Megan Rapinoe will make final USWNT appearance in September
Megan Rapinoe is set to retire at the end of the 2023 NWSL season. (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Megan Rapinoe will make her final appearance for the U.S. women’s national team in a friendly against South Africa on Sept. 24.
The 38-year-old forward, who just played in her fourth World Cup, is set to retire at the end of the 2023 NWSL season, she announced in July. The USWNT is set to host South Africa in a pair of friendlies in September, and those will mark Rapinoe’s final matches with the national team.
In the second and final match of the series, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 24, at Soldier Field in Chicago, the USWNT will endeavor to give one of its top stars a fitting sendoff. The match will be available to watch on TNT, Universo and Peacock.
Heading into September, Rapinoe sits at 202 caps, which makes her one of 14 Americans to reach 200 games. She also has 63 goals and 73 assists, which ranks in the top 10 in both categories.
“People may think that my career coming to an end would bring sadness, but when I think back on the past 30-plus years of playing this game, my overriding emotions are joy and gratitude,” Rapinoe said. “It’s been an unbelievable ride. It will be special to have this one last opportunity to play for my country in front of our incredible fans and get the chance to thank my teammates and everyone who has had an impact on me as a person and player over the years.”
Gotham will take on the Spirit in the postseason for the first time in Saturday's NWSL semifinal. (Amber Searls/USA TODAY Sports)
After a quarterfinal round that was all chalk, this weekend's NWSL semifinals have massive nail-biter potential, with the league's top four teams facing off in two highly anticipated pairings.
Washington is the only NWSL team to defeat Gotham twice this season. (Lucas Boland/Imagn Images)
Will Gotham get rowdy at Audi?
The stakes couldn't be higher as No. 2 Washington kicks off the tightly contended 2024 semis against No. 3 Gotham FC in front of another raucous sellout crowd in DC on Saturday — the East Coast powerhouses' first-ever postseason clash.
Having both having advanced from strikingly similar quarterfinal matchups last weekend, the teams enter the match with a split 5-5-4 record against each other over the last four seasons. Even more, the squads finished the regular season tied at 56 points apiece.
The Spirit remain the only team to defeat Gotham twice this year, though both those meetings occurred early in the season. Since their second loss to Washington in June, the NJ/NY squad has fallen just once in NWSL play — to No. 1 Orlando on September 1st. Along with the Pride, Gotham leads the league as the toughest team on the road, a claim that will be tested by a Spirit side that hasn't lost at home since July.
Saturday's semifinal will be a battle between one of the league’s most prolific offenses against one of the NWSL’s stingiest defenses. With the league's second-highest goal tally under their belt, Washington is arguably the most dangerous NWSL team in transition. But if Gotham's backline can stifle the Spirit's attack, their unmatched depth could keep their back-to-back championship dreams alive.
Orlando is the only NWSL team Kansas City hasn't beaten this season. (Dustin Markland/Getty Images)
Budding rivals set for NWSL semifinal fight night in Florida
Orlando and Kansas City's freshly minted rivalry will come to a head on Sunday, when the NWSL's No. 1 squad hosts this season's top goal-scorers in Sunday's semifinal showdown.
Both teams began the year on impressive unbeaten runs, until the Pride snapped KC's 17-match streak just before the Olympic break in early July.
The Current then became the only team to hold Orlando scoreless at home in the pair's September 13th draw — the only home match the Pride failed to win since opening the year with three draws in March.
The Pride's league-leading defense and the Current's ultra-organized midfield make Sunday's semi a guaranteed thriller, with the winner likely decided by the NWSL's most prolific scorers, KC's Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga and star Orlando striker Barbra Banda.
After needing medical attention late in KC’s quarterfinal, there are lingering concerns about Chawinga’s ongoing knee injury affecting her semifinal fitness. Meanwhile, Banda snapped a five-match scoring drought with a decisive brace last weekend, and if she can keep that momentum, Orlando will be tough to beat.
How to watch the 2024 NWSL semifinals this weekend
With the November 23rd NWSL Championship match on the line, Gotham and Washington will kick off the 2024 NWSL semifinals at 12 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on CBS.
The weekend's NWSL semifinal closer between Orlando and Kansas City will take the Pride's pitch at 3 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage on ABC.
Dee Lab
Nov 13, 2024
NCAA Soccer Bracket Drop Paves Road to 2024 College Cup
Florida State won two of the last three NCAA soccer titles. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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.
Duke earned the NCAA tournament's overall No. 1 seed for the first time in program history. (Duke Athletics)
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.
The Tar Heels have won 21 of the 42 NCAA championships. (Ainsley E. Fauth/UNC Athletics)
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.
The Jayhawks proved anyone can win any game by taking the 2024 Big 12 tournament as an underdog. (Kansas Athletics)
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.
JWS Staff
Nov 13, 2024
Bay FC’s Kiki Pickett Talks 1st-Season Jitters and Becoming Underdog on ‘The Late Sub’
Kiki Pickett joined Claire Watkins on the latest episode of 'The Late Sub.' (Just Women's Sports)
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."
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.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
Dee Lab
Nov 12, 2024
Big Ten Teams Climb the NCAA Basketball Ranks
Maryland junior Kaylene Smikle led the Terps with 23 points on Sunday. (G Fiume/Getty Images)
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.
Senior guard Te'Hina Paopao's 23 points led No. 1 South Carolina over No. 13 NC State on Sunday. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
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.
The SEC added top teams No. 4 Texas and No. 9 Oklahoma from the Big 12 to boost their 2024/25 roster. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
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
