rose Lavelle is back in the fold, with the Gotham standout coming off ankle surgery to join her first US camp since November 2024.

Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune is also making a return, as she continues her recovery protocol following an August 2024 knee surgery.

The roster's lone European club player is star center back Naomi Girma, with head coach Emma Hayes opting to give most of the team's Europe-based stars a crucial break.

"[Girma] felt really strongly that she needed the minutes," Hayes explained, referencing the defender's recent months off the pitch due to a calf injury. "She wants to be involved with the national team because she felt she's missed a really key camp for us."

The Europe-based absences carved space for some new faces, with Gotham defender Lilly Reale, Seattle defender Jordyn Bugg, Kansas City defender Izzy Rodriguez, and Seattle midfielder Sam Meza all earning their first senior team call-ups.

With an average of 18.4 caps per player, this NWSL-heavy roster marks one of the least-experienced friendly lineups in the modern history of the USWNT.

"This is a uniquely different situation, different window, where so many senior players will not be with us in this camp," Hayes told reporters. "This is probably the last time I'll be able to do this in the lead-up to qualifying for the World Cup."

With much of the USWNT's trusted core resting during this window, Hayes will snag a critical — and possibly final — look at how lesser-known NWSL players size up against international competition.

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The June/July 2025 USWNT roster

• Goalkeepers: Angelina Anderson (Angel City), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals)

• Defenders: Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Naomi Girma (Chelsea), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Gisele Thompson (Angel City)

• Midfielders: Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)

• Forwards: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City)

How to watch the upcoming USWNT friendlies

The No. 1 USWNT will kick off their summer friendlies in Commerce City, Colorado, taking on No. 25 Ireland at 9 PM ET on June 26th before the pair clash again in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 3 PM ET on June 29th.

The US will close out the window against No. 8 Canada, facing their longtime rivals in Washington, DC, at 7:30 PM ET on July 2nd.

Live coverage of the first match will air on TBS, with TNT set to broadcast the following two games.

The Indiana Fever advanced to the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship on Tuesday night, clinching their franchise-first Cup final berth following a tense battle with the Connecticut Sun that saw three ejections and two flagrant fouls.

In the game's first half, Sun guard Jacy Sheldon committed a Flagrant 1 on Fever guard Caitlin Clark, with Sheldon and teammate Marina Mabrey receiving a pair of technicals for shoving after the call.

With Indiana dominating late in the matchup, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham committed a Flagrant 2 on Sheldon, spurring a scuffle that ended with Cunningham, Sheldon, and Sun guard Lindsey Allen all being ejected.

The rest of Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup action played out mostly as expected, with New York securing an 86-81 comeback victory over the Atlanta Dream. However, because of the Fever's victory, the Liberty fell just short of returning to the Cup final.

The Minnesota Lynx also launched a comeback to take down Las Vegas 76-62, successfully punching their ticket to defend their 2024 Cup title — despite star forward Napheesa Collier exiting the showdown with an apparent back injury.

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Ultimately, while on-court performances should have driven the narrative, lack of referee control overshadowed the night.

"Everyone is getting better but the officials," Indiana head coach Stephanie White said after the Fever's win. "We need to remedy that. I mean, we've heard every coach talk about it. I don't know what the answer is."

How to watch the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship

The grand finale of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx will tip off at 8 PM ET on July 1st, with live coverage on Prime.

The FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 has arrived, with the 16-team regional tournament tipping off its group stage on Wednesday before the knockout stages begin on June 24th.

Hosted across the continent with games in Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Greece, the 40th edition of the annual competition carries the additional weight of serving as a qualifying event for the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.

As a result, the top five teams in this month's EuroBasket contest will earn automatic spots in one of the March 2026 qualifiers.

Leading the charge to this year's trophy are 2023 winners Belgium, who enter the EuroBasket tournament as reigning champions.

However, 2024 Olympic silver medalists France have since stepped into the spotlight, with the always-dangerous Spain also threatening a podium finish.

Familiar faces to WNBA fans will feature on the 2025 EuroBasket courts this month, as several WNBA players have temporarily departed their US clubs to join their national teams in Europe, including Belgium guard Julie Allemand (LA Sparks), Great Britain center Temi Fagbenle (Golden State Valkyries), and Germany forward Leonie Fiebich (New York Liberty).

As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.

How to watch FIBA Women's EuroBasket in the US

The EuroBasket group-stage action tipped off on Wednesday morning, with all games streaming live on Courtside 1891.