College basketball season is officially upon us, and the first Associated Press poll has already been released. While the AP Poll serves as an official source for rankings, there is still room to debate those numbers.

Here’s where we think voters got it right, and where they got it wrong, in the Just Women’s Sports women’s college basketball preseason poll.

1. South Carolina (AP ranking: 1)

The Gamecocks had all the tools to win a title last season, with their run ending in a one-point loss to Stanford in the Final Four. The team returns Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson — who combined to average 41.8 points per game — and adds three of the top four freshmen in the country (Raven Johnson, Saniya Rivers and Sania Feagin), another five-star recruit in Bree Hall, and 6-foot-7 Syracuse transfer Kamilla Cardoso. The rich certainly got richer. With Boston and Cardoso in the paint, experienced guards and stellar young talent, it’s hard to imagine anyone being better than this squad.

2. Stanford (AP ranking: 3)

The Cardinal, coming off of a national championship, return four of five starters in Haley Jones, Lexie Hull, Cameron Brink and Anna Wilson, plus sixth woman Ashten Prechtel. Losing Kiana Williams is tough, but this Stanford team has experience on its side — four of those players are juniors or older — and should be able to overcome that blow. They also added freshman Brook Demetre, a versatile stretch four and No. 11 recruit, and two four-stars with potential in Kiki Iriafen and Jzaniya Harriel. Those two may not play right away, but they certainly give the Cardinal options and should make for competitive practices.

3. UConn (AP ranking: 2)

What a top three. Stanford gets the edge because of experience and the NCAA title, but UConn is right there. You already know Paige Bueckers, National Player of the Year, and you probably know the No. 1 ranked freshman, Azzi Fudd. Forget Robin: This dynamic duo is Batman and another Batman. Plus, UConn returns its entire roster and adds transfer Dorka Juhász. This is a squad with dynamic scorers — Bueckers, Fudd and Christyn Williams — and talented bigs — Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards, making for a well-rounded team.

4. Maryland (AP ranking: 4)

The Terrapins have two very different, but very talented, scorers in Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller, who both average over 17 points per game. Add in third-leading scorer Chloe Bibby, who’s returning for a fifth year after averaging 13.2 points per game, and you get a team that can really score the ball. Maryland retains 80 percent of its scoring from last season. The Terrapins will miss Katie Benzan’s 12.7 points per game and 3.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, but it’s nothing they can’t handle, especially since now-juniors Owusu and Miller are even more experienced.

5. Iowa (AP ranking: 9)

The Hawkeyes can score the ball. Last season, they were second in the country with 86 points per game (not far behind Maryland’s whopping 90.8 average). Leading the charge for Iowa is sophomore star Caitlin Clark, who led her team and the country in scoring with 26.7 points per game. Meanwhile, Minika Czinano is the picture of efficiency, leading the nation in shooting percentage at 66.8 percent while averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 rebounds a game. Then there’s Makenna Warnock, who was nearing a double-double average with 11.8 points and eight rebounds a game, and two other players (Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin) who can contribute when needed. Iowa finished last season ranked 19th and AP has them at No. 9 to start this year, but this squad could be Final Four-bound if all the pieces realize their potential.

6. Louisville (AP ranking: 6)

Louisville ended last season ranked sixth in the final AP poll after an impressive 60-42 win over Oregon in the Sweet 16 and then a loss 78-63 to eventual national champion Stanford in the Elite Eight. The Cardinals graduated top scorer Dana Evans (20.1 points per game), but senior Kianna Smith was steady all season, and sophomores Hailey Van Lith and Olivia Cochran are poised for big years in 2021. Then there’s grad transfer Chelsie Hall, who brings 15.4 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game with her from Vanderbilt, and Peyton Verhulst, a five-star freshman guard. Louisville has plenty of scorers to take over for Evans.

7. Indiana (AP ranking: 8)

Experience, experience, experience. That’s what makes this Indiana team so good. Last season, the Hoosiers made their way to the Elite Eight before losing to Arizona. This year, they return all five starters, and those players know what it’s like to grind through a college basketball season year after year — Indiana starts a junior, two seniors, a fifth-year player and a seventh-year player. You read that right, Ali Patberg started her college career at Notre Dame, where she didn’t play as a freshman due to injury, then transferred after her sophomore season, sat out a year, and now because of COVID-19, is granted another senior season. This squad is also efficient with the basketball. Leading scorer Mackenzie Holmes averaged 17.8 points on 60.7 percent shooting, and the Hoosiers had the fifth-fewest turnovers in the nation, committing just 11.1 a game.

8. Michigan (AP ranking: 11)

Michigan ended last year in a close Sweet 16 loss, 78-75, to a Baylor team that had two current WNBA players — DiDi Richards and DiJonai Carrington — and a future one in NaLyssa Smith. The Wolverines return efficient forward Naz Hillmon along with her 62.3 percent shooting (second in the country), 23.9 points and 11.4 rebounds a game. Hillmon is the centerpiece for Michigan, while second-leading scorer Leigha Brown (18.2 points per game) provides another experienced scoring option. Returners Amy Dilk and Maddie Nolan are ready to contribute more this season, and the Wolverines also added two four-star freshmen to their roster. The Big Ten has some great teams this year, and Michigan is certainly among them.

9. NC State (AP ranking: 5)

A healthy Wolfpack team jumps up this list at least a few spots, but it is starting the season without Jada Boyd. The junior, who averaged 11.5 points and 5.9 boards a game last season, will likely be sidelined for a couple of months after tearing a tendon in her shooting hand during the preseason, as reported by the Charlotte News & Observer. But the Wolfpack still have Jakia Brown-Turner, who is the team’s second-best 3-point shooter (42.3 percent) and second-leading points getter. And don’t worry, I’m not forgetting Elissa Cunane. The ESPN First Team All-American and AP Second Teamer contributes 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game, but her 6-5 frame impacts more than the stat sheet on both ends of the floor. She should be able to keep the Wolfpack in good position while they await Boyd’s return.

10. Oregon (AP ranking: 10)

It was a rough offseason for the Ducks, as they looked to replace four players who transferred out and two who graduated. But they retained 6-5 Nyara Sabally (12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds per game) and 6-7 Sedona Price (10.4 points per game), who not only bring a serious height advantage for the Ducks, but also experience, as they were part of an Oregon team that went to the Final Four in 2019. Ducks guard Te-Hina Paopao was solid during her freshman campaign, averaging 10.2 points, 4.4 assists and an impressive 2.4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Expect even more from the Pac-12 All-Freshman player this season as she builds on that success. Add in Ahlise Hurst, a transfer from New Mexico, and you’ve got a Ducks team worthy of a top-10 ranking.

11. Iowa State (AP ranking: 12)

The Cyclones will be eager for success this season after a disappointing second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. All that stood in the way of a Sweet 16 matchup with eventual runner-up Arizona was a buzzer-beater from Texas A&M. Iowa State wants more this season and has the tools to get there, starting with senior Ashley Joens. Her 24.2 points and 9.5 rebounds a game led the Cyclones last season, and she will be the star of the show once more. She’s joined by two other returning starters in Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan. Together, they combined for 59 percent of Iowa State’s scoring last year.

12. Baylor (AP ranking: 7)

AP has the Bears much higher on this list, and I get why. There’s a lot of talent on this Baylor team, starting with senior NaLyssa Smith, who could be Player of the Year by the time the season wraps up. They also return senior Queen Egbo, who averaged 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and add Alabama transfer Jordan Lewis. But too much happened to this Baylor team in the offseason for me to feel confident putting it in the top 10. The Bears graduated Richards and Carrington, both of whom are now in the WNBA, and of course, long-time coach Kim Mulkey departed for LSU. She was at the helm for 21 years, accounting for every Baylor NCAA Tournament appearance, Big 12 Tournament Championship and Big 12 regular season title. That is a huge loss, no matter how much talent a team has.

13. Ohio State (AP ranking: 17)

There’s a lot to like about this Ohio State team. AP voters likely saw the Buckeyes’ 13-7 record from last season and the departures of Dorka Juhász (transferred to UConn) and Aaliyah Patty (graduated), but I see a team that topped Iowa twice and beat Maryland, Michigan and Indiana once. In those games, the Buckeyes got huge contributions from leading scorer Jacy Sheldon, Madison Greene and Braxtin Miller, who are all returning. They also add experience in Taylor Mikesell, who played previously at Maryland and last year at Oregon. She led the Ducks in 3-point makes (39) and averaged 9.3 points per game. The Big Ten is stacked this year, but Ohio State has the goods to make some noise.

14. Kentucky (AP ranking: 13)

Senior Rhyne Howard (20.7 points per game) is one of the best players in the country and arguably one of the best pure scorers in college basketball. With her as a centerpiece, Kentucky is already off to a great start. It was an up-and-down season for the Wildcats with first-year head coach Kyra Elzy in 2020-21, but the Wildcats should gel better this time around. In addition to Howard, Kentucky returns Dre’una Edwards (9.7 points per game), Robyn Benton (6.6) and Blair Green (6.0), who are all ready to contribute more this season. Transfer point guard Jazmine Massengill (3.3 assists per game) will also get to play in her first full season, and overall, the Wildcats should be more comfortable with each other and Elzy’s system.

15. Georgia Tech (AP ranking: 18)

Georgia Tech returns its top seven scorers and plenty of experience. Leading the way is Lorela Cubaj, last year’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the ACC, and her 12.5 poitns and 11.5 rebounds per game. Fifth-year senior Kierra Fletcher recorded 13 points and nearly four assists a game, and fellow guard Lotta Maj Lahtinen led the Yellow Jackets with 15 points per game. The two of them make up a talented backcourt, and with Cubaj at forward, Georgia Tech has a great core. The team also has solid role players, including three who scored between six and eight points a game last year. With all those pieces returning to a team that fell to South Carolina, 76-65, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Yellow Jackets are better than their No. 18 AP ranking.

16. Oregon State (AP ranking: 14)

Oregon State had 11 games postponed or canceled because of the pandemic last season. But the Beavers went on a five-game winning streak to end the season that extended to a Pac-12 semifinals loss to Stanford. During that stretch, they beat UCLA and topped Oregon twice. It’s likely what earned them an NCAA Tournament bid and allowed people to finally see what the team actually had. Two key pieces aren’t on the team this year: Aleah Goodman (16.2 points per game) graduated, and Sasha Goforth (11.4) transferred. To combat those losses, the Beavers added two experienced grad transfers in Tea Adams and Emily Codding. Returning double-digit scorers Taylor Jones and Talia von Oelhoffen, and adding All-American freshman Greta Kampschroeder, certainly helps soften the blow.

17. Tennessee (AP ranking: 15)

Tennessee graduated leading scorer and rebounder Rennia Davis, and while that’s a big hit, the rest of the Vols’ key pieces are back. Preseason Cheryl Miller Award candidate Rae Burrell (16.8 points per game) will lead the team this year, and 6-5 junior center Tamari Key (8.9 points, 2.9 blocks per game) will be an impact player. They also return guards Jordan Horston and Jordan Walker, and forward Keyen Green. Those three played over 20 minutes a game last season. The SEC won’t be an easy conference, but Tennessee has an experienced squad this year that should be able to compete. The Vols are even predicted to finish second in the conference, per the SEC Media Poll, ahead of Kentucky.

18. West Virginia (AP ranking: 19)

After successful sophomore campaigns, the Mountaineers are counting on KK Deans and Esmery Martinez to take over for Kysre Gondrezick, who led the Mountaineers in scoring last season and is now in the WNBA. The two should be more than ready. Deans posted 13.7 points per game and shot 41 percent from the 3-point line, while Martinez averaged 13.6 points per game and a team-leading 8.2 rebounds per game. Seniors Kari Niblack and Madisen Smith are two other scoring options who also bring experience.

19. Florida State (AP ranking: 16)

Last season, Florida State finished 10-9 after seven of its first 16 games were canceled because of COVID. The Seminoles struggled to get into a rhythm because of it. But they showed promise throughout the season, with a high point being a 68-59 win over then-No. 3 Louisville in February. They return all five starters, including three double-digit scorers — Bianca Jackson, Morgan Jones and Kourtney Weber — and will get help from Auburn transfer Erin Howard, who redshirted last season because of an injury. Freshman guard O’Mariah Gordon, the No. 31-ranked prospect, could also see court time.

20. Arizona (AP ranking: 22)

AP voters clearly have a lot of faith in coach Adia Barnes, putting her Arizona squad in the top 25 after graduating Aari McDonald, who almost single-handedly led the Wildcats to the NCAA title game. I do, too. McDonald accounted for 24.7 of Arizona’s 64.3 points per game in the tournament, and it’s obviously not easy to replace the best player in program history, but this Wildcats’ roster isn’t barren. There’s talent there, and Barnes will find a way to use it. Senior forward Cate Reese averaged 10.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and fellow senior Shania Pellington showed what she was capable of in the title game, scoring 15 points. Then there’s 6-5 sophomore and the former No.13-ranked player in her class, Lauren Ware, who is poised to break out. Add in two four-star freshmen, and Barnes has plenty to work with.

21. UCLA (AP ranking: 20)

The Bruins are coming off of a 17-6 season with wins over Stanford, Arizona and Oregon, but that was with WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere. She led the team in points and rebounds per game, but UCLA does retain second-leading scorer Charisma Osborne (17 points per game). Osborne, who was also the Bruins’ leader in 3-point makes, assists and steals, will guide the team this year. The Bruins also return two players who opted out last season in Kayla Owens and Kiara Jefferson, and redshirt freshman Izzy Antsey, who was stuck in Australia. They’ll be without freshman Emily Bessoir, who sustained an ACL injury. She showed promise in her first season, scoring 7.5 points per game and having her best performance (11 points, nine rebounds against) against Stanford. There are good pieces on this team, but it could take a while for them to come together.

22. South Florida (AP ranking: 21)

It was a big season for a South Florida squad that missed a month midseason because of COVID-19. Despite the interruption, the Bulls were still able to sneak past Washington State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to No. 1 seed NC State. The Bulls return nearly their entire roster, including three double-digit scorers in Elena Tsineke (13.6 points per game), Sydni Harvey (11.7) and Elisa Pinzan (10.3). That roster, which took No. 4 Baylor to the brink to start last season before losing 67-62, is poised for a stellar year, hopefully without a month-long interruption.

23. Virginia Tech (AP ranking: 24)

Virginia Tech will play through 6-6 junior Elizabeth Kitley in the paint, and fifth-year guard Aisha Sheppard. The two were a killer combination for a Hokies squad that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years. Kitley averaged a double-double with 18.2 points and 10.2 rebounds last season, while Sheppard averaged 17.7 points to go along with her three assists per game. The Hokies also retain their entire starting five, with another year of experience under their belts. They are projected to finish fourth in the ACC after Louisville, NC State and Georgia Tech.

24. Florida Gulf Coast (AP ranking: unranked)

When it comes to polls, the Eagles are going to get knocked for playing in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They went 26-3 last season, but the competition isn’t on par with most of the teams on this list. Still, Florida Gulf Coast has two big things working in its favor. The first is junior guard Kierstan Bell, who averaged a double-double with 24.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. She’s a versatile player who can win games on her own. The second is a very, very veteran squad. The Eagles’ roster has 12 players (out of 15) who are juniors or older, with six fifth-year players.

25. Missouri State (AP ranking: unranked)

Missouri State spent time in the AP top 25 last season and was ranked 20th in the final poll. The Bears were consistent in their play, going 23-3 overall, 16-0 in conference play and winning in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual champ Stanford. Plus, they had an impressive early-season upset of No. 12 Maryland. The Bears retain their top two scorers in Brice Calip and Jasmine Franklin, and add Cleveland State transfer Mariah White, who averaged 19.6 points per game and was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year.

Eden Laase is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. She previously ran her own high school sports website in Michigan after covering college hockey and interning at Sports Illustrated. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Looking back, UCLA coach Cori Close has mixed emotions about her team’s 2024/25 campaign.

Featuring one of the most talented starting fives in the sport, the team made historic strides all the way to a program-first Final Four appearance. But last season also served up a bittersweet ending.

The Bruins saw their dream postseason unceremoniously ended by eventual national champions UConn in an 85-51 rout. Highly touted but inexperienced on the big stage, UCLA nearly reached the mountaintop before a rough tumble, stirring up questions about the team’s ability to hang with the NCAA’s blue chip establishment.

“There’s nothing like having a historic season, and falling a little bit short,” head coach Cori Close told JWS in October. “The hunger to do it better, but also the attention to detail that it really takes.”

“It’s one thing to know things in your head, it’s a whole other thing to have them in your heart,” she continued. “And I think our team has a higher degree of these things in our heart.”

With renewed focus and deepened experience — plus an even more complete roster that can run the court against just about anyone — the Bruins just might reach the mountaintop again in 2026.

Following another strong offseason recruiting cycle, UCLA currently sits fourth in the AP Top 25 Poll after ranked wins over No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 19 Ohio State, and No. 23 Tennessee. And now the reigning Big Ten Tournament champions are setting their sights on conference play — with Saturday’s showdown with Southern California rivals No. 17 USC front of mind.

From here on out, attention to detail could make all the difference in how this season’s story ends.

UCLA is on a mission to reduce turnovers and own the glass

Before the 2024/25 season even began, coach Close already knew exactly where her team needed to improve.

The Bruins played a fast-paced style last year, facilitating ball movement inside and out with skill players at every position. This year, Close believed her squad could excel in terms of discipline, rather than sheer talent.

“We went back and studied the last five national championship teams and talked about trends that we see that they all have, that maybe we’ve fallen short in,” she said. “We figured that we need to turn the ball over three fewer times a game.”

Defense also plays a factor. “When you really trace championship teams, they have to be dominant in their rebounding,” she added. “We have a goal to get 70 to 75% of the misses.”

13 games into the season, UCLA hasn’t quite achieved all their goals. But they are showing potential. They’re slightly up in average rebounds with 44.1 per game, while lowering average turnovers by more than three per game.

But the team’s limitations against top talent reared its head in their November 26th loss to No. 2 Texas. UCLA grabbed only 32 rebounds while committing 20 turnovers — nearly double their season average.

“I was really honest with [the players],” Close said after the 76-65 defeat. “There’s some things we’ve been talking about that haven’t gotten enough change. Maybe this will get us to change some things that led to this.”

The threat of not sizing up against the best of the best fresh in their minds, UCLA has subsequently looked stronger. They reduced their turnovers even more against then-No. 14 Tennessee in late November, before dominating the boards against No. 19 Ohio State last Sunday.

“We have an abundance of growth opportunities, we have an abundance of opportunities to invest in each other,” Close told JWS.

“We have an abundance of ways in which we can improve week by week. We’re going to just stay focused on those.”

The Lauren Betts blueprint: Efficiency over minutes

Reaching UCLA’s goals relies on team-wide commitment — and figuring out the best way to utilize the team’s biggest star.

The Bruins have a wealth of elite guards, with upperclassmen like Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez running the backcourt. But it’s no secret that the team’s attack and defense runs through 6-foot-8 All-American center Lauren Betts.

The senior is a global talent. She made her USA Basketball debut in December, and is shortlisted to become the 2026 WNBA Draft No. 1 pick once her decorated college career comes to an end.

One of the most dominant two-way bigs in the college game, Betts averaged a near-20-point, 10-rebound double-double last season. She’s an attention magnet on the court, disrupting play at the rim with the motor needed to finish the work back up the court.

Ironically, though, to get the most out of Betts, Close has found she has to actually limit her time on the floor.

“When Lauren and I had our exit evaluation meetings last year, we both agreed that she needs to have less minutes,” said Close. “And honestly maybe even less shots, but more efficiency.”

“As a 6-foot-8 player, you get beat up so much before she even touches the ball,” Close continued. “I think it’s important that we protect her wherever we can.”

Betts is aware that physicality can sometimes throw her off her game. She’s now pushing to hone her tenacity at the rim while leveraging her size through double- or triple-teams.

“Just playing the game, making the right read, is something that’s really important for me, trusting that I know what to do on the floor,” Betts at reporters from USA Basketball training camp last month.

“Also aggressiveness, I think that’s something that I can always grow into.”

UCLA enters 2026 with fresh faces — and family ties

Close sees Betts at her best with nothing to prove individually and a little extra help under the basket. And they worked hard over the offseason to get her that support, shaking things up via both traditional recruiting and the transfer portal.

Take senior transfer Gianna Kneepkins, for example. The former Utah standout is giving the Bruins a scoring boost with 14.3 points per game while carrying minutes alongside more established starters.

“She’s been a pivotal puzzle piece for us in terms of having a 50/40/90 player that’s really able to stretch the floor. She’s making everybody better around her,” Close said of Kneepkins, as the newcomer provides a tall outside presence in the paint.

Close also credits second-year transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker. She’s bolstered the team off the bench after sitting out last season to rehab her ACL.

Betts’s biggest supporter, however, stems from a little closer to home. Lauren’s little sister Sienna, the No. 2 recruit in her class, joined the Bruins this season. And she shares many of her older sister’s attributes on the court.

Listed at 6-foot-4, the freshman can stretch defenses even without her big sister on the court, strengthening UCLA’s reach through negative runs while forcing opponents to game-plan for even more frontcourt power

“[I’m] just trying to help her as much as I can,” Lauren said of her sister prior to the season start. “Especially because we’re playing kind of the same position. Just trying to help her with the plays, help her with tough practices, kind of helping her move on.”

Unfortunately, a lower leg injury delayed Sienna’s college debut by 10 games. The younger Betts missed the loss to Texas, slowing down some of the flow Close is looking to build against a big-heavy lineup. But the plan for the Betts sisters is still very much in motion, even with limited playing time.

Reverse engineering success, one UCLA game at a time

Entering the new year with a healthy roster, UCLA will now have to balance expectations both inside and outside the locker room. Because regardless of how the season ends, significant change looms on the horizon.

“I think it’s really tempting to be championship or bust, and that could not be further from our mission,” Close explained.

“I am such a big believer that you talk about your end goal one time. And then you reverse engineer the process and habits it’s going to take to get there.”

“Just staying present, recognizing that this is also a new team,” senior Kiki Rice told JWS in October. “After what happened last year, there’s lessons in the past. [But we] really just focus on being our best versions of ourselves every day.”

UCLA might have fallen short against Texas last month. But they maintain faith that increased depth, veteran leadership, and a refreshed detail-oriented outlook can guide them all the way through the postseason.

“There were certain levels of preparation, certain ways that we needed to minimize distractions, certain ways we needed to handle all of the ways that are going to be pulling on our attention,” Close said of the team’s Final Four journey, noting that she also learned some major lessons herself.

For now, UCLA is enjoying the moment — and the process — with the hope that the wins keep coming this spring.

“This is probably the most complete team I’ve ever coached,” Close added. “If we can stay healthy and stay focused, we’re going to have big things ahead.”

As the world of women’s soccer approaches 2026, the last year may well be remembered for its dynasties.

Chelsea won a sixth straight WSL title, Euros champion England and Copa winner Brazil retained their continental crowns, and Gotham FC lifted a second NWSL trophy in three years.

The winds of change also began to blow in new directions, with Arsenal upsetting Barcelona to win the Champions League final, top NWSL talent departing the US for opportunities overseas, and Kansas City reminding everyone what happens when regular-season dominance meets playoff vulnerability.

Through it all the game continued to grow, with increasingly interesting results on both sides of the pond, as the ramp-up to the 2027 World Cup and a new slate of regional competitions coincide with an ever-shifting economic landscape

So instead of looking back, we’re keeping the spirit of progress alive by presenting five bold predictions for women’s soccer in 2026.

Sophia Wilson’s return: A top contender for 2026 NWSL MVP

News of USWNT Sophia Wilson’s impending return to the Portland Thorns gave NWSL fans a boost earlier this month, with the Triple Espresso forward signing a single-year extension with her original club team.

Expect Wilson to hit the ground running as she comes back from pregnancy. The 2022 NWSL MVP has been very consistent throughout her career, and she’ll be joined by other returning Thorns attackers to bolster her opportunities in front of goal.

Fellow extended Portland star Olivia Moultrie will be paramount to the 25-year-old’s MVP campaign, especially as Wilson looks to challenge two-time reigning MVP Temwa Chawinga.

Don’t bet against Wilson showing shades of Alex Morgan’s 2023 Golden Boot run. That's when the USWNT legend blew past expectations for what new mothers could achieve in their first season back on the pitch.

No repeat champs: Why the women's soccer guards are changing in 2026

Reigning WSL winner Chelsea’s repeat bid is already shaky, with Everton snapping their 34-game unbeaten streak earlier this month. And they’re preparing to enter the new year six points behind Manchester City in the league table.

Blues manager Sonia Bompastor has seemed to prefer a static roster rotation. Of course, she’s charged with managing players from two eras: ex-coach Emma Hayes’s success and the team’s modern iteration. If there was a time for a changing of the WSL guard, 2026 is the year.

Stateside, 2025 NWSL Shield winners Kansas City continue to navigate offseason changes. The Current will start 2026 under brand new leadership, after former head coach Vlatko Andonovski announced he’ll move to a Sporting Director role.

ESPN recently reported Kansas City’s plan to hire former MLS head coach Chris Armas in 2026. But without a formal announcement and the offseason clock ticking, the Current might run out of runway to set up a repeat bid.

2025 NWSL champion Gotham has both FIFA and Concacaf Champions Cup commitments this year, complicating their quest as they maneuver a jam-packed season. The club landed one major re-signing in Midge Purce, but forward Ella Stevens departed for expansion side Boston. Thus, the team is left relying on a title-winning core with an average age over 28.

Arsenal hasn’t looked too terribly far off their Champions League game yet. But the subsequent resurgence of Barcelona and OL Lyonnes could see the WSL on the outside looking in once the tournament reaches May's final.

Despite having a few worthy clubs — including strong newcomers Manchester United — the UK league’s chances of claiming another UWCL title appear overshadowed by mainland Europe’s renewed dominance.

Emma Hayes's USWNT: Expect major roster overhauls in 2026

USWNT coach Emma Hayes embraced change in 2025, giving 43 players their first national team cap this year — the most since 2001.

Though the approach came with some speed bumps. The US matching the single-year total loss record with three dropped matches.

Considering Hayes’s approach, it seems that the future of the USWNT has arrived much sooner than expected. And looking back, those losses actually made an emphatic argument for more lineup overhauls — not less.

The team’s November loss to Portugal showcased a veteran midfield trio in Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Heaps, and Sam Coffey. The lineup exposed the old guard’s weaknesses as the team looks to hold ground among the world’s elite.

Remember — Hayes made the call to leave Alex Morgan off the gold medal-winning 2024 Olympic roster. In doing so, she laid the groundwork for even bigger calls as the US gears up for a tough World Cup qualifying run in 2026.

The global talent war: NWSL salary cap faces European threats

The NWSL closes 2025 with flashy off-field headlines and waning on-field enthusiasm, as it attempts to grapple with a rash of overseas departures.

They’ve even gone so far as to institute a new “High Impact Player” rule allowing teams to exceed the salary cap for top talent. The move comes after rejecting the Washington Spirit’s blockbuster play for superstar striker Trinity Rodman.

Viewed as a half-measure to circumvent larger salary cap issues, the NWSL Players Association has come out against the newly approved mechanism.

The union is advocating for the league to raise the base salary cap across the board. This will help clubs keep up in an increasingly competitive global market without destroying parity.

Whether or not the two parties will reach a compromise remains to be seen. Meantime, it leaves NWSL fans to hope for a solution as wealthy European clubs continue to draw top free agents away from the US league.

Of course, money isn’t everything. Raising the salary cap won’t guarantee NWSL favorites remain Stateside, as another league’s pull features more than just a pay bump. Thoughugh should the NWSL figure things out in time, US clubs might bring in a few big names themselves.

Regardless, expect more players to test their abilities in new environments when the transfer window opens back up in January. And it's especially pressing considering the looming World Cup and its national team implications.

The 2026 Men’s World Cup will transform women’s soccer

International soccer’s largest event lands in the US next year, as the 2026 Men’s World Cup promises to reshape football fandom in this country and beyond.

The NWSL remains bullish on the tournament’s ability to convert soccer fans across gender lines. Though the competition itself is subsequently bound to have a serious and immediate impact on the women’s game.

The NWSL plans to pause for the duration of next summer’s World Cup. This is in part due to infrastructural strains, as the tournament takes over venues shared between men’s and women’s club teams. The USWNT’s World Cup qualifying campaign will also hit the breaks, rendering the team’s summer international windows largely meaningless.

And with Concacaf qualifiers kicking off immediately after the 2026 NWSL Championship, top players will have to balance commitments at the end of a long year.

No matter how the 2026 World Cup ends up influencing US soccer culture, it will inevitably present some challenges as the domestic women’s game pushes to be more than an afterthought alongside the sport’s biggest stage.

No. 3 South Carolina basketball suffered a blow this week, as top transfer Ta'Niya Latson exited the Gamecocks' 96-55 win over Providence with a lower leg injury on Sunday.

"She's smiling," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said of Latson immediately following the game, offering an optimistic injury update. "She got treatment all through the second half."

The star senior guard, who turned 22 years old last Friday, joined South Carolina after leading Division I in scoring with Florida State last season.

This year, Latson's 16.9 points per game trails only sophomore forward Joyce Edwards's 21.4-point average on the Gamecocks' scoresheet.

While the full extent to Latson's injury and her potential time off the court is still unknown, any absence exacerbates the team's injury woes, as South Carolina lost standout forward Chloe Kitts to a season-ending injury before the 2025/26 campaign tipped off — with the Gamecocks battling additional availability limits throughout their roster all month.

That said, with the recent returns of forward Madina Okot and guard Agot Makeer from concussion protocol, the Gamecock bench is significantly less sparse, with both returnees impacting Sunday's South Carolina victory with a double-double.

Even more, Staley's squad will see additional roster relief when 18-year-old French center Alicia Tournebize joins the team midseason.

How to watch South Carolina basketball this week

The No. 3 Gamecocks will open the new year by tipping off their SEC slate on Thursday, when South Carolina hosts unranked Alabama at 2 PM ET.

The clash with the Crimson Tide will air live on SEC+.

The world's tennis stars are preparing to open 2026 play in Australia this weekend, with top WTA and ATP leaders on Team USA gearing up to defend their United Cup title starting this Friday.

The two-time champion US enters as the No. 1 seed in the fourth edition of the hard-court tournament, bolstered by the return of world No. 3 Coco Gauff to lead Team USA's six-player United Cup contingent.

With each tournament bout consisting of one WTA singles match, one ATP singles clash, and one mixed-doubles competition, Gauff notably claimed a straight-sets victory over Polish phenom No. 2 Iga Świątek to secure the 2025 title for the US.

"I'm super excited," the 21-year-old star said prior to this year's United Cup. "I had such a good time in my first year playing with the team, and I'm looking forward to going back."

With the 2026 Australian Open beginning in less than two weeks, the United Cup pits 18 national teams against each other as players from both the women's and men's tours tune up for next year's Slams.

Fellow WTA Top-10 stars Świątek and Italy's No. 8 Jasmine Paolini will join Gauff on the 2026 United Cup court, while fan favorite No. 16 Naomi Osaka will feature for tournament debutant Japan.

Also battling for national pride will be two winners of last season's WTA awards, with 2025 Newcomer of the Year No. 18 Vicky Mboko joining Team Canada and 2025 Comeback Player of the Year No. 11 Belinda Bencic competing for Switzerland.

How to watch the 2026 United Cup

The 2026 United Cup runs January 2nd through 11th, with live coverage airing on the Tennis Channel.