The inaugural JWS high school basketball Player of the Year will lead the charge next week when the USA Basketball U18 national team heads to South America to compete for gold.

UCLA commit Kiki Rice is one of 12 players who will make the trip, all of whom will be seeking to claim the 10th straight gold medal for USA Basketball at the FIBA U18 Women’s Americas Championship. The international showcase is scheduled to take place June 13-19 in Buenos Aires.

The team will be led by Joni Taylor, who has seven years of head coaching experience at the college level. Taylor was 140-75 during her seven seasons at Georgia, including a 21-7 mark in 2020-21 that earned her SEC Coach of the Year honors. Then, in March, Taylor was named Texas A&M’s eighth head coach in program history.

Now comes another momentous opportunity for Taylor as she embarks on her first stint in a leading role for USA Basketball.

“When you get everyone together and there’s one mission and that mission is to go represent your country and win a gold medal, it’s a special thing,” said Taylor, who served as an assistant coach a year ago for the U19 national team. “It’s electric. The energy is electric every day. It’s intense. We all walk away from it better and proud, so I’m extremely grateful and happy to be here.”

Introducing the 2022 USA Women's U18 National Team! 🙌

🇺🇸 #USABWU18 pic.twitter.com/nggMeAEned

— USABJNT (@usabjnt) June 4, 2022

There’s perhaps no bigger name on Taylor’s roster than Rice, who’s coming off a 2022 campaign in which she averaged 15.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game for Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.). She committed to the Bruins in November before leading Sidwell to a perfect 30-0 record and a DCSAA Class AA state title.

Taylor had high praise for Rice, whose dynamic abilities on the court are surpassed only by her character. Taylor also credited Rice with a stellar basketball IQ, which goes a long way in overcoming the hurdles of establishing a new offense in such a short period of time.

“As she continues to expand her range she’s going to be a three-level scorer that’s hard to defend,” Taylor said. “Her size gives her an advantage when she gets around the rim because she can finish with contact. She’s also a willing passer, so it’s great to have someone with that amount of talent who’s willing to pass the ball and understands how to get people in the right spots.

“I think when arguably your best player is humble and one of your hardest working, it makes it really easy for everyone else to follow.”

Rice will be joined by teammate Londynn Jones. Together, they helped lead the U16 national team to a gold-medal win over Canada in 2019. Isuneh Brady, S’Mya Nichols, Indya Nivar and Grace VanSlooten also participated in those team trials.

While Rice’s USA Basketball experience is well-documented — she was also a member of the 3×3 U18 World Cup Team that took home gold in 2019 — the team includes six players who will be making their USA Basketball debuts: Aalyah Del Rosario, Kailyn Gilbert, Chloe Kitts, Cotie McMahon, Courtney Ogden and Justine Pissott.

The COVID-19 pandemic played a part in allowing those debuts to come sooner rather than later. Taylor says the message for the newcomers is understanding what it means to represent your country on the international stage.

“That conversation has nothing to do with basketball,” Taylor said. “It’s about the way you carry yourself, the way you represent what’s on the front of your jersey, which is obviously the USA. It’s about making sure you handle moments the right way and knowing your history, knowing the people who wore your jersey number before you and what they did and how they represented and the gold medals they won.”

Taylor’s staff includes a pair of accomplished assistant coaches in DeLisha Milton-Jones and Teri Moren. Milton-Jones, a two-time WNBA champion and a three-time WNBA All-Star, just wrapped up her first season as head coach at Old Dominion. Meanwhile, Moren has nearly 20 years of head coaching experience at the collegiate level, including the last eight seasons at Indiana.

Another successful #U17 and #U18 National Team Trials! @usabasketball @usabjnt #GoldMedalStandard pic.twitter.com/SreBn74eic

— Terri Ward (@tmwardco) June 5, 2022

“Both have great energy,” Taylor said about her assistant coaches. “They’re both willing to serve. We all want to serve and just do what’s best for USA Basketball and to go over there and win a gold medal, so I’m extremely happy with the staff that USA Basketball put together and what we’ve been able to learn from each other and accomplish.”

Team USA will take the court Monday against Colombia and wrap up group play against Puerto Rico and El Salvador on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Tournament play begins June 17.

The 12-player roster, which was revealed Friday, was selected from 30 invitees following four days of trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The players are set to leave Friday, and in the days leading up to their departure, Taylor has enjoyed watching the evolution of their chemistry both on and off the court.

“There will be lifelong friendships that are formed through this experience,” Taylor said. Some of them may have the opportunity to compete next year and try out for the U-19 team.

“Who knows what’s going to happen there? But this is something that starts now and can carry on for a while.”

MEET THE TEAM

Isuneh Brady, 17, Cathedral Catholic HS (Calif.)
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Height: 6-3
Class: 2022
Commitment: Connecticut

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Aalyah Del Rosario, 18, The Webb School (Tenn.)
Hometown: Danbury, Conn.
Height: 6-6
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Kailyn Gilbert, 18, IMG Academy (Fla.)
Hometown: Riverview, Fla.
Height: 5-8
Class: 2022
Commitment: Arizona

Londynn Jones, 17, Corona Centennial HS (Calif.)
Hometown: Corona, Calif.
Height: 5-6
Class: 2022
Commitment: UCLA

Chloe Kitts, 17, Faith Christian Academy (Fla.)
Hometown: Oviedo, Fla.
Height: 6-3
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Cotie McMahon, 18, Centerville HS (Ohio)
Hometown: Centerville, Ohio
Height: 5-11
Class: 2022
Commitment: Ohio State

S’Mya Nichols, 17, Shawnee Mission West HS (Kan.)
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
Height: 6-0
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Indya Nivar, 18, Apex Friendship HS (N.C.)
Hometown: Apex, N.C.
Height: 5-10
Class: 2022
Commitment: Stanford

Courtney Ogden, 17, The Westminster School (Ga.)
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Height: 6-1
Class: 2023
Commitment: Undeclared

Justine Pissott, 18, Red Bank Catholic HS (N.J.)
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Height: 6-4
Class: 2022
Commitment: Tennessee

Kiki Rice, 18, Sidwell Friends School (Washington, D.C.)
Hometown: Bethesda, Md.
Height: 5-11
Class: 2022
Commitment: UCLA

Grace VanSlooten, 17, IMG Academy (Fla.)
Hometown: Ottawa Hills, Ohio
Height: 6-3
Class: 2022
Commitment: Oregon

Trent Singer is the High School Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @trentsinger.

Incoming NWSL side Denver Summit FC will kick off in style, with the 2026 expansion team announcing Monday that the club will make its big debut on March 28th at Empower Field at Mile High — the home stadium of the city's local NFL team, the Denver Broncos.

The venue shift comes shortly after the club surpassed 15,000 season ticket deposits, setting a new NWSL record for an expansion franchise.

"This will be an unforgettable moment for our club, our players, our city, and our fans," said team president Jen Millet about the inaugural match. "We're honored to play our first home match and host 'The Kickoff' in such an iconic stadium."

With the ability to hold a crowd of 76,125, Empower Field could also provide an opportunity for Denver to immediately contend for the NWSL's single-game attendance record, which currently stands at 40,091 fans after Bay FC shattered the previous record at San Francisco's Oracle Park in August.

"This venue has hosted many memorable moments in Colorado sports history, and we look forward to working together to bring a best-in-class experience for Summit FC fans," said Broncos president Damani Leech in Monday's club statement.

How to attend the Denver Summit FC "Kickoff" match

Though the expansion side's debut opponent is still unknown, fans can be a part of NWSL history by snagging tickets to fill the Mile High City's NFL stadium at the March 28th inaugural Denver Summit match.

"The Kickoff" tickets will go on sale at DenverSummitFC.com on Wednesday, November 12th.

The WNBA Players Association is making friends, as brother player unions for the NBA, MLB, and NFL all issued statements last week supporting the WNBPA while the league officially extended the ongoing CBA negotiations by an additional 30 days.

Calling WNBA players' impact on the league "undeniable," the NFLPA wrote on Wednesday that "It's time for fair compensation, proper working conditions, and a future that puts players first."

"We're with you for as long as it takes to get what you deserve," the MLBPA told WNBPA players in a Saturday solidarity post on social media.

"We stand with the women of the WNBPA as they work toward a collective bargaining agreement that reflects their value and impact both on and off the court," the NBPA posted on Saturday.

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Amid the statements of support from other player unions, the WNBA and WNBPA also officially extended their CBA negotiation deadline on Friday.

The league office and the WNBPA now have until November 30th to reach a deal, though the players can terminate the extension at any time with 48 hours notice — a move that would put them on a path toward a possible work stoppage.

"While we believed negotiations would be further along, the players are more focused, united, and determined than ever to reach an agreement that reflects their value and undeniable impact on the league," the union wrote in a Friday statement.

ESPN reported that the two sides met multiple times last week, as a busy WNBA offseason with two expansion drafts and an active free agency period looms.

Upsets are stealing the show at the 2025 WTA Finals, with world No. 5 Jessica Pegula taking down reigning champion No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-2 on Sunday before No. 6 Elena Rybakina topped No. 2 Iga Świątek 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 to open Monday's action at the eight-player, season-ending tennis tournament.

Gauff's well-documented serve struggles plagued Sunday's showdown, with the 2025 French Open winner hitting 17 double faults — including three consecutive misses — en route to the second-set tiebreak.

"Coco is a great champion, great competitor, good friend, so it's always tough playing her," Pegula said afterwards. "I don't think there's any secrets with this group of girls here."

Rybakina then continued the streak of WTA Finals upsets by storming past Świątek on Monday morning, winning 12 out of the last 13 games to humble the 2025 Wimbledon champ after Świątek cruised past No. 7 Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2 in Saturday's round-robin group stage opener.

Other top seeds rolled in their first tests, with each four-player group's top two finishers advancing to Friday's semifinals.

No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka dominated No. 8 Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-1 on Sunday, with the 2025 US Open winner later saying, "I take this tournament as a regular tournament that I have to win five matches if I want to win the title. So I'm just trying to bring my best tennis and fight for every point."

How to watch the 2025 WTA Finals

Round-robin play continues through Thursday, before the semifinalists battle on Friday for a spot in Saturday's championship match.

All 2025 WTA Finals matches air live on the Tennis Channel.

Despite missing the 2025 regular-season finale due to an adductor injury, No. 1 Kansas City Current star forward Temwa Chawinga picked up her second straight NWSL Golden Boot on Sunday.

Chawinga tallied 15 goals and three assists in the 2025 NWSL campaign, beating out Gotham forward Esther (13), North Carolina forward Manaka Matsukubo (11), Louisville forward Emma Sears (10), and Chicago forward Ludmilla (10) for this season's Golden Boot.

The 27-year-old, who set the league's single-season scoring record with 20 goals in 2024, is now just the second-ever NWSL player to earn back-to-back Golden Boots, joining former Chicago star Sam Kerr.

With the Malawi international still recovering from an injury incurred during the Current's October 18th match against the Houston Dash, her recovery remains front of mind as Kansas City gears up for the 2025 NWSL Playoffs.

In order to to stay in market and continue her rehab, Chawinga also pulled out of last week's WAFCON qualifiers in hopes of returning to the NWSL pitch to help the reigning Shield-winners secure a championship.

Kansas City manager Vlatko Andonovski said this week that "there's a chance" Chawinga could be available for the team's early postseason games, but that she was still "day-to-day."

"Deb is good. Kayla's good. Gabby. They're all good," Andonovski told reporters, running through his roster. "Temwa is still not good and we're not going to take any risks at this point. We'll see how she progresses."

After a historic season, Kansas City has to like their playoff chances — but a healthy Chawinga could be the club's key to lifting a first-ever NWSL championship trophy.