The 18-player USWNT Olympic roster dropped on Wednesday, marking manager Emma Hayes’s first major tournament roster.

With Hayes's selections, the team appears to be going big on potential and versatility, while conceding a certain amount of experience. Lindsey Horan and Crystal Dunn as the team’s most experienced players, while the average age of the roster is 26.8 — the fourth-youngest Olympic roster and the youngest overall since 2008.

The current lineup averages 58 international caps per player, down from 111 at the Tokyo Olympics. It will be the first major tournament experience for Jenna Nighswonger, Korbin Albert, Sam Coffey, and Jaedyn Shaw. Additionally, Shaw becomes just the fifth teenager to ever make a USWNT Olympic roster, and the first since Mallory Swanson in 2016.

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"Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honor and there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process among the players and that there were difficult choices, especially considering how hard everyone has worked over the past 10 months," said Hayes in a US Soccer press release. "Choosing an 18-player roster plus alternates involved many considerations, but I am excited for the group we have selected and I’m looking forward to building on the work from last camp as we head into the send-off matches and then onto France. These are great opportunities for us to continue to show the progress we are making."

Only eight players from the Tokyo Olympics squad punched their tickets to Paris, while nine players will become first-time Olympians. 

Hayes appears to be thinking about the future, but this group will be looking to improve upon a disappointing 2023 Women's World Cup showing — or even top their bronze medal placement at the last Olympics.

"Everything we're doing is a step-by-step approach to get us as close as we possibly can to our best level, to our best version of ourselves," Hayes told media on Wednesday. "As I explained so far, this is a team that's making really good progress in doing that, and my interest and investment is getting our performances right."

One notable absence is USWNT and NWSL veteran Alex Morgan, who will miss the Summer Games for the first time since 2008. Hayes said Wednesday that it was difficult to adhere to the Olympics' 16 outfield player-limit throughout the roster-honing process.

"It was a tough decision of course, especially considering Alex's history and record with this team," Hayes said. "But I felt that I wanted to go in another direction."

"I want to talk about what an amazing player and human Alex Morgan has been," she continued. "There are players on the roster in the forward areas performing well, and the decision to take those players was one that we certainly deliberated over, but I think it's a balanced roster."

Without Morgan, not a single player on the USWNT Olympic roster has won a gold medal. 

"Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage," Morgan tweeted in response to her exclusion. "This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest," she continued. "In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG"

Full USWNT roster:

• Goalkeepers: Casey Murphy (NC Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
• Defenders: Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)
• Midfielders: Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Catarina Macario (Chelsea)
• Forwards: Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)

Alternates: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)

The world No. 1 USWNT takes the pitch against No. 25 Ireland on Thursday night, kicking off a three-friendly stretch that spans two games against the Girls in Green in Colorado and Ohio before a Washington, DC, clash against regional rivals No. 8 Canada.

"We're largely inexperienced and still learning with everything that we're looking to do, but this team, they are fast learners," US head coach Emma Hayes told media earlier this week.

After Hayes decided to give nearly all her Europe-based players a break during this international window, the USWNT enters this stretch of friendlies without a number of first-choice starters, giving young bubble players perhaps their last chance to impress.

Next week's bout with Canada will be the USWNT's last match opportunity until October's international window — the second-to-last break of 2025.

"We're at the stage where we are determining the criteria for 2027 and what that looks like," said Hayes. "From October onwards, I would say that extended pool will be the group that we will build towards 2027 with."

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Notably, Thursday's lineup could feature a boost from previously injured 2024 Olympians Rose Lavelle and Croix Bethune, with the veteran Lavelle also stepping into a newly elevated leadership role on the team.

"I had a lot of really great older players to look up to to help usher me into the position where I now can be that for the younger players, so it's definitely something that I lean into," Lavelle said on Wednesday.

How to watch the USWNT vs. Ireland on Thursday

The No. 1 USWNT will kick off their first friendly against No. 25 Ireland at 9 PM ET on Thursday, with live coverage airing on TBS.

The Indiana Fever waived their splashiest offseason signing, two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner, at her request on Wednesday.

The the 37-year-old missed the last five games due to personal reasons, with recent reports alluding to the six-time All-Star's desire to sever her Fever contract.

"Despite our shared goals and excitement heading into the season, I felt the fit did not work out and I appreciate the organization's willingness to grant my request to move on, particularly at this point in my career," Bonner said in a statement.

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After bringing on key additions like Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sophie Cunningham, the Fever were projected to take a serious leap forward under new Indiana head coach Stephanie White this season.

Unfortunately, Indiana has encountered multiple snags, with franchise player Caitlin Clark sidelined for weeks with a quad strain while White missed several games for personal reasons.

The Fever currently sit eighth in the WNBA standings with a 7-7 record, as Clark battles through a slump that saw her average just 26.5% from the field in her last three games.

She'll ride the bench again on Thursday night, as the superstar guard manages a groin injury.

To fill the gaps, Indiana signed Aari McDonald to a rest-of-season contract this week, rewarding the point guard for her strong performances in Clark's absence.

As for Bonner, she has 48 hours to clear the waiver wire, as some reports link her to a veteran minimum contract with the Phoenix Mercury for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season.

How to watch the Indiana Fever in Thursday's WNBA lineup

The Indiana Fever will try to turn things around against the LA Sparks at 7 PM ET on Thursday night.

Live coverage of the game will air on Prime.

The greatest dynasty in NCAA women's basketball is back in the spotlight, with Apple TV+ announcing a new three-part docuseries focused on the UConn Huskies on Wednesday.

According to the streamer, the series "reveals the epic narrative of UConn's roller coaster path to becoming the greatest dynasty in women's sports history, with each episode featuring a blend of unique archival footage, incisive interviews, and intimate access with UConn's 2024/25 championship squad."

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The sports documentary industry has boomed in recent years, with the Huskies now finding their place at the table alongside critically acclaimed productions like HBO's ACFC-focused Angel City and Netflix's USWNT series, Under Pressure.

To tell the story of the 12-time NCAA championship basketball program, Apple TV+ tapped two top directors, handing the UConn narrative's reins to Emmy Award nominee Erica Sashin as well as Emmy Award-winning sports documentarian Matthew Hamachek, whose credits include The Dynasty: New England Patriots and Tiger.

"This series offers fans an exclusive view into 40 seasons of UConn women's basketball, and I'm really excited for audiences to be able to see all the hard work that has built this program," said coach Geno Auriemma, who's led the Huskies since 1985.

While the series is currently in production, Apple TV+ will announce the official premiere at a future date.

The 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off late next week, as NWSL stars depart their clubs to join their national teams in the fight for continental glory.

Running from July 5th through the 26th, 12 teams from across Africa will feature at this year's tournament in Morocco, with defending champions South Africa looking to repeat.

One of the teams hoping to upend the Banyana Banyana's back-to-back prospects are Zambia's Copper Queens, captained by Orlando Pride striker and perennial MVP candidate Barbra Banda. The current NWSL leader in both shots and shots on target has eight goals in her club season so far, good for a second-place tie in the league's Golden Boot race.

Joining Banda on a Zambia side rich with attacking talent are Bay FC striker Rachael Kundananji and a pair of Banda's Pride teammates, midfielders Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya.

Other NWSL standouts making the trip include Ghana forwards Stella Nyamekye (Gotham FC) and Princess Marfo (Bay FC), as well as Nigeria striker Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC) and defender Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash).

Notably, the nine-time WAFCON champs opted to omit Washington Spirit forward Gift Monday from the Super Falcons' roster — a particularly surprising move considering Nigeria chose Oshoala, who has yet to record a goal or assist in 2025 NWSL play, and uncapped UConn junior forward Chioma Okafor over Monday and her red-hot form.

Calling it "a tough pill to swallow," Monday wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday that she harbors "no grudges, no resentment."

"I remain fully committed to cheering my country from home," Monday said, adding "To the incredible women who made the squad, go out there and make history."

"You carry the hopes of millions — including mine."