While NWSL fans continue to plot a nation-wide search for the regular season schedule that has yet to be released, they have one schedule to fall back on. With the Challenge Cup set to kick off this Friday, the countdown to NWSL 2022 is on.

Teams are in crunch mode as they put the final touches on their tactics and get their lineups ready for the annual preseason tournament. The league also enters the first games of the year with a new commissioner in waiting. Jessica Berman, the former deputy commissioner of the National Lacrosse League and executive with the NHL, was announced as interim commissioner Marla Messing’s replacement last week and will assume her role officially on April 20.

This week in training camps across the NWSL, San Diego Wave FC, OL Reign and Houston Dash discussed the leaders and team strengths forming behind the scenes as they get ready to take the field.

San Diego’s power duo

Once again, Alex Morgan is helping to build a club from the ground up. The two-time World Cup champion with the U.S. women’s national team debuted with the Orlando Pride during their expansion season in 2016 and played with the club until San Diego acquired her in a trade in December.

When asked about the differences between the two clubs’ early stages, Morgan singled out the Wave’s attention to detail.

“I love the ambition and the fact that they’re looking at it from all angles, not only from trying to build a team but trying to build an organization we’re all proud to play in,” the forward said. “A brand that people are proud to wear and represent, a place of inclusivity for this community.”

Abby Dahlkemper, Wave defender and Morgan’s teammate with the USWNT, said she’s excited for Morgan to make runs into the box and bury goals this season, starting with the Wave’s Challenge Cup opener against Angel City FC on Saturday. Morgan is currently ranked eighth in the world with 115 international goals.

Can't wait to see her do this magic in San Diego! https://t.co/OygmEjRnke

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) March 9, 2022

“Obviously a huge win for us to get Alex and for her to be a part of this team,” Dahlkemper said. “She is the face of women’s soccer. She is a trailblazer. Everyone looks up to her — males and females — and she’s huge for the culture of this club.”

“That’s so nice,” Morgan uttered, leaning on Dahlkemper’s shoulder during the press conference.

In her return to the field after an injury kept her out of the SheBelieves Cup, Dahlkemper is prepared to step up as the leader of San Diego’s backline. While she was sidelined, Dahlkemper made an effort to learn all of the details of head coach Casey Stoney’s training plans and impart those on her teammates.

“[Her presence] does make a vast difference because she’s a communicator, she’s a leader, she’s good on the ball. The fact that she can switch the point with ability and range makes a huge difference to the way we can play,” Stoney said.

“She’s a real leader and I can see that already in her nature in her character and I’m really pleased she’s in our dressing room.”

Bethany Balcer graduates to veteran status

Bethany Balcer, entering her fourth year in the NWSL, has seen her role with OL Reign evolve during this training camp.

The 2021 semifinalists have a new look this year after signing nine new players and drafting three rookies — Ryanne Brown (21st overall), Olivia van der Jagt (33rd) and Marley Canales (47th). The changes have given Balcer, 25, an opportunity to step into a position of leadership.

“There’s been areas where I’ve seen some of the players help me along in that, and also [Laura Harvey] and Sam [Laity] have been giving me those spaces and opportunities to step into and so I’m trying my best,” she said.

Balcer, the 2019 NWSL Rookie of the Year, also has three of the most respected teammates to emulate in Lauren Barnes, Jess Fishlock and Megan Rapinoe, who have helped establish OL Reign’s culture since the club came into existence.

“I feel like that’s been a bigger part of what I’ve been trying to do this preseason,” Balcer said. “That’s been fun, and just trying to learn as I go.”

Houston Dash are clicking

Everything seems to be going smoothly for the Houston Dash. As they enter the Challenge Cup with three preseason wins and no injuries to report, head coach James Clarkson believes the team’s tactics have been progressing exactly as planned.

What’s impressed him most so far is the players’ ability to exchange positions. They are looking to create situations where they can exploit opponents with a numbers advantage, and the concept is further along at this point in the preseason than in others Clarkson can remember.

“There have been some really good rotations, really good movement on the ball and off the ball,” he said. “If we continue to keep that same rotation of players that are changing positions and it can be smooth, I think that will be a huge benefit for us.”

Off the field, the coach is looking forward to Berman’s leadership in the NWSL front office.

“It’s very good for the league,” Clarkson said. “I think it’s a big step forward. Obviously we need one. Hopefully she continues with some great work with the players and pushes the league further forward.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Welcome to another episode of Sports Are Fun!

Every week on Sports Are Fun!, co-hosts soccer legend Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and JWS intern BJ serve up their hottest takes on the biggest women's sports headlines.

This week, the Sports Are Fun! crew makes some room on the couch for JWS's own social media guru, Gab Basinski. Together, the hosts then tackle a range of women's sports subjects, including how NIL deals and the NCAA transfer portal are reshaping the college basketball landscape.

"The NCAA transfer portal closed last Wednesday, which had over 1,500 players enter," opens O'Hara. "So many moves here, but just to highlight a few: Olivia Miles to TCU, Ta'Niya Latson to South Carolina, UCLA lost their entire freshman class, and Londynn Jones to USC, and finally, MiLaysia Fulwiley to LSU."

"Of all DI players, almost 30% of players were in the portal," says Basinski. "That's insane."

"I have so many questions and thoughts," O'Hara says.

In addition to all those NCAA basketball thoughts, Sports Are Fun! also dives into NWSL rivalries, the crew's growing beef with the KC Current, PWHL expansion, Caitlin Clark jersey sales, and so much more!

'Sports Are Fun!' asks if NIL is taking the fun out of NCAA basketball

Then, Sports Are Fun turned to coaching. The headline? Angel City bringing on new manager Alexander Straus from Germany's Bayern Munich.

"First of all, I think it's a cardinal sin — and that is pun intended — to transfer to a rival," O'Hara says. "Is that not a thing anymore? I could never, as a Stanford player, go to a UCLA or a USC. Absolutely not."

"When there's money involved, it's not it's not personal. It's business, baby," reasons Diaz. "We're seeing a Londynn Jones go from UCLA literally across the street to USC — that's insane to me. I feel like that's one of the craziest moves. So I guess it doesn't matter anymore?"

"To me, the thing that makes college sports so fun are the rivalries, your school pride," says O'Hara. "You are ride-or-die for your school, and it just doesn't seem like it exists anymore.

"I'd be ride or die for whatever school's paying me, to be honest," quips Basinski. "Get a bag. Because also, it's like, 'Oh they value me enough to pay this much for me to switch schools. So the school is kind of behind me, and if they're behind me this much, alright, I'll take your check and I'll go play.'"

About 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara

'Sports Are Fun!' is a show that’ll remind you why you fell in love with women's sports in the first place.

Join World Cup champ, Olympic gold medalist, and aspiring barista Kelley O'Hara as she sits down with sports journalist Greydy Diaz and a revolving cast of co-hosts and friends. Together, they're talking the biggest, funnest, and most need-to-know stories in the world of women’s sports.

From on-court drama to off-field shenanigans, to candid (and silly) chats with the most important personalities in the space, this show screams "Sports Are Fun!"

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

Concerns over faulty NWSL officiating again took center stage this week, after Sunday's 3-3 draw between the Portland Thorns and Racing Louisville FC saw a league-record 41 fouls called — with only one card handed out in regulation.

In the chippy, physical showdown, Louisville took a 3-1 first-half lead only to see it shortened to 3-2 after referee Corbyn May awarded Portland a penalty kick just before halftime. Portland then drew level with another converted penalty, this one awarded late in second-half stoppage time.

Angered by May's controversial calls, Racing Louisville's Ary Borges garnered a post-match red card for dissent after confronting the officials on the field.

"I do think that match can't keep happening in this league. I think it's embarrassing — it alters the match, it alters the sport," said Portland's Jessie Fleming after the game, remarking on Louisville's aggressive play and the officials' lack of response.

"It's embarrassing for the league, and I think it's embarrassing for Louisville as a club, and very frustrating for us as players."

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Following the match, Borges apologized for her outburst via social media, going on to note, "I'm not much of talking about referees because they are things that are beyond our control but what happened today in the match was a shame."

"For those who had two questionable penalties and spent the whole game throwing themselves in and around the penalty box, please take a moment to reflect and not talk about my team," she continued, accusing the Thorns of contributing to the issue by over-selling fouls.

With the puck dropping on the league's second postseason next week, the PWHL unveiled the Minnesota Frost's 2024 Walter Cup championship rings on Monday.

The reveal came as part of the league's multi-year partnership announcement with Paris Jewellers Canada, a family-owned jewelry brand that the PWHL has tapped to create its championship rings for years to come.

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In order to personalize the championship jewelry, the design of the 2024 title-winning rings included input from inaugural victors Minnesota.

Fashioned from sterling silver, the rings feature an image of the Walter Cup. Surrounding the trophy are 74 diamonds, in honor of the goals scored by the team throughout their first season, as well as 18 purple amethyst stones representative of the squad's total 2023/24 wins.

The rings also bear inscriptions of the May 29th, 2024, championship game date and 3-0 winning score, the Frost's "Win One Game" motto, and each athlete's name and jersey number.

The champs received their rings in a private celebration on Sunday.

"This group will always carry the honor of being the first team in PWHL history to win the Walter Cup," said Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield.  "Now, we will forever have these special championship rings that encapsulate the journey to the top."

With the 2024/25 PWHL regular season closing on May 3rd, the Frost are locked in a battle with the Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge for the two remaining playoff spots.

For a shot at defending their 2024 title, Minnesota must win their final two games by defeating both Ottawa and Boston this week.

Though rolling blackouts across the region suspended play at the 2025 Madrid Open on Monday, many top US talents are working their way through the clay court competition to great success.

World No. 4 Coco Gauff dispatched Switzerland's No. 42 Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-2 in Monday's Round of 16, exiting the court just before the arena lost power.

"I feel like, at this point, this is only a situation you can laugh at if I was on court," Gauff said after her post-match interview was cut short by a deadened mic. "Because it's probably not going to happen ever again, and we'll always remember the day the power went out at Madrid Open."

Gauff next faces No. 7 Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, where a win could see her swap places with the now-ousted Jessica Pegula in the WTA rankings to reclaim No. 3 — and resume her title as the highest-ranked US player.

The rest of the Round of 16 resumed early Tuesday morning, with fellow US star and world No. 5 Madison Keys taking down Croatia's No. 21 Donna Vekić 6-2, 6-3 before No. 2 Iga Świątek eked out a win against No. 13 Diana Shnaider 6-0, 6-7 (3), 6-4.

Keys and Świątek will now square off in the quarterfinals — their first meeting since Keys upset the Polish star in January's Australian Open semifinal.

How to watch the 2025 Madrid Open quarterfinals

The 2025 Madrid Open quarterfinals kick off at 4 AM ET on Wednesday. Coverage of the tournament will continue to air live on the Tennis Channel.