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Declaring early for the NWSL Draft, Mia Fishel dreams big

UCLA forward Mia Fishel fell to fifth in Saturday’s college draft. (Andy Bao/Getty Images)

Mia Fishel’s soccer career reached a crossroads during the U-20 CONCACAF championship in March of last year.

Playing alongside 2021 NWSL Rookie of the Year Trinity Rodman and third overall pick Brianna Pinto, Fishel scored twice in the United States’ 4-1 championship victory over Mexico in the 2020 tournament. Winning the Golden Ball, she also set a new U.S. women’s national team all-ages record in a qualifying tournament with 13 goals.

When the 2020 U.S. Young Female Soccer Player of the Year finalist returned to UCLA in the fall of her sophomore year with the Bruins, she felt that momentum grind to a halt. The speed of play at the NCAA level wasn’t what she had become accustomed to in international soccer.

“I was kind of at the same spot, and I just don’t like that,” Fishel says. “As a player, I want to be challenged.”

The thought of playing professionally crept into her mind, sparking conversations with her club coaches, the national team program and her family. With the goal of making the U.S. senior team guiding her decision-making, Fishel’s best option became clear in between her sophomore and junior years: She would forgo her senior season and turn pro. On Saturday, UCLA’s leading scorer is projected to be a top-three pick in the 2022 NWSL College Draft.

Fishel announced her decision publicly on Instagram just before the start of her junior season. The forward led UCLA to an undefeated regular season and a second consecutive Pac-12 championship before the team lost 1-0 to UC Irvine in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“It was hard to leave UCLA with an amazing team, an amazing staff that supported me, that’s helped me grow development-wise in soccer,” Fishel says. “I think I just kind of hit a wall with my development here at UCLA and I think the college level, it was just something that didn’t push me. I think this next step will be important to maximize what I can do as a player.”

Fishel intentionally announced her plans before the start of the season so pro teams would have the opportunity to evaluate her skills. And she didn’t disappoint them, proving herself as a versatile nine who doesn’t just wait for balls to be lobbed over the top. With impressive speed and athleticism, she can check back into the midfield, create and finish dangerous plays, and complement the outside forwards.

Fishel finished her college career in UCLA’s all-time top 10 for career goals with 32, making it hard to believe she didn’t play forward until she put on a Bruins uniform. When Fishel came to UCLA in 2019, the team was so stacked that there wasn’t room for her in the attacking midfield, where she had played her whole life. So, the coaching staff made her a nine.

“It comes with a whole lot of development, a whole other set of lenses to the game in soccer, and I think that definitely pushed me to be more of a versatile player and a more cutthroat, dangerous player,” Fishel says.

The adjustment didn’t take long: She finished her freshman season ranked third in the nation with 14 goals.

“As a chill player, I think that they pushed me to be like, ‘Hey, you can do this. You can score goals, you can help this team out in multiple ways: assists, goals, creating, being unpredictable,’” she says. “And so they brought out more of a confidence in me that I can do things.”

That assurance led to 16 career game-winning goals and a spot on the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2021 for the second straight year.

Whichever NWSL team takes Fishel on Saturday can expect a player with an eye for goal. But former UCLA head coach Amanda Cromwell says the 20-year-old is also a natural leader on and off the field.

“Mia leads by example and put the team on her back on multiple occasions,” says Cromwell, who was named head coach of the Orlando Pride on Dec. 7. “She scored big-time goals for us, but it’s what she brought to the process that inspired those around her.”

“I fully expect her to play in the league and get more call-ups to the national team, and for Mia to have a long, successful career internationally.”

Fishel received her first call-up to the senior national team in October 2020, intent on absorbing as much information from the coaches and veterans as possible.

“To put things into perspective, I’m like, OK, this is where the level’s at and I’m somewhere in their line, so I was just trying to see where I’m at compared to them and even outside of camp now, what I can do to get to that level,” Fishel says. “I think there’s a huge advantage to know what that level was like and how they train and play, but now I can go outside of it and train as if I was with them.”

To prepare herself for such a competitive environment, Fishel says she’s focusing on executing every pass, tackle and play with 100 percent effort and consistency.

“Being in the zone constantly — I think that will help me get there at some point,” she says.

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Fishel's ultimate goal is to make and start for the U.S. women's senior national team. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

The national team is the main reason Fishel plans to compete in the NWSL and not go overseas, at least for now.

“If national team players are in this league and I want to be on the national team, then I most likely should be here and training and trying to compete for a starting position,” she says. “Then hopefully becoming one of the top players in the league to potentially go to the U.S. women’s national team, so that’s kind of my thought process. But Europe is also an option as well, if anything goes south.”

The only south Fishel will likely go is back to her hometown in San Diego, where she likes to fish when she’s not playing soccer. She learned from her father, who used to take her out on the water every morning at 5 a.m. since she turned 3 years old. Fishel fell in love with the peace fishing brings, and it gave her an appreciation for respecting the ocean.

Fishel channeled those lessons into a new project this past summer, a brand she’s building called Big Fishel Energy. Through it, Fishel hopes to enable more minorities to get involved in sport fishing, as well as organize beach cleanups and soccer camps for young players.

More than anything, Fishel wants the brand to represent and champion empowerment.

“Growing up, I had role models, but the role models were just soccer players and I wanted to embody the person and player,” she says. “Strength, confidence, empowerment, anything you can do in life and to follow your dreams.

“I strive to be a person that anyone could look at and say, ‘Hey, she knows what she wants to do.’”

Between her NWSL rookie season and future with the USWNT, Fishel’s intentions are clear, and she doesn’t plan to waste any time in fulfilling them.

Jessa Braun is an editorial intern for Just Women’s Sports. She is also the Head of North American Content for the Women’s Sports Alliance. You can find her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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