Kelsey Stewart has been a member of Team USA softball since 2014. A University of Florida graduate, she led the Gators to two National Championships. Recently, Stewart was among the 18 softball players who quit Scrap Yard Fast Pitch in response to a controversial tweet from the team’s GM. The players went on to form This is Us Softball. Below, Stewart discusses the events of the last few weeks and what softball can do to become more inclusive. 

(Editor’s note: this conversation took place shortly before This is Us Softball announced they would be cancelling the remainder of their season due to coronavirus.)

What was your reaction when you first read the tweet from Connie May, the Scrap Yard GM? How did the events unfold? 

I had actually left that morning, before the game, because I had to go take care of some personal stuff. One of my friends sent me the tweet and she was like, “Is this serious?” When I went on Twitter and saw the tweet firsthand, it was actually unbelievable. I screenshotted it and sent it to the girls. Then, I sat there and I thought about it. Should I make a statement? Should I not?

I realized I’ve been quiet for so long. I had been having conversations with other Black softball players over the past few weeks, so I knew this was the perfect opportunity for me to stand up for what I believe in and take a stance. I sent a message in the GroupMe saying that I respected whatever decision everyone wanted to make, but I personally would not play for this organization ever again.

A lot of people thought that it was about the flag or us standing during the anthem, but it wasn’t. She basically used us as a political pawn. She threw her views on us. She didn’t allow us to have a voice. And it was very insensitive to what’s going on with the Black Lives Matter movement.

How did it progress from a few players speaking out to more players quitting the team? 

I think everyone saw how hurt I was and how hurt Kiki [Stokes] was. Everyone was in agreement. That’s it. Everyone just got on board. Then, we started the This Is Us team, which is super cool. It’s about empowerment, unity, and awareness. I think we’re doing a great job. We have a website, This Is Us Softball, and I think we’re making great waves in the softball community.

This Is Us. So proud to be apart of this group. Some really special people. We will be apart of the change. To provide support to our movement check out https://t.co/HlsyeQs11I pic.twitter.com/b7tTx4dLT3

— Kelsey Stewart (@stewartkels7) June 26, 2020

What was the atmosphere like after you left the team and how is it now with the formation of the This Is Us team? 

I think when I left, everyone was a little stressed out. They were confused. They didn’t understand what was going on. I think it’s hard to relate to what Black people go through when it’s not your own issue. I think that this was the first time most of them had to deal with it firsthand, and it really opened their eyes.

Now, we’ve all decided to change the narrative — make it about this movement and what we can do as softball players to make our sport more inclusive. Now, it’s a little more lighthearted. We’re playing for something way bigger than ourselves. As you get older and you become professional, you sometimes forget about those reasons. To find something bigger than yourself is always a great thing.

How do you think softball, specifically, can be more inclusive and supportive of its Black athletes?

I think that it starts at a young age. A lot of people in the Black community don’t play softball or baseball because they are expensive sports. I think we can find ways to give back to the younger generations. I know I go through bats and gloves often — I get a new glove every year and my old gloves are still in great shape. Once you’re done with your equipment, you can donate it to younger kids and it will make a difference. Then, as far as the college level and the professional level goes, I think we need to allow players to have a voice. We need to allow them to have a platform to express their beliefs, and be proud of their background, and not have to hide who they are.

The This Is Us team consists of 11 players who are also on the Team USA roster. How do you think that being together in this movement has allowed you all to become closer, and what do you think you all have learned?

I think we were already getting closer before this because we were on tour with each other. Then, with COVID, it stopped. I think we knew that if we were going to be in this, we had to be in it together. That is something that I will take with me forever because this is the first time where I feel like my teammates truly and honestly have my back — that they would do anything and everything for me. We’ve learned that we can trust each other, no matter what. Now I know that my teammates would defend me to the death, and that’s pretty cool.

We’ve also learned how powerful our voices really are. Softball is not on the same level as soccer or volleyball. But our voices are powerful and we can reach a lot of people. It was important for us to stand up and realize that people do want to hear our stories. It doesn’t matter how big our platform is. As long as we stand for something that matters, it will reach the masses.

What does it mean to you, in our current political and social climate, to represent the United States at the national level?

Now, it’s bigger than ever. I think that the Olympics being postponed was actually a blessing in disguise because I’ve had this opportunity to use my platform. There is more awareness now. And I can really represent the Black girls. I was fortunate growing up that softball was in the Olympics consistently, and I saw Natasha Watley and realized, wow, I can be just like her. Now, I have my platform and I can really thrive in that. Michelle [Moultrie] and I are the only Black girls on our team, but we can now thrive in that. We have the platform to engage the younger generations, and allow them to want to be in our position, and encourage them that they can do anything they put their minds to.

You’re signed on to play for Athletes Unlimited. What do you think that league, especially as a new league, can do to promote inclusion and equality within the sport at the professional level? 

Athletes Unlimited has, honestly, been a refreshing experience. They do everything so professionally. We are always informed. I think they do a great job with allowing us to have a platform to use our voices. When everything started with the Black Lives Matter movement, they were one of the first organizations to reach out and say, “What can we do to help?” They are asking our opinions and they want to have meetings. The amount of people in this league who are from different backgrounds and different ethnicities is really cool. I’m excited for this new league to start because I think it’s going to be fantastic and it’s going to grow into something even bigger.

Has there been any word from Athletes Unlimited as to when you will start play, or if there will be a season?

We actually start on August 30th. We will report there either August 17th or a couple of weeks earlier, so we can quarantine. We won’t have any fans, but Athletes Unlimited partnered with ESPN and CBS so you can watch all of the games online.

Why do you think it’s important for athletes to speak up about social justice issues, specifically racial inequalities, in and beyond the sport?

The people who motivated me and inspired me to use my voice were Natasha Cloud and LeBron James. As athletes, we have a platform — we reach the masses. We reach the younger generations and the older generations. If we stay quiet, nothing will change. People support us on the court and they support us on the field. I think people need to realize, though, that yes, we are athletes, but we are also people and we fight different things every day. People learning who we are, beyond our sport, will really change the next generations. As athletes, we have to have a voice in everything that is going on. We have to vote. Just because we play a sport, doesn’t mean that is who we are. It’s just something we do.

The Olympics were postponed until 2021. What is happening in the meantime with Team USA? Are you planning on training together once it is safe to do so? 

We will probably start training this fall. It’s still up in the air because, with COVID, everything changes daily. As of right now, we have a couple of training sessions scheduled for this fall, and then we will start to tour again in February. Fingers crossed that everything stays on course.

Is there anything else that you want to mention?

On a lot of my posts recently, there have been comments from people saying that they want to put their bat and their glove down. Right now, I think that all of us older softball players are going through this so that younger players don’t have to. To all the younger players, keep swinging, keep playing catch, and we will protect you the whole way.

The 2024 NCAA DI Soccer Championship field is officially set, with 64 teams gearing up to battle for postseason glory in this weekend's first round.

All teams have their sights set on this year's College Cup — NCAA soccer's Final Four — which will take place in Cary, NC, with semifinals on December 6th before the December 9th championship match.

Along with the 30 conference tournament champions who automatically received postseason invites, the NCAA committee revealed its 34 selectees in Monday's bracket release. The top 32 teams are seeded one through eight in their respective bracket quadrants, and teams are guaranteed to only face non-conference opponents through the tournament's second round.

Tight race for top seeds reflect NCAA talent

In this 43rd edition of the NCAA championship, three of the four No. 1 seeds are already making history.

After finishing the the regular season atop the sport's rankings, Duke is the tournament's overall No. 1 team for the first time ever. The Blue Devils, who boast the nation's second-best scoring offense, are aiming for a program-first national title this year.

Joining Duke in the bracket's elite echelon are USC and Mississippi State, who claimed No. 1 seeds for the first time ever. The Trojans did so in their first season as a Big Ten team, while the SEC veteran Bulldogs put together their best year yet, finishing with a nationally unparalleled 16-1-0 regular-season record.

Rounding out the top quartet is defending champion Florida State, the lone consistent standby in the No. 1-seed club. The Seminoles have earned the honor 12 times, with this year marking their sixth straight NCAA tournament atop a quadrant.

Power Four squads lead NCAA Championship charge

Unsurprisingly, the Power Four conferences comprise over half the national bracket. The SEC and Big Ten lead the charge with 10 teams each, while the ACC has nine in the mix, and the Big 12 is sending seven.

Though the ACC didn't win the total team race, the tough conference is still arguably the one to beat in the bracket, as seven of their teams earned Top-4 seedings. Even more, a full half of the eight Nos. 1 and 2 teams hail from the ACC, with second-seeds North Carolina and Wake Forest joining top seeds Duke and Florida State.

UNC and Wake Forest represent two very different paths to the tournament: The Tar Heels — a dynasty who've won 21 of the 42 national trophies — extended their streak of appearing in every single NCAA tournament with Monday's bracket drop. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons have shot to national acclaim after failing to garner an invite to last year's NCAA party.

Joining the ACC pair as No. 2 seeds are SEC standouts Arkansas and 2022 national champions and new Big Ten members UCLA. The Razorbacks claim their third No. 2 seed in four years, while the Bruins' defense is on a hunt to prove that defense wins championships.

Parity set to increase NCAA tournament chaos

Though the top contenders have certainly earned respect, this season's competition is particularly fierce, as the fallout of conference realignment and unrestricted transfers has meant increased parity on the NCAA pitch.

That parity isn't just reflected by new teams claiming top national seeds. This postseason has already proved that almost any team can emerge victorious from the college soccer pitch at any time.

In last week's Power Four conference tournaments, for example, only the Big 12 saw the top conference seed advance to the final, and none ultimately lifted hardware: UCLA claimed the Big Ten as the No. 2 seed, No. 3 seeds Florida State and Texas won the ACC and SEC tournaments, respectively, and Kansas absolutely stunned the Big 12 as the conference's No. 6 seed champions.

How to watch the NCAA Soccer Championship tournament

Those parity-fueled upsets will be increasingly likely in the tournament's later rounds, but several of the 32 first-round matchups have upset potential.

All will stream on ESPN+, starting with the NCAA's kickoff match between No. 8 Utah State and Washington on Friday at 4 PM ET.

Friday will see 25 matches, with six on Saturday. Wrapping up the tournament's first chapter will be No. 1 USC, who will host Sacramento State at 5 PM ET on Sunday.

This episode of 'The Late Sub' is presented in partnership with Visa.

In the latest episode of The Late Sub, podcast host and JWS staff writer Claire Watkins invites Bay FC center defensive midfielder Kiki Pickett into the studio to chat through the 2024 NWSL expansion's side banner first season — one, as Pickett reveals, where local support made all the difference.

"That love for women's sports is huge," the Santa Barbara native and Stanford grad says of her team's Northern California home. "And then we have the Valkyries coming in as well, so I think that's only just going to increase."

Throughout the conversation, Pickett looks back on other sources of support, including hands-on backing from team staff as well as a unique partnership with founding partner Visa that sees direct investment in current Bay FC players. In addition to investing in enhanced player benefits such as dedicated mental health support, Visa's partnership enables players to more efficiently earn the maximum amount of appearance fee compensation available under the NWSL's current CBA.

"I think that's been a huge advantage for us, knowing that they have our back on whatever it is — recovery, nutrition, mental balance," she says of Bay FC's Visa partnership. "Those are just the little details that get us above and beyond."

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Bay FC's rise from shaky start to 2024 NWSL Playoffs

Pickett then walks Watkins through the team's impressive mid-season turnaround, explaining how Bay FC became the perfect NWSL underdog before highlighting some of the most memorable moments from the team's record-breaking debut year.

"Every game has helped us learn and build our blocks," Pickett continues, reflecting on the team's journey from a shaky start to making last weekend's NWSL quarterfinals. "The mindset switch was, 'If we're so focused on defense, you've got to make sure the offense is correct. If we're so focused on offense, we've got to make sure our defense is correct.' We eventually put those two together, and it just clicked."

"Maybe people aren't talking about us in the beginning because we didn't have the best record," she adds. "Now people are talking about us."

Elsewhere in the episode, Watkins also takes time to recap this past weekend's NWSL quarterfinals, talking through blowouts, surprises, empty tanks, and why the league's top four teams continue to rule the pitch this year.

About The Late Sub with Claire Watkins

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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One week into the 2024/25 season and the Big Ten is already leading the college basketball charge, with multiple teams tallying upsets to boost their spots in Monday's AP Top 25 update.

The biggest leap belonged to Maryland, who climbed seven spots to No. 11 after defeating now-No. 16 Duke 85-80 on Sunday. With four double-digit scorers, the Terrapins' team effort was led by junior guard Kaylene Smikle's 23 points.

Maryland's Big Ten compatriots, No. 23 Illinois and No. 25 Oregon, broke into Monday's standings after respective wins against then-No. 19 Florida State on Thursday and then-No. 12 Baylor on Sunday.

Led by former UNC standout Deja Kelly's 20 points, the Ducks staved off a late Baylor surge to secure the 76-74 win, snapping a 13-game losing streak to ranked opponents in the process.

Outside the Big Ten, Stanford also made their 2024/25 poll debut, coming in at No. 24. The Cardinal took their omission from the preseason poll — the first in 25 years with Stanford — as a challenge, defeating their first three season opponents last week by an average of 41 points.

South Carolina maintains stranglehold on No. 1

The preseason top eight teams held their ground this week behind defending champs No. 1 South Carolina, who extended their division-record active unbeaten streak to 40 games with Sunday's 71-57 win over now-No. 13 NC State.

With junior forward Chloe Kitts, who led the Gamecocks with a double-double in their season opener, ruled out due to an academic issue, South Carolina guards Te-Hina Paopao and MiLaysia Fulwiley stepped up in a big way, sinking 23 and 18 points, respectively.

SEC is still NCAA's top basketball conference

While still early days, it does appear that conference realignment and a robust transfer portal has once again emboldened the NCAA's biggest players. 

New Big Ten members No. 3 USC, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 24 Oregon join veterans No. 11 Maryland, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 21 Nebraska, and No. 23 Illinois in this week's rankings, tying the SEC with the most teams in the poll at seven.

Even so, the SEC remains the conference to beat, with not just No. 1 South Carolina setting the sport's standard, but three other Top-10 teams. Conference veteran No. 7 LSU and last season's Big 12 stalwarts No. 4 Texas and No. 9 Oklahoma round out the SEC's grip on the top of the rankings, with No. 19 Ole Miss, No. 20 Kentucky, and No. 22 Alabama also featuring in the poll.

AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll

1. South Carolina
2. UConn
3. Southern California
4. Texas
5. UCLA
6. Notre Dame
7. LSU
8. Iowa State
9. Oklahoma
10. Kansas State
11. Maryland
12. Ohio State
13. North Carolina State
14. North Carolina
15. West Virginia
16. Duke
17. Baylor
18. Louisville
19. Ole Miss
20. Kentucky
21. Nebraska
22. Alabama
23. Illinois
24. Stanford
25. Oregon

World No. 3 tennis star Coco Gauff won the 2024 WTA Finals on Saturday, becoming the youngest US player to take the tournament since Serena Williams in 2001.

Gauff's championship came by way of a grueling three-hour 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) final match win over reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen.

The 20-year-old's road to the $4.8 million purse — the largest in women's tennis history — included just her second-ever win over No. 2 Iga Świątek in the group round and a semifinal victory over No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Friday.

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A winning end to a rollercoaster season

When asked about her 2024 season, Gauff told reporters, "There’s been a lot of ups and downs. At moments, it felt great. At other moments, it felt awful. Basically, a typical year on tour."

Her low point was a disappointing attempt to defend her 2023 US Open title. Gauff stumbled out of the US Grand Slam in the fourth round this fall.

That performance led Gauff to an apparently productive coaching change. She left coach Brad Gilbert, adding Matt Daly to her team to work with Jean-Christophe “JC” Faurel.

Since then, Gauff has gone 13-2, ultimately adding the China Open and WTA Finals titles to her June French Open doubles trophy.

After silencing doubters with Saturday's victory, Gauff took to social media, writing "lol safe to say I beat the bad season allegations."

A double dose of WTA Finals history

Just before Gauff took the court, Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand's Erin Routliffe were crowned the season's doubles champions.

Dabrowski and Routliffe avenged their Wimbledon final loss by defeating US player Taylor Townsend and her Czech partner Kateřina Siniaková 7-5, 6-3 on Saturday. They are now the first athletes from Canada and New Zealand to win the WTA Finals doubles title.