All Scores

NWSL 2022 College Draft: Handing out grades for all 12 teams

No. 2 pick Jaelin Howell is the type of midfielder Racing Louisville can build a contender around. (John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

The full impact of the 2022 NWSL Draft won’t be known until a year or two from now. That doesn’t mean we can’t make some snap judgments.

Looking at the performances of all 12 teams in Saturday’s college draft, each of them made a good pick or two, at least from this pundit’s perspective. Some opted to move draft picks to stock up on allocation money or bring in more established talent. When handing out grades, those moves were considered in addition to the picks themselves.

Below is our report card for every team coming out of the NWSL draft.

Angel City FC: B+

The newcomers traded the No. 2 overall pick for the rights to Christen Press, and then added Simone Charley and Tyler Lussi in a deal that included the first pick in the second round. It’s hard to argue that adding a full U.S. women’s national team player and a pair of attackers with draft resources is a bad move. Second overall pick Jaelin Howell, however, could have been a solid building-block for the midfield.

Signings elsewhere will need to hit in order for Angel City to be competitive, since they’ll likely lean on their three draft picks as depth players. The club did go with a pair of players from Power 5 schools in Illinois midfielder Hope Breslin and Duke midfielder Lily Nabet. Their selection of Miri Taylor in the fourth round could have had more to do with securing her rights, since she could very well sign with a club back home in England next year.

Chicago Red Stars: C+

After trading out of the first round, the Red Stars didn’t pick until making back-to-back late selections in the second round. Ava Cook (Michigan State) and Sammi Fisher (Notre Dame) each have plenty of intrigue yet much to prove. In some ways, the third-round additions could have more upside, between Purdue star forward Sarah Griffith and Arkansas midfielder Kayla McKeon. Second-to-last pick Jayda Hylton-Pelaia provides much-needed depth at outside back.

Houston Dash: C+

The Dash didn’t do all that much in this draft, trading out of it for some more established NWSL players before picking South Carolina forward Ryan Gareis at No. 44 as their one selection. On the surface, that’s not a bad move given the arguable lack of depth on this year’s board. It’s hard to be too critical about veering toward more experience rather than rolling the dice on rookies. But, as the Washington Sprit showed in 2021, there is value in the draft that the Dash could have been overlooking.

Kansas City Current: B-

Kansas City dipped into the Pac-12 for the first two picks. Washington State forward Elyse Bennett has the physical qualities to be a hit in NWSL, but she needs to become a consistent finisher in order to be an everyday starter. Oregon midfielder Chardonnay Curran has U.S. youth national team experience and could help bolster Kansas City’s spine. The last two picks, Jenna Winebrenner and Izzy Rodriguez, will contribute to the Current’s back line depth and could be sneaky good additions when all is said and done.

NY/NJ Gotham FC: A-

Gotham was a part of the movement down the draft order, with the club not picking until late in the second round. Still, all three of their picks either fit positional needs or showed smart scouting. Kelly Ann Livingstone joins from Georgetown, a program with a strong reputation of sending players on to the draft, and the center back can compete for minutes right away. Hensley Hancuff is an intriguing goalkeeping prospect out of Clemson, while Michigan midfielder Raleigh Loughman had a very strong fall season.

North Carolina Courage: B+

With three first-round picks on Saturday, the Courage aimed to rebuild through the draft. Pairing up on ACC talent in Emily Gray at No. 3 and Diana Ordoñez at No. 6 isn’t a bad way to start. Both make plenty of sense for North Carolina and could get significant playing time this season. The selection of Kaitlin Fregulia at the end of the first round could be viewed as a reach. With so many center backs in the draft, it’s hard to argue with it too much, though the team could have addressed another position at No. 12. Haleigh Stackpole is an energetic forward out of Ole Miss who gives the Courage more attacking depth, and the team took the fourth goalkeeper of the day, Purdue’s Marisa Bova, with a fourth-round selection.

OL Reign: C

A relatively solid haul from the Reign started with perhaps the biggest surprise of the draft when the club took St. John’s forward Zsani Kajan at No. 8. That’s not to detract from Kajan’s quality, but rather to question whether she may have been available later. ACC additions came back to back in the second round, with OL Reign taking experienced UNC goalkeeper Claudia Dickey at No. 20 and Ryanne Brown, a savvy forward from Wake Forest. The Marley Canales pick in the fourth round has the most intrigue; her quiet midfield engine and skill on the ball could work well for the Reign if the system is set up effectively around her. The Reign did go West Coast in the third round, selecting Santa Clara midfielder/forward Kaile Halvorsen and Washington midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt.

Orlando Pride: A

Another team in rebuild mode, Orlando had three first-round picks and did pretty well with them. Mia Fishel’s connection with Amanda Cromwell is well-documented and gives the team a young talent to build around on the front line. Duke defender Caitlin Cosme has the experience of playing in the competitive ACC, while Santa Clara forward and national champion Julie Doyle should hit the ground running right away. Third-round pick Jada Talley is another sleeper coming out of the Pac-12.

Portland Thorns: B+

From the positions they were picking in, the Thorns did well. Sydny Nasello’s on-field performance at South Florida suggests she can be an effective NWSL attacker on the flanks. Gabby Provenzano comes from a Rutgers program that has a track record of developing central defenders. And don’t be surprised if fourth-round pick Natalie Beckman makes the team and works into the lineup at outside back.

Racing Louisville: A

It was a good day for Louisville from top to bottom. Along with Howell at No. 2, fourth overall pick Savannah DeMelo has plenty of potential in the midfield and No. 16 pick Charmé Morgan is a bit of a sleeper who can boost the team’s back line depth. Racing Louisville also got the goalkeeper it needed in Wisconsin’s Jordyn Bloomer after waiving 2021 starter Michelle Betos in the weeks leading up to the draft. Wake Forest forward Jenna Menta and Georgetown defender Sydney Cummings are both experienced players coming from quality programs.

San Diego Wave: B+

Taking Naomi Girma over Howell with the No. 1 pick is a decision that could certainly pay off if the center back stays healthy and can develop into a cornerstone of the team’s back line. That’s no sure thing, however, and there’s the argument that the Wave could have taken Grand Canyon’s Marleen Schimmer later in the draft instead of with the ninth overall pick. Then, of course, she could end up signing with a club back in Germany. Later picks Sydney Pulver (Washington State), Belle Briede (Stanford) and Kayla Bruster (Georgia) add depth to San Diego’s spine.

Washington Spirit: B

Entering the draft, the Spirit weren’t on the board until pick No. 38. That changed when the defending champions traded into the second round on three separate occasions. Assessing the moves without knowing the full value of allocation money is difficult, but the picks themselves should provide the Spirit with depth.

Tinaya Alexander and Madison Elwell are both forwards from the SEC who can boost the team’s front line, though minutes for that pair will be difficult to come by on a deep team. Lucy Shepherd was clinical for Hofstra in the final third and gives Washington another scoring option if she doesn’t go back home to England. Audrey Harding (UNC Wilmington) and Jordan Thompson (Gonzaga) rounded out the Spirit’s picks and made sense for the team at each spot. The Spirit’s track record in the draft is hard to argue with, but this time they’ll have to back up their strategy with second-round talent instead of first.

Travis Clark is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering college soccer and the NWSL Draft. He is also the Director of Content at Top Drawer Soccer. Follow him on Twitter @travismclark.

Women’s Basketball Greats Moore, Bird Top 2025 Hall of Fame Nominations

2025 Naismith Hall of Fame nominees Maya Moore and Sue Bird stand on the court during a 2012 WNBA Playoff game.
Maya Moore and Sue Bird are in the running to enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Several women’s basketball greats earned nominations to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, with Maya Moore, Sue Bird, and Sylvia Fowles among the Class of 2025’s 17 finalists for first-ballot induction.

After leading UConn to back-to-back undefeated NCAA seasons en route to the 2009 and 2010 national titles, Moore won four WNBA championships across seven seasons with the Minnesota Lynx. The 2014 WNBA MVP and six-time league All-Star also earned a pair of Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016 before exiting the game to pursue criminal justice reform in 2018.

Fellow Husky alum Bird also won two NCAA titles at UConn before picking up five Olympic gold medals with Team USA and four WNBA championships in her 21-season career with the Seattle Storm. Despite retiring in 2022, Bird remains the WNBA's career assists leader with 3,234 dimes, and her 13 All-Star nods still sets the league record.

Before joining Moore in leading the Lynx to WNBA championships in 2015 and 2017 — and earning Finals MVP awards during both runs — Fowles helped her alma mater LSU to four straight Final Four appearances. Her 14-year pro career included four Olympic golds, eight All-Star nods, four Defensive Player of the Year awards, plus the 2017 WNBA MVP trophy. When Fowles exited the sport in 2022, she did so as the WNBA's career rebounds leader, with a total of 4,006 boards.

Also on the 2025 Naismith ballot is Stanford standout and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Azzi, who spent five years in the WNBA before retiring from play in 2004. Azzi now serves as the chief business development officer for the Las Vegas Aces.

Naismith committee to decide Hall of Fame class

A 24-member Honors Committee will assess all 17 finalists. Those who garner at least 18 committee votes will earn admittance into the Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2025 will be announced in during the NCAA men’s Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, April 5th, with an official enshrinement ceremony to follow at a later date.

Report: Cleveland Wins WNBA Expansion Team Bid

The Cleveland Rockers walk across the court during a 2001 WNBA game.
Cleveland has reportedly won the bid for the 16th WNBA team. (Lisa Blumenfeld/ALLSPORT)

The WNBA appears poised to accept a bid from Cleveland to become the league's 16th franchise, with Sports Business Journal (SBJ) putting the Midwestern city’s chances of earning an expansion team "as high as 90%."

Led by Dan Gilbert, the majority owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, the investor group will reportedly revive the name and branding of the Cleveland Rockers ahead of the team’s 2028 debut. The Rockers were one of the WNBA's inaugural teams, competing from the league's 1997 debut season until the team's 2003 folding.

SBJ also cited an estimated expansion fee of $250 million, setting a new league record by fully doubling the $125 million fee shelled out by Portland, the WNBA's incoming 15th franchise.

That massive check combined with access to top-notch facilities likely elevated Cleveland’s bid, which includes plans for the incoming Rockers to operate out of the Cavs' current training facility after the NBA team moves to a new center in 2027.

Big expansion team bids spark additional WNBA growth

SBJ's report also indicated that the WNBA has begun considering growth beyond their previously stated three-year, 16-team strategy, with an eye toward stretching to 18 squads in the short-term and 20 franchises by 2030.

Like Cleveland's bid, immediate access to NBA infrastructure has reportedly placed two markets at the front of the line for an expansion nod: a revival of the four-time WNBA champion Houston Comets and a net-new Philadelphia team. That said, three other former WNBA franchises — the Detroit Shock, the Miami Sol, and the Charlotte Sting — are rumored to be in the mix as well.

However, those ex-WNBA cities face stiff competition with bids from new markets like Austin, Nashville, Kansas City, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Denver entering the race in recent months.

Seizing the moment after a banner 2024 season, the WNBA is appearing to fast-track expansion rather than put prospective owners with deep pockets on hold — and turning some heads in the process as fears about growing too big, too quickly start to crop up.

UConn Rattles AP Poll Rankings with Top 5 Upset Over South Carolina

UConn basketball guard Azzi Fudd dribbles up the court against South Carolina.
Azzi Fudd posted 28 points to help UConn defeat South Carolina on Sunday. (Jeff Blake/Imagn Images)

No. 4 UConn bagged their first signature win of the season on Sunday, taking down then-No. 4 South Carolina 87-58 to snap the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak. Dating back to 2020, South Carolina's string of home victories was the fourth longest in Division I women's basketball history.

"They had their way with us," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said after the game. "There's no trying to find a silver lining to it. We got beat. We got beat bad."

Leading the beatdown was Husky guard Azzi Fudd, who notched a game-high 28 points while teammates Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong each snagged double-doubles en route to UConn's massive victory.

Despite dominating the Big East this season, UConn has struggled against non-conference foes, picking up losses against Notre Dame, USC, and, for the first time since 2007, Tennessee.

"We needed to prove that to ourselves, that we could never let up for 40 minutes," Fudd said on Sunday.

"More than anything else, it was evident today that we played to win," echoed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.

Texas forward Madison Booker drives past LSU's Flau'Jae Johnson in Sunday's NCAA basketball tilt.
With Sunday's win over LSU, Texas is on track to contend for the SEC regular-season title. (Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Top 10 upsets set the stage for March Madness

UConn wasn’t the only team showing out against Top 10 teams on Sunday, as then-No. 3 Texas took down former No. 5 LSU 65-58 in just the second SEC loss of the Tigers' season.

Now riding on three straight Top 8 wins, including humbling the reigning champion Gamecocks on February 9th, Texas currently sits atop the SEC standings. With less than two weeks of 2024/25 play left, the Longhorns have a real shot at the conference's regular-season trophy, as well as the key postseason seeding that title bestows.

Overall, the weekend’s slate tossed any presumptions about March Madness out the window, with top-ranked contenders stepping up to bust brackets before they’ve even been created. The only thing to expect? The unexpected.

Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo raises her arm in celebration during Monday's win over Duke.
Notre Dame is ranked No. 1 in the AP basketball poll for the first time since 2019. (Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Elite action paves Notre Dame's rise to No. 1

Last week’s NCAA onslaught brought bedlam to Monday's AP Top 25, with Notre Dame enjoying the view from the top after earning their first No. 1 ranking since 2019.

Sunday's top matchups sent South Carolina and LSU down two spots each to Nos. 6 and 7, respectively, while UConn earned an equitable rise to No. 5 with their defeat of the Gamecocks. Meanwhile, by taming the Tigers, Texas scaled up one spot to sit just behind Notre Dame at No. 2.

As for then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA, the Bruins fell two spots to No. 3 after their Thursday loss to crosstown rival USC, who leapt from No. 6 to No. 4 with the win.

Notre Dame is flying high for now, but with an unranked loss amid their ranked wins, their grip on the top slot is far from ironclad.

The Irish did manage to cement their No. 1 status with a 64-49 dismantling of No. 11 Duke just hours after Monday’s poll update, flexing their national prowess with a big ACC win.

However, UCLA and Texas each received multiple first-place votes this week, proving the AP's No. 1 ranking is far from unanimous as teams stare down their last few regular-season games.

With March fast approaching, conference tournament seeding could boil down to Top 10 wins — and teams will need every bit of leverage they can manage as the NCAA tournament looms.

UCLA guard Kiki Rice shoots over Michigan State's Grace Van Slooten on Sunday.
UCLA bounced back from their first season loss with a narrow win over Michigan State on Sunday. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

AP College Basketball Top 25: Week 16

1. Notre Dame (23-2, ACC)
2. Texas (26-2, SEC)
3. UCLA (24-1, Big Ten)
4. USC (23-2, Big Ten)
5. UConn (24-3, Big East)
6. South Carolina (23-3, SEC)
7. LSU (25-2, SEC)
8. Ohio State (22-3, Big Ten)
9. North Carolina (23-4, ACC)
10. TCU (24-3, Big 12)
11. Duke (20-6, ACC)
12. Kansas State (24-4, Big 12)
13. NC State (20-5, ACC)
14. Kentucky (20-4, SEC)
15. Tennessee (19-6, SEC)
16. Oklahoma (19-6, SEC)
17. West Virginia (21-5, Big 12)
18. Alabama (21-5, SEC)
19. Baylor (22-5, Big 12)
20. Georgia Tech (21-5, ACC)
21. Maryland (20-6, Big Ten)
22. Michigan State (19-6, Big Ten)
23. Creighton (21-4, Big East)
24. Oklahoma State (20-5, Big 12)
25. Illinois (21-5, Big Ten)

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."

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