Ebony Salmon’s exit from Racing Louisville is a surprise given the England striker’s emphatic start with the club.

Just one minute into her NWSL debut, Salmon slotted home a stunning finish, opening up her scoring account stateside.

OH MY GOODNESS @ebony_salmon ‼️#LOUvHOU | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/VUSFHX2UUv

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 20, 2021

Yet just more than one year to the date since Salmon’s buzzy introduction to the NWSL, Racing Louisville announced that Salmon had been traded to the Houston Dash.

Racing will receive $150,000 in allocation money for Salmon in 2022 and an additional $25,000 in 2023. Louisville could receive up to $15,000 more in allocation money this year if Salmon meets performance-based criteria while with the Dash.

“We thank Ebony for all of her contributions here in Louisville and see this as an opportunity for her to get the minutes she’s seeking,” Racing coach Kim Björkegren said in a statement.

As Björkegren alluded to in the trade announcement, Salmon struggled to get on the pitch for Louisville during the 2022 season.

Given her prolific breakout year, which included six goals and one assist across 20 matches played, many expected Salmon to be a mainstay of the Racing attack, but that hasn’t been the case.

“I think when you look at the minutes Ebony had last year to this year, the evolvement of the squad, you have a World Cup winner [in Jessica McDonald], you’ve got a world-class player in Nadia Nadim, you’ve got a young player who’s filled with enthusiasm and wants to play. I think when a situation like that arises, it’s okay, what’s best for everyone?” said Racing Louisville president James O’Connor, who added that the trade could allow the club to sign new talent while getting Salmon on the field elsewhere.

Salmon opened up to Theo Lloyd-Hughes of The Striker Texas about her struggle to get playing time, telling the publication that she didn’t feel the minutes decision was transparent.

“There were questions to be asked there, and I asked questions multiple times and didn’t really get the answer that I wanted or a definitive answer that I agreed with, which was frustrating. But then you have to agree with the coach’s opinion,” Salmon said. “I wanted to stick it out and give it a chance to prove myself. I think I was at a point where I’d kind of given it long enough. I’m not going to play here. I need to go somewhere where I am going to play and where I’m valued.”

The 21-year-old went on to say that Björkegren didn’t talk to her about her lack of minutes. Instead, she claims, she had to address him about the issue and after the trade was initiated, communication between the two ended.

Despite the tough break at Louisville, Salmon is still eager to make her mark on the NWSL and prove her ability on the field.

“I think I’ve still got a lot to do out here before I think about going back to England,” Salmon told The Striker Texas. “I’m taking my anger from not playing in Louisville and I’m going to show what I can do here when I get on the pitch.”

After a dramatic 3-0 win over crosstown rival Manchester United on Saturday, Manchester City is now leading the WSL, sitting three points clear atop the 2025/26 league table while notably extending their advantage over second-place powerhouse Chelsea FC.

The home side scored all three of their goals in the first half, with defender Rebecca Knaak putting City ahead in the 26th minute before attacker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw added to the lead in the 43rd minute.

Returning from injury with a vengeance, forward Lauren Hemp sealed the deal for the Citizens with the final goal in first-half stoppage time.

"It's so nice to be back," Hemp said postgame. "Today we showed the mentality that I said at the start we needed to show."

While reigning six-time WSL champions Chelsea have yet to lose a match this WSL season, a trio of 2025/26 draws has the Blues now trailing the current eight-win, one-loss record held by Manchester City.

As for United, the WSL third-place Red Devils were without star goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce in Saturday's loss, after the USWNT net-minder suffered a fractured eye socket in November 8th's 1-0 loss to Aston Villa.

"She should be fine, it's just trying to make sure she doesn't get another knock in that area," said United manager Marc Skinner, noting that Tullis-Joyce could return as soon as the club's 2025/26 Champions League match against VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday.

One of this season's NWSL Coach of the Year finalists is moving on up, with Kansas City manager Vlatko Andonovski leaving his position as the Current's head coach to become the club's full-time global sporting director.

Andonovski has been juggling both jobs since joining the Current in October 2023, with the 49-year-old coming off what was arguably his most successful managerial season, leading Kansas City to a first-ever NWSL Shield amidst a record-shattering 2025 campaign.

In his new role, Andonovski will "implement the long-term vision for the club's technical and athletic success, as well as be responsible for player recruitment, roster strategy and scouting."

"It's vital to move into this role to keep growing this club with the aim of being a perennial contender on the global stage and a top developer of talent," Andonovski said in Friday's club announcement.

With the administrative switch in the works prior to last weekend's playoff upset, Andonovski will now join the hiring committee tasked with appointing his successor, while continuing his head coaching duties until Kansas City secures its new manager.

In another front office shift, the Current's head of soccer operations Ryan Dell will immediately take over as the club's GM, with former GM Caitlin Carducci departing the club after one year at the helm.

Michigan women's basketball is on the rise, as the then-No. 14 Wolverines avenged their early 2025 NCAA tournament exit with a stunning 93-54 blowout win over then-No. 18 Notre Dame on Saturday.

Michigan sophomore guard Olivia Olson led the game in scoring with 20 points as the Wolverines put together a true team effort, with six bench players combining for 38 points in the win.

The Big Ten team also dominated defensively, limiting the Fighting Irish bench to just two points while keeping Notre Dame star guard Hannah Hidalgo to a mere 12-point performance.

"We knew exactly what Michigan was going to do," said Notre Dame basketball head coach Niele Ivey afterwards. "We did not have any type of fight defensively, and that's where we have to start."

The Wolverines' victory was especially sweet after Notre Dame ousted Michigan from last season's national tournament with a 76-55 second-round Irish win.

Saturday's fallout also affected this week's AP Top 25 poll, with Notre Dame falling six ranks to No. 24 while Michigan earned an eight-spot bump to No. 6.

After quietly recruiting five-star talents like Olson and Syla Swords in 2024, Michigan — a program that has yet to earn a title at the NCAA or conference level — proved over the weekend that they are entering the 2025/26 season with added depth and experience.

"That's why I committed to Michigan," Swords told JWS at October's Big Ten Media Day. "That's why so many of us came there, because we wanted to be part of something new, part of something that's never been done."

Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman is back in action, subbing into her team's 2025 NWSL semifinal win in Saturday's 90th minute as she continues to rehab a sprained MCL — with questions still remaining surrounding her future with the club.

"It felt amazing," she said afterwards. "If I get 30 seconds, or if I get 90 minutes, it feels great to be out there."

Rodman will hope for more involvement in next weekend's NWSL Championship game, taking the pitch for the Spirit in her final match under contact before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

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The USWNT standout's extension negotiations have apparently made it all the way up to the NWSL commissioner, with Rodman garnering interest from multiple UK clubs willing to outspend the US league's salary cap restrictions.

The NWSL's most recent collective bargaining agreement sets each club's current salary cap at $3.3 million, which will titrate up to $5.1 million by 2030.

"Right now, my head's completely down. It's been so distracting being injured, and that's all I can really think about," Rodman said on Saturday, addressing the reports. "Once we get this championship, then I can start making decisions and figuring out what next year looks like for me."

With rumors swirling around Rodman and her future with the Spirit, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman defended the salary cap this week, telling CBS Sports that the parity the cap fosters is "the reason our league is the most competitive league in the world."