The NCAA announced last week that it was providing eligibility relief to all spring-sport student athletes whose seasons were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. And while the NCAA will allow universities to temporarily exceed their scholarship limit to account for returning players and incoming freshmen, it’s been left to the individual universities to decide how much financial aid they give out to players who come back. Just Women’s Sports spoke with three senior athletes who now have to decide if they’ll return for a final year do-over. 

What are your thoughts on the NCAA approving an extra year of eligibility?

“I think it’s great that the NCAA has granted an extra year of eligibility because athletes had put a lot of hard work into their 2020 seasons, and it was heartbreaking for them to not be able to compete. I think many people don’t understand the amount of work that goes into a full season of training. We have been training every day (and sometimes twice a day) since September, preparing for the moment when we get to step on the field in the spring and compete for a conference and NCAA championship. I am glad that spring-sport athletes get another chance to finish what they started.” — Genesis Lucero, Stanford Lacrosse

“I had kind of expected the NCAA to grant us another year before the decision was officially made. I mean, we were so early into our season when everything was canceled that it almost felt necessary for spring-sport athletes to get that year back. Ultimately, I’m very grateful the NCAA felt that same way and has decided to do what’s best for student athletes.” — Hope Anhut, USC Lacrosse 

“It was definitely a hard decision for the NCAA to make, but at the end of the day, I think it’s what’s best for the students. Not being able to end your career the way you had always hoped, especially after years in the making, was really hard for seniors to grapple with in the midst of an already horrific pandemic. So just allowing athletes another year to play the sport that they love, at least for me, has given me hope and something to work towards in this horrible time. It is a silver lining, if you will.” — Kyra Pelton, Stanford Lacrosse

Do you plan to take advantage of the extra year?

“I do plan to come back to Stanford to play my final season while pursuing a master’s degree. It was an easy decision for me, especially since I feel like I have some unfinished business on the field.” — Genesis Lucero

“I would absolutely love to return to USC for another year, but I have a job lined up for after graduation. I’m hoping that my company will be flexible and grant me the ability to join them a year late, but if not I’ll have to weigh both options and decide which is best for my future.” — Hope Anhut

“For me, I was already planning on staying in school for a master’s program in mechanical engineering with a product design concentration. I already applied to grad schools and was accepted at Stanford and a few other schools. I definitely want to remain at Stanford to complete my fifth year, but it will all come down to scholarship details. I hope it works out. I would love one last go around to show what Stanford lacrosse is really made of.” — Kyra Pelton

What are you hearing from your teammates in terms of their plans?

“In talking through the next steps with my teammates, the biggest concern is whether or not Stanford will honor our scholarships for a fifth-year. The NCAA has provided eligibility, which is half the battle. The other half is decided by the individual schools. For my teammates hoping to come back and play this next season, their decisions could be based on the financial aid that Stanford is willing to provide since the NCAA stated that the schools do not have to match the scholarships for these athletes coming back to play. I truly hope that Stanford will make the right decision for their spring programs.” — Genesis Lucero

“The thoughts of my teammates have been varied. I think there’s this mentality for your entire senior year that this is the last go around and you grow accustomed to that reality — some girls might be fine with that regardless of how the season went and want to move on. Others might want to take the year to explore a new school, and we obviously fully support them in that as well. And finally there are some of us that are sure about returning to USC or who are definitely considering it. We’re all just kind of waiting for more information to be available regarding academics, scholarships, and how next year will go. Until then, we won’t be able to make definitive choices.” — Hope Anhut

“About 50% of our senior class is committed to the idea of returning to Stanford next season. That being said, nothing is definitive yet. We are all waiting to hear what Stanford has to say about scholarships, as the discretion of individual scholarships is up to them. The financial side of things is still up in the air for a lot of players. Because unlike fall sports, where a fifth-year means only paying for one semester or quarter of school, playing out another season for a spring sport means committing to another full year of tuition. And Stanford is one of the most expensive schools in the country. So at the end of the day, everyone’s individual decision will probably come down to the kind of scholarship options we get.” — Kyra Pelton

A feeling of quiet exuberance pervaded Gotham FC's postgame press conference on Sunday. It was moments after the No. 8 Bats bounced No. 1 Kansas City, the winningest team in NWSL history, from the first round of the 2025 playoffs.

Despite competing for a top-four finish up until the regular season finale, the New York/New Jersey side slid into the postseason as the lowest-seeded contender. But that was before they pulled off the ultimate upset against the league's best.

"Underdog, my ass — we are not an underdog," Gotham forward Jaedyn Shaw said with a wry smile, taking the mic to discuss the team's belief in one another.

She answered the postgame questions with the same level of confidence as she played, registering both the opening goal and an assist on Katie Stengel's extra-time game-winner. She impacted the match on levels, showing unfettered commitment to the club that made a million-dollar gamble on her midseason.

But Shaw hasn't always been as self-assured as Sunday's performance would bely. Her current tenacity on the pitch is a result of a non-linear journey back to playing with joy. And that's a factor she's always considered her superpower.

Shaw enters her New York era as Gotham picks up speed

Shaw is taking to city life like a natural, she told Just Women's Sports in the lull between the regular season and the playoffs. She found herself adjusting to the change of scenery in September, following a league-record transfer from the North Carolina Courage. It was a move she pursued after seeing her on-field progress stall in her first year in Cary.

"I definitely am a bit more of a city girl," the Dallas-area native said. "It's fun for this part of my life — I'm turning 21 this month. I just feel like my early 20s is going to be a fun era."

After months of uncertainty, Shaw's latest era appears to be in a complete upswing. After landing in North Carolina by way of the San Diego Wave, her playing time and attacking efficiency dwindled. But the 20-year-old has looked like a brand new player since making the jump to New Jersey. She scored in her first match against the Wave, and in October she returned to the ranks of the senior USWNT for the first time since April. 

Of course, her progress hasn't been lost on Gotham. The club recently signed Shaw to a contract extension through 2029.

"Everyone has been so welcoming to me and has made this place feel like home, and it's been a really easy transition for me," she said, days before her standout playoff performance.

Shaw's rising star takes flight in San Diego

One of the pioneers of the NWSL's U-18 entry mechanism, Shaw has always been comfortable following  the game. She knows that growth isn't always linear, and faces setbacks that all young footballers battle early in their careers. She burst onto the scene in 2022 at the age of 17, looking like the Wave's next cornerstone creator and immediately gelling with USWNT superstar Alex Morgan. 

But things changed ahead of the 2025 season. San Diego made a swift coaching change, and Morgan rode off into the retirement sunset. That's when Shaw requested a move to the Courage. She wanted to play a higher-possession style that seemed to favor her instincts as a deep attacker or creative midfielder. 

However, Shaw's style and the Courage's philosophy fairly quickly proved not to be a good fit. She struggled to marry her desire for fearless attacking with the club's more methodical approach, seeing less and less playing time. After winning Olympic gold with the USWNT in 2024, Shaw fell out of senior team consideration during the summer. She didn't wait long to request another change.

Gotham took a gamble on Shaw — and it's paying off

Gotham set a new intra-league transfer record bringing Shaw in midseason, betting big on her ability to change the tempo. 

"The staff knew a little bit the way the first part of the season had gone for me as an individual," she said. "They really focused on the delivery of things towards me, making me feel really confident and comfortable in this environment." 

The Gotham locker room presented very few question marks, packed with Shaw's USWNT teammates like Midge Purce, Rose Lavelle, and Emily Sonnett. Youth level compatriots like Lilly Reale, Sofia Cook, and Sarah Schupansky were also there. But not only did she find connection off the field, she also took to the faster pace and heightened creativity on the pitch.

"I have freedom once I get to a certain part of the field, playing with risk-takers like Rose and Midge and Esthér," said Shaw. She was impressed by her teammates' bravery in one-on-one situations, not losing confidence even if combinations don't work right away. And the coaching staff supports them all the way.

"Trying [something] again without hesitation and not getting screamed at or pulled off the field, feeling like someone's ready to come in and replace you after you make a mistake, is something that I really feel in this environment," Shaw explained.

And the feeling is mutual. "Jaedyn, for me, is definitely one of the best players in the world," Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amoros said on Sunday. He credited her rejection of the team's underdog status as a feeling that permeated his entire squad. 

"It's been so fun being a part of this club," Shaw told reporters. "We all knew that we were going to come into this game and give everything that we had."

Building a foundation as Shaw's USWNT ambitions rise

Shaw might have found immediate success. But she also stressed that her comfort at Gotham needs to be a foundation rather than a short burst of quality.

"I think this year has been a lot of mental growth," she said. "How do I weather storms? Recover from mistakes? Recover from losses? How do I recover from bad performances? That's the biggest thing for me, to continue growing as a player and a professional." 

She wants to keep excelling with the USWNT, whether at the U23 or senior level. And Gotham has her back there. "I feel like [Gotham's] goals align with mine," she said. "They know how important the national team is to me."

Gotham also knows that much of the club's success hinges their young star's willingness to maintain the mental edge that propelled her initial rise. 

"My style of play is very based on how I feel and how comfortable I am, how much I believe in myself, and confidence in the environment," she added.

Whether or not Shaw's resurgence can take Gotham all the way to their second NWSL championship is yet to be seen. But regardless, the dividends are already paying off for everyone involved.

"[Gotham's] brought me back to how I was when I was younger, the way that I trained and what got me to this place," Shaw said. "I feel like I'm playing with that joy, and that's really important to me."

The USA women's hockey team came out on top over the weekend, kicking off the four-game 2025 Rivalry Series against Canada by dominating their northern neighbors, outscoring them by an impressive 10-2 margin across the pair's first two games.

US forward Abbey Murphy emerged as a series star, scoring a natural hat trick in the team's 4-1 win in Cleveland on Thursday — the first three-goal turn by a USA player against Canada since team captain Hilary Knight did so at the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship.

"I told [Murphy], 'You set the bar pretty high,'" said Knight, who added her own hat trick to the mix in Saturday's 6-1 victory in Buffalo.

"I love how we showed up," the 36-year-old continued. "We've been working like dogs since August and to get rewarded for our work, and see situations that we need to work on."

Notably, while the USA brought their entire 2025 world championship-winning roster to the first two Rivalry Series games, Canada chose to evaluate some fresh faces while resting a number of standout veterans, including their No. 1 goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens — a fact that should temper the sting of adding two big losses to their now four-game skid against the US.

With women's hockey taking over Milan at the 2026 Winter Olympics in February, the last two 2025 Rivalry Series matchups will more likely see both sides testing their final rosters for Italy.

How to watch the final games in the 2025 Rivalry Series

Canada will welcome the USA for the last two matchups in the 2025 Rivalry Series, with the puck dropping in Edmonton, Alberta, at 9 PM ET for both the December 10th and 13th clashes.

Both games will air live on the NHL Network.

The LPGA is bringing star power to Florida this week, as a wealth of women's golf talent — and one basketball superstar — tee off at the 2025 edition of The ANNIKA.

Kicking off the event on Wednesday was the annual Pro-Am, with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark headlining the field for the second straight year.

World No. 2 golfer Nelly Korda once again joined Clark through her first nine holes, as Fever teammates Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull served as guest caddies.

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The four-day professional tournament will then tee off on Thursday, though current world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul will not be in attendance for the second year in a row.

Korda, however, will lead the charge to both defend her 2024 title and secure her first win of the 2025 LPGA season — as well as add to her full trio of trophies collected at The ANNIKA.

Four other Top-10 players will look to upend Korda's back-to-back bid, including No. 3 Miyu Yamashita, No. 6 Charley Hull, No. 9 Mao Saigo, and No. 10 Lottie Woad.

With the 2025 CMA Group Tour Championship capping the LPGA season later this month, The ANNIKA will also see golfers on the bubble — like US stars Rose Zhang and 2023 champion Lilia Vu — try to snag enough points to make the end-of-year tournament's final 60-player cut.

How to watch The ANNIKA 2025 LPGA tournament

Coverage of the fifth edition of The ANNIKA continues through Sunday, airing live on the Golf Channel.

The No. 3 UCLA Bruins rose to the occasion on Monday, looking like 2025/26 NCAA basketball championship contenders as they took down the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners 73-59 in Sacramento.

Utah transfer Gianna Kneepkens made the difference for the Bruins, leading all scorers with 20 points while opposing defenses limited both UCLA center Lauren Betts and Oklahoma big Raegan Beers to single digits.

Bruins forward Angela Dugalić also put up a standout performance, coming off the bench to score 16 points and snag 15 rebounds on Monday.

"There are so many weapons that I feel like it's hard for the defense to choose what to take away," Kneepkens said ahead of Monday's matchup. "What makes this team special is that any night could be someone's night."

Monday's clash with UCLA also served as the national broadcast debut of Oklahoma freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez, with the No. 1 high school basketball recruit seeing her first Top 10 NCAA matchup as a Sooner.

Chavez had a slow start against the experienced Bruins, registering 11 points, three assists, and two rebounds across her 32 minutes on the court.

How to watch UCLA basketball this week

The heat continues for No. 3 UCLA on Thursday, when the Bruins will host the No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels at 9 PM ET, airing live on ESPN.