Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom Thursday. The honor was awarded to them by President Joe Biden.

They are the fifth and sixth women athletes to receive the honor.

The award is given out by the president to those who have “made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”

Rapinoe, a two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, didn’t miss the opportunity to highlight Brittney Griner, showing up in a white blazer that had Griner’s initials embroidered onto it.

Megan Rapinoe will be receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House today.

BG’s initials are embroidered on her blazer for the world to see 💜 pic.twitter.com/jpy998cXy1

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 7, 2022

One of the most accomplished soccer players ever, Rapinoe is the first soccer player to receive the award.

“Beyond the World Cup titles and Olympic medals is a champion for essential American truth – that everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect,” Biden said in his speech. “She helped lead the change for perhaps the most important victory for anyone on her soccer team, or any soccer team, equal pay for women.”

During Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony, Pres. Biden says soccer star Megan Rapinoe is a “champion for essential American truth—that everyone, everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect.” https://t.co/Dbq3JeCRaA pic.twitter.com/6A6MbIQpYw

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 7, 2022

Biles is the youngest person ever to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Biden characterized the Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast as someone with “so much more to give.”

“When we see her compete, we see unmatched power and determination, grace and daring,” he said. “A trailblazer and a role model, when she stands on the podium we see what she is: absolute courage. She turned personal pain into a greater purpose: to stand up and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Biden then joked that he doesn’t know “how you’re going to find room” amidst Biles’ world and Olympic medals, which total 34. The most decorated gymnast in U.S. history, the 25-year-old is also a “prominent advocate for athletes’ mental health and safety, children in the foster care system, and victims of sexual assault.”

- @Simone_Biles receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom pic.twitter.com/MiGCjVHPcj

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 7, 2022

The duo joined the likes of Denzel Washington, former U.S. Senator John McCain, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in being honored Thursday.

England defender Jess Carter is stepping back from social media this week, with the Gotham FC star stating she'd received "a lot of racial abuse" online since the start of the Lionesses' title defense at the 2025 Euro.

"Whilst I feel every fan is entitled to their opinion on performance and result, I don't agree, or think, it's ok to target someone's appearance or race," she wrote in Monday's post. "Hopefully, speaking out will make the people writing this abuse think twice so that others won't have to deal with it."

"It's really sad that we have to be occupied by this," said England head coach Sarina Wiegman. "It is ridiculous and disgusting what is happening and that goes beyond football. We had to pay attention to that and support Jess."

In response, UEFA, the NWSL, and the NWSL Players Association all issued statements condemning the abuse and expressing unequivocal support of Carter.

Carter's club also jumped to stand with their defender, with Gotham FC calling her "a role model" and "a leader," before bluntly stating, "There is no place for racism in our sport."

Blatantly labeling the abuse a "hate crime," English FA CEO Mark Bullingham said that the governing body has contacted UK police in order to hold the perpetrators accountable.

England players to stand prior to 2025 Euro semifinal

Carter isn't the only player taking action, as the entire England squad has chosen not to take a knee before their Tuesday semifinal match against Italy.

"It is clear we and football need to find another way to tackle racism," the team said in a Sunday statement. "No one should have to endure such vile abuse, be that in football or any walk of life."

Until now, the Lionesses have knelt just prior to kick-off as a show of anti-racist protest, though Carter's 2025 Euro experience has prompted the team to reconsider the gesture's effectiveness.

According to England's Lucy Bronze, the team collectively discussed whether kneeling is still having its intended impact.

"It feels like it's not if these things are still happening to our players in the biggest tournaments of their lives," Bronze told reporters on Saturday. "More needs to be done in football and society."

As for England's 2025 Euro semifinal on Tuesday, there's no deterring the the Lionesses — or Carter herself.

"Although it is a hard situation, Jess is a very strong person," said Wiegman. "She's ready to perform and compete, and that says a lot about her and the team."

Unrivaled Basketball returned to the headlines on Monday, releasing a series of stats linking participation in the offseason 3×3 league to boosted performances in the WNBA.

Per the league, 91% of all Unrivaled players have posted a career-high in at least one statistical category during the 2025 WNBA season thus far.

When it comes to scoring, over one-third of Unrivaled vets are currently seeing career-high points per game, including Minnesota Lynx star and Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier, who leads the WNBA with a 23.2 average rate.

Pro sophomore Kate Martin saw the biggest bump, with the Golden State guard increasing her scoring rate by over four points per game.

Scoring efficiency also rose among Unrivaled athletes, with players like LA Sparks guard Rae Burrell and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese putting up career-high field goal percentages, while Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston's growth has her leading the WNBA in that category.

The biggest boost from playing in the 3×3 league has been in assist rates, with 38% of Unrivaled alums — including WNBA-leader and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas — dropping career-high dimes per game.

Over one-quarter of Unrivaled players are also enjoying personal-best rebound rates, with LA Sparks forward Azurá Stevens seeing the biggest gains off the glass.

Perhaps most impressively, both Stevens and Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray have each logged increases in their scoring, assists, and rebounding rates, showing the most comprehensive gains across WNBA stats out of all Unrivaled players.

Amidst booming popularity, Unrivaled's off-court impact has been similarly substantial, with the upstart league signing 14 of college basketball's biggest stars to NIL deals over the weekend.

Unrivaled’s salary structure has also made a splash, with standouts like Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers scoring contracts that far outweigh their regular-season WNBA pay.

The UEFA Women's Euro 2025 semifinals kick off on Tuesday afternoon, as the four remaining nations — England, Italy, Germany, and Spain — battle it out for one of two tickets to Sunday's tournament final.

Notably, a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final is still on the table, with both England and Spain advancing on opposite ends of the bracket.

Three of the four semifinal squads showcase a wealth of international experience and history, while surprise underdog Italy is surging in an attempt to shock the world.

• No. 5 England vs. No. 13 Italy, Tuesday at 3 PM ET (FOX): While Italy eyes their first major tournament final appearance since 1993, the 2022 Euro champion Lionesses will look to bounce back from their tightly contested quarterfinal clash.

• No. 3 Germany vs. No. 2 Spain, Wednesday at 3 PM ET (FOX): Expect the reigning World Cup champions to have an edge over a tested German side, but don't discount Germany's mental resolve after their own dramatic quarterfinal win.

A significant factor in the 2025 Euro semifinals will be athlete availability, as multiple teams continue to rotate their lineups deep into the tournament.

England will hope for captain Leah Williamson's return after the center back exited their quarterfinal with an ankle injury, while Germany and Spain navigate absences due to mounting yellow- and red-card violations.

The New York Liberty wasted no time returning to work after a successful All-Star Weekend, with multiple reports stating that 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman will join the reigning champs for the second half of the 2025 season.

A 2019 WNBA champion with the Washington Mystics, Meesseman hasn't played in the US league since the end of 2022, opting instead to prioritize European play following a stint with the Chicago Sky.

Averaging 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game in 2022, Meesseman was reportedly also scouted by the Minnesota Lynx and the Phoenix Mercury before landing with the New York Liberty.

Fresh off leading Belgium to victory at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025, Meesseman's arrival is now dependent on her visa application's timeline.

Currently sitting at No. 2 in the WNBA standings, the Liberty have remained strong despite dealing with key absences from their starting lineup.

The Liberty expect Jonquel Jones's return to the court this week after the center missed extended time with an ankle injury, while star guard Leonie Fiebich has already logged New York minutes following her EuroBasket run with Germany.

Along with the reported addition of Meesseman, the Liberty also picked up Stephanie Talbot on Monday, snagging the Australian forward just days after the Golden State Valkyries waived the 32-year-old free agent.

How to watch the New York Liberty on Tuesday

The budding superteam will stack up against the No. 6 Indiana Fever in their Tuesday return from the 2025 WNBA All-Star festivities.

The action tips off at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on ESPN.