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Hanna, Haley Cavinder headline Champs Sports ‘Women Win’ campaign

Hanna and Haley Cavinder. (Photo courtesy of Champs)

Champs Sports unveiled Wednesday a new campaign, honoring women who are making an impact in sports.

The campaign, titled “Women Win,” features athletes like Hanna and Haley Cavinder, who signed with Champs Sports in 2021 through an NIL deal and were the first female athletes to sign with the brand.

The college basketball stars, who recently transferred to the University of Miami from Fresno State, kicked off the name, image and likeness era a year ago, signing deals at 12:01 a.m. ET on July 1 — the first minute in which NCAA athletes could sign endorsement deals.

“Being able to work with amazing brands that have partnerships with Champs is just something that we never envisioned for ourselves,” Hanna Cavinder told Just Women’s Sports. “It’s been long overdue for student-athletes.”

As part of the campaign, which “puts solidarity, action, and equality at the forefront to highlight the many women in sports who are making a difference and advocating for positive change,” the duo headlined an event at Champs Sports Homefield with Miramar’s Everglades High School on July 17. There will be other events through July 30, like a Reebok workout class with former WNBA player Ty Young and an Under Armour event with Cornell volleyball player Sydney Moore.

All are meant to bring further visibility to Champ’s partnership with VOICEINSPORT, which aims to elevate conversations around equality and mental health in sports.

“Being able to go to the Champs store a couple days ago and work with a high school in our community, allowing us to work with female athletes and just give back to them was super cool,” Haley Cavinder said. “What Champs is doing is just really special to Hanna and I, and other female athletes in the world.”

Among Champs’ other action steps is a $30,000 donation to the VOICEINSPORT Foundation in support of their Title IX initiatives.

“Our team at Champs Sports is proud to continue empowering women in sports who serve as an inspiration each day,” said Guy Harkless, senior VP and GM of Champs Sports and Eastbay. “These women possess the ethos that Champs Sports prides itself on and we’re proud to provide a platform that shines a light on the collective voices helping to drive the future of women’s sports.”

Providing women in sports a platform has been an added bonus of NIL. In addition to the Cavinder twins, many at the forefront of NIL deals have been women, including Olivia Dunne, Aliyah Boston and Rose Zhang.

But there’s still room to grow as the era of NIL continues to be developed. More and more often, the marketability of female athletes is proving itself to be equal to that of their male counterparts.

“There’s not as many opportunities for our sports, so just being able to see all these female athletes is something that is very inspiring every single day,” said Hanna. “Obviously being a part of it, being at the forefront of it with Haley is something that we take a lot of pride in.

“I think there’s a lot of room for growth. Empowering women and shining light on female athletes and women in general is what we need to continue to do here. But I think campaigns like this one showcases companies like Champs empowering females.”

Barcelona aims to end Emma Hayes UWCL dreams in semifinal

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 28: Jonatan Giraldez of FC Barcelona gestures during the UEFA Women's Champions League 2023/24 Quarter Final Leg Two match between FC Barcelona and SK Brann at Estadi Johan Cruyff on March 28, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Barcelona is set to take on Chelsea once again in the Champions League semifinals, and coach Jonatan Giráldez has his sights set on ending Chelsea’s run. 

It’s a rematch of last year’s semifinal, only this time both coaches are coaching in their final leg of UWCL matches with their respective teams. Giráldez will depart Barcelona for the NWSL’s Washington Spirit upon the conclusion of the season, while Chelsea’s Emma Hayes is set to take over the USWNT. 

While Giráldez has won the Champions League before with Barcleona, it’s the one trophy that has eluded Hayes in her time at Chelsea. 

"Emma's legacy is in what she has done at Chelsea and the growth [at the club] over more than 10 years," Giráldez said. "She has done a magnificent job at the club. The next [manager] will have bar set very high because she has done amazing things.

"She will hope to go out with a Champions League [trophy], but we are here to try and make sure that doesn't happen and to bring it home, which is our objective."

In her time with Chelsea, Hayes has won six Women’s Super League titles and five FA Cups. Chelsea has made the UWCL final just once – in 2021, when the team lost to Barcelona. Barcelona then ended Chelsea’s hopes again last year, winning 2-1 on aggregate in the semifinal before winning their second UWCL trophy in four years. 

The first leg of this year’s semifinal is set to be played at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium, with Chelsea then playing at home in the second leg. 

"It will be a very even tie," Giráldez added. "Chelsea are a great side and the club have invested in the women's game in recent years -- and it shows. They've done well in the Champions League and are in great form, but so are we. I would have preferred to have the second leg at home, but it's not something we can control."

USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert issues apology for social media activity

Korbin Albert. (Photo by John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert has apologized for past social media activity that appeared to support anti-LGBTQIA+ content and for liking an Instagram post that made light of Megan Rapinoe’s injury in her final professional game. 

The posts caused Rapinoe to call out the midfielder, who now wears Rapinoe’s No. 15, on Instagram, addressing her note to “the people who want to hide behind ‘my beliefs’” and saying that “all you believe in is hate.”

Rapinoe’s comments were then shared by USWNT teammate Becky Sauerbrunn, as well as others like Lynn Williams, Sam Mewis and Kristie Mewis. 

Among the posts reposted to Albert’s TikTok was a Christian sermon talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. The posts surfaced earlier this week and garnered widespread attention among fans of women’s soccer. 

Albert started in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League game on Thursday, scoring in the 70th minute. Following the game, and hours after Rapinoe’s post, Albert posted an apology to her Instagram. 

"I want to sincerely apologize for my actions on social media," Albert wrote in a post shared on her Instagram story late Thursday. "Liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive and hurtful was immature and disrespectful which was never my intent. I'm really disappointed in myself and am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended.

“I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that and for that I sincerely apologize. It’s an honor and a privilege to play this sport on the world stage and I promise to do better.”

U.S. Soccer has yet to address Albert’s social media activity, although she is set to join the USWNT next week in camp ahead of the SheBelieves Cup, which starts on April 6.

Megan Rapinoe confirms post was directed at Korbin Albert

(Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Former USWNT forward Megan Rapinoe took to Instagram to implicitly call out current USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert’s past social media activity.

Albert, who now wears Rapinoe’s No. 15, came under fire this week for previous social media activity that included her appearing to support anti-LGBTQIA+ content and like an Instagram post that made light of Rapinoe’s injury in her final professional game. 

Rapinoe tore her Achilles in the NWSL championship, and Albert, via a screengrab, appeared to like a post from a meme account that read: “God taking time off performing miracles to make sure Megan Rapinoe sprains her ankle in her final ever game.”

Albert’s Instagram handle appeared to have liked the post in the screengrab, although the original appears to have been deleted as of March 28. 

On Thursday, Rapinoe posted her reaction to Albert’s activity via an Instagram story.

“To the people who want to hide behind ‘my beliefs’ I would just ask one question, are you making any time of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?” she wrote. “… because if you aren’t all you believe in is hate. And Kids are literally killing themselves because of this hate. Wake TF up! Yours Truly, #15.”

She signed off her note saying, “For all my trans homies enduring this horrific treatment day in and day out, I see you and hear you and I am WITH YOU.”

USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn reshared the post on Thursday, captioning it, “Well said.” Other former teammates and current USWNT members also shared the post, including Lynn Williams, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis and Kristie Mewis. 

When asked for comment by The Athletic, Rapinoe said the post was a response to Albert’s social media activity, but also noted that her focus is on protecting queer lives and sharing concerns over how online discussions and anti-trans sentiment can have real-world consequences.

Rapinoe isn’t the only USWNT member to have supported trans rights. Long-time captain Becky Sauerbrunn wrote an op-ed for a Missouri newspaper in support of allowing trans girls and women to play sports. In the final game of the 2022 SheBelieves Cup, held in Texas, players wore wristbands with the words “Protect Trans Kids” on the same day that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for state employees to report the parents of trans children to the authorities. 

Following her Champions League match with club team Paris Saint-Germain, Albert posted an apology to Instagram.

“I want to sincerely apologize for my actions on social media,” she wrote. “Liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive and hurtful was immature and disrespectful which was never my intent.

“I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that and for that I sincerely apologize. It’s an honor and a privilege to play this sport on the world stage and I promise to do better.”

USC’s McKenzie Forbes: From Gap Year to the NCAA Tournament

As part of our 1-v-1 video series, USC’s India Otto sat down to interview her teammate McKenzie Forbes. 

Here are five things to know from our conversation with the graduate transfer from Folsom, California.

#1 Inspired by USC’s Head Coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, McKenzie wants to be a basketball coach or work in the front office in the future.

When weighing in on what makes a good coach, McKenzie said x’s and o’s are important but “Coaching is a lot of relationship managing and people managing. I think you have to be a good people person and be able to build those relationships, but also in that same breath, you can’t be afraid to have people dislike you in moments. I think that’s a big part of leadership.”

#2 McKenzie says the trajectory of her career changed when she made the decision to transfer from Cal to Harvard.

 In order to transfer, she was forced to take a gap year and spend a lot of time in the gym. “I completely transformed my body and, going into the Harvard season, felt like I was a completely different player. Going to Harvard and playing in a more mid-major conference, I had the ball in my hands a lot more than I might have if I transferred to another Power 5. It really developed other parts of my game.”

#3 How does McKenzie think USC will do in the Women’s College Basketball Tournament?

“I’m not going to give a typical interview answer. I want a Final Four. We have that potential and capability. Like why not? Why not us? I think we have all the pieces.”

#4 Her older brother, Marcus, was her biggest mentor growing up.

“He was basically my trainer from Elementary school on until he went to college.”

#5 Fun facts about Forbes:

She can juggle and she was the quarterback of her Pop Warner football team. “I was slow but I could throw it!”

Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.

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