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.

US tennis star and world No. 12 Amanda Anisimova continued her breakthrough 2025 Wimbledon run on Thursday, taking down No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to punch a ticket to her first career Grand Slam final.

"This doesn't feel real right now," Anisimova said after winning the 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 semifinal thriller. "I don't know how I pulled it out."

"It was such a rollercoaster match," the 23-year-old told ESPN. "[Sabalenka] is such a tough competitor, and I really had to give it my all to fight there to get the win."

As the first US player to reach a Wimbledon final since Serena Williams in 2019 — and the youngest from the US since Williams' 2004 run — Anisimova's meteoric 2025 rise comes just 18 months after she took an extended mental health break from tennis.

"A lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game," she said. "So just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritize yourself, that's been incredibly special to me."

Anisimova's semifinal win also continues a unique pattern for her home country, as Saturday's championship match is now the fourth straight Grand Slam final to feature a US player — a streak dating back to No. 3 Jessica Pegula's 2024 US Open championship appearance.

Even more, should Anisimova emerge victorious on Saturday, she'll join 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys and 2025 French Open winner No. 2 Coco Gauff in continuing a US sweep of this year's Grand Slams.

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Anisimova to face Świątek in 2025 Wimbledon final

To do so, however, Anisimova will have to defeat five-time Grand Slam winner and world No. 4 Iga Świątek in what will be the pair's first-ever senior-level match on Saturday.

Like Anisimova, the 24-year-old Polish phenom is on an unexpected Wimbledon run, as the London Slam's grass courts have historically hampered the clay-court specialist.

That said, Świątek dominated her Thursday semifinal against Switzerland's No. 35 Belinda Bencic, booking her spot in Saturday's title match in two quick 6-2, 6-0 sets.

"Tennis keeps surprising me," she said after the match. "I thought I had experienced everything on the court, but I hadn't experienced playing well on grass. That's the first time."

"Honestly, I never even dreamt that it was possible for me to play the [Wimbledon] finals, so I'm just super excited and proud of myself," Świątek added.

As for Anisimova, she's taking her championship match against the decorated Świątek in stride.

"I'm sure it'll be an amazing match. Getting to compete against an unbelievable player again is going to be super special," said the rising US star.

"Obviously I haven't been in a Grand Slam final before, but I've experienced a lot of moments similar and a lot of high-stakes matches," Anisimova noted. "I'm just gonna go out and enjoy every moment and try to not think about what’s on the line."

How to watch the 2025 Wimbledon championship match

With this year's tournament guaranteed to crown a first-time Wimbledon champion, Anisimova will battle Świątek for the London Slam's trophy at 11 AM ET on Saturday.

The final will air live on ESPN.

Legendary USWNT attacker Tobin Heath officially announced her retirement from soccer on Thursday, nearly three years after playing her final professional match.

"Over New Year's, I actually came to the full acceptance that I wasn't going to be playing," the 37-year-old explained on her podcast, The RE-CAP Show.

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In her 13 years with the senior national team, Heath — widely regarded as one of the most technical players in US history — earned two World Cup titles (2015, 2019) and three Olympic medals (gold in 2008 and 2012, and bronze in 2021).

Across her 181 USWNT caps, the 2016 US Soccer Athlete of the Year logged 36 goals and 42 assists, making her final appearance for the States on October 26th, 2021.

At the club level, Heath spent seven seasons with the Portland Thorns, helping the team to NWSL Championships in 2013 and 2017, as well as the 2016 NWSL Shield.

While her career also included European stints with the Première Ligue's PSG as well as WSL sides Manchester United and Arsenal, Heath ended her pro run with the 2022 NWSL Shield-winning Seattle Reign, playing what would be her final soccer match on August 14th of that year.

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Injury ends Heath's soccer career

The end of Heath's career is not what the creative, nutmegging winger anticipated.

"I thought I was literally going to be peeled off the field," Heath told The Athletic on Wednesday.

However, a 2022 serious left knee injury left Heath unable to play soccer — even at a casual level — ultimately forcing her retirement.

"I tried f---ing everything to get back, I spent tens of thousands of dollars and [had] two surgeries, one crazy surgery," Heath said on her podcast. "And the whole time I believed I was going to get back."

"Football is a 360-degree sport, and I can't do it," she told The Athletic. "So that part is the hardest part. The actual playing of soccer is gone."

Heath still working to lift up women's soccer in retirement

Despite coming to terms with the end of her on-pitch career, Heath isn't leaving the world of soccer anytime soon, helping lead the newly launched World Sevens Football and joining FIFA's technical study group for the men's Club World Cup.

Elevating football — particularly the women's game — is a pursuit that began for Heath with the Portland Thorns.

"[Portland] showed what women's sports could be," she explained. "I was dreaming of the world that I wanted to create."

The 2019 World Cup run then solidified that mission, with the USWNT adding a fourth star to their crest while also facing a pressure-cooker of expectations amid political tension and a contentious fight for equal pay.

"You can't feel what we felt...and not believe that you're doing something so f---ing important for the world," said Heath.

"You feel that responsibility — and that's what it is — and you want to keep carrying that responsibility as far forward as you can."

USWNT and Chelsea FC forward Mia Fishel is officially heading back to the States, with the Seattle Reign announcing that the 24-year-old signed with the NWSL club on Thursday.

The multi-year deal will see Fishel join Seattle through the 2029 season on a contract reportedly worth nearly $2.5 million — the largest cumulative deal in NWSL history.

"We're absolutely thrilled to bring Mia into our squad," said Seattle head coach Laura Harvey in a club statement. "Mia's ability to disrupt defenses, finish in different ways makes her a dangerous addition to our group."

"Mia is a player with tremendous upside — a goal-scorer with presence, creativity, and a drive to keep growing," added Reign GM Lesle Gallimore.

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Notably, though the Orlando Pride originally drafted the San Diego product and UCLA alum in 2022, this week's move will see Fishel make her domestic debut, with the young talent opting to start her pro career in Mexico.

In her single season with powerhouse Tigres UANL, Fishel notched 17 goals in 17 games to become the first foreign athlete to win the Liga MX Golden Boot, all while leading the team to a league championship.

Following her Liga MX success, Fishel signed with Chelsea, spending two seasons with the WSL champions — though a February 2024 ACL tear limited the young attacker's impact on both club and country over the last 16 months.

Nicknamed "Big Fish," the NWSL debutant has big plans for her upcoming lengthy tenure with Seattle.

"I knew coming to the States, I'm gonna be on a team for the long run," Fishel told reporters. "I wasn't expecting to just hop from team to team. Like, no, I want to put stakes in the ground. I want to eventually lead this team."

This weekend's WNBA slate will see the No. 8 Indiana Fever aiming to right the ship, as the once-projected postseason contenders try to make a push prior to next weekend's 2025 All-Star break.

Despite seeing Caitlin Clark return from injury on Wednesday, the Fever will enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak.

"You should look yourself in the mirror and find ways you can get better, and then come back to practice tomorrow, and play again on Friday," Clark said after Indiana's 80-61 Wednesday loss to Golden State.

There's no immediate assist in the Fever's upcoming schedule, however, as they kick off the weekend against an Atlanta side that feeds on mismatches in the paint:

• No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): The Dream can put any team in a blender with their size and stretch capabilities, and Indiana will need solid three-point shooting to upend Atlanta.

• No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 9 Las Vegas Aces, Saturday at 4 PM ET (CBS): The short-handed Aces will hope to pounce on Golden State's mercurial road form, as Las Vegas tries to keep climbing the standings following a middling season start.

• No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 3 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): An injury-hampered New York will try to hold on against the formidable Dream, as the reigning champion Liberty keep battling while waiting for starters to return.