The NWSL has issued lifetime bans to four of the coaches at the center of its abuse scandal, the league announced Monday.

Paul Riley, Christy Holly, Rory Dames and Richie Burke all have been barred permanently from the NWSL. The league also laid down further suspensions and fines, including a $1.5 million fine to the Chicago Red Stars and a $1 million fine to the Portland Thorns.

The punishments come one month after the NWSL and NWSLPA released the findings of their joint investigation into “widespread misconduct” in the league, and three months after U.S. Soccer released the results from its own investigation into “systemic” abuse and failures by NWSL coaches and executives.

Both investigations started after a 2021 report in The Athletic detailed allegations of sexual harassment and coercion made against Riley in 2015, during his tenure as head coach of the Thorns. In the wake of that report, Riley was fired from his position as North Carolina Courage coach.

Holly, Dames and Burke also were fired or resigned in 2021 due to misconduct allegations, and the U.S. Soccer and NWSL/NWSLPA investigations exposed further details of their abusive behavior.

Holly was fired as Racing Louisville coach in August 2021 after he groped a player on multiple occasions. Burke was fired in September 2021 after player complaints of racism and verbal abuse. Dames resigned after that season after player complaints of his “pejorative,” “degrading” and “racially insensitive” comments were exposed by the Washington Post.

Several other coaches and club leaders identified in the misconduct investigations received suspensions Monday.

Former Utah Royals coach Craig Harrington “blurred professional boundaries” with players, including drinking with them at bars and making sexual comments to and about them, per the NWSL and NWSLPA report. Former Gotham FC general manager Alyse LaHue made unwanted sexual advances toward a player, per the same report.

Harrington and LaHue cannot work in the league until at least January 2025, and in order to do so each would have to acknowledge wrongdoing, undergo training and be approved for reinstatement by the commissioner.

Former OL Reign coach Farid Benstiti, former Houston Dash coaches James Clarkson and Vera Pauw and former Orlando Pride coach Amanda Cromwell and her assistants, Sam Greene and Aline Reis, are not permitted to work in the NWSL again unless they acknowledge wrongdoing, undergo training and are approved for reinstatement by the commissioner.

The league also issued fines to six of its 12 clubs: the Red Stars ($1.5 million); the Thorns ($1 million, previously announced by owner Merritt Paulson as a pledge support the establishment of an NWSL Player Safety Office); Racing Louisville ($200,000); North Carolina Courage ($100,000); OL Reign ($50,000); and Gotham FC ($50,000).

“The league will continue to prioritize implementing and enhancing the policies, programs and systems that put the health and safety of our players first,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “Those actions are fundamental to the future of our league, especially as we build a league that strengthens our players’ ability to succeed and prosper on and off the pitch.”

The NWSLPA called the league’s actions “a critical step” toward accountability and greater player safety.

While “no sanction will ever be enough to undo the harm that too many players endured,” NWSPLA president and Spirit midfielder Tori Huster said in a statement, she acknowledged the disciplinary measures as a step toward a brighter future.

“A new NWSL begins today,” Huster said.

NWSLPA Statement in Response to the NWSL’s Corrective Action Announcement: pic.twitter.com/bm5ntS8dYv

— NWSLPA (@nwsl_players) January 9, 2023

After a whirlwind 2024, USWNT and Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman has garnered interest from around the globe as she enters into the final year of her contract in DC. But Rodman herself has been focusing on getting back to the pitch at 100% health, after lingering back injuries affected the latter half of the 22-year-old’s season.

“The off-season was a great reset for me, mentally and physically,” Rodman told Just Women’s Sports at NWSL Media Day in January. “I got to do a lot of physical therapy, which was nice. I got to be with family, and right now I'm just focused on not jumping right back into it.”

Recovering from a taxing 2024 NWSL season

Rodman is known as a player whose motion on and off the ball can confuse defenders, running with a fearlessness that immediately makes her more dangerous as an attacker. But she also has had trouble balancing her preferred style of play with lingering pain in her torso, that for years seemed to pass after hard contact but escalated in September when she had to exit a match by wheelchair.

After returning for the NWSL playoffs, Rodman mentioned the back issues had still been limiting her after the Spirit fell to the Orlando Pride in the 2024 NWSL championship game, and that they’d been haunting her since the US won gold at the Paris Olympics. “That's not an excuse, but I wasn't the Trin that I wanted to be today," she said in November.

But for a player that derives joy from every moment out on the pitch, taking a step back is a learning process. Alongside ‘Triple Espresso’ teammates Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, Rodman has taken time off from USWNT availability for numerous international windows, and credits her coaching staff for keeping her on the road to recovery.

“Just kind of progressing slowly,” she told JWS. “Even if I feel good, I don't want to set it back again and be in a bad position.”

Speedy Rodman learns to slow it down

Balancing rest with the needs of the team is still a work in progress. “It's still very difficult, especially once you get later on in the season,” she said. “There's not those moments where you can say, 'oh, I need to sit out this game,' because every game is important.”

“I definitely don't have it down yet, trying to figure out that balance. But I'm learning, and I'm trying to get better at communicating with the medical team and with my coaches.”

For a Washington Spirit team that finished second in both the NWSL table and the postseason in 2024, getting a whole slew of players back healthy could be the change that puts the club over the top. The Spirit lost numerous starters throughout the 2024 season, including Rookie and Defender of the Year Croix Bethune, captain Andi Sullivan, and starting forward Ouleye Sarr.

Rodman is just as ready to see her teammates back on the pitch as herself. “I'm very excited that people are coming back from injury. Andi's journey, Ouleye’s jersey, Croix’s journey, being able to hopefully see them back sooner than later,” she said. “So far, even just this first week, the energy has been great. We're very together already, and going off last season, I think we set a really good foundation.”

Despite injuries, consistency is key

A year without a major tournament for the US gives Rodman and her teammates time to gel, as well as for Rodman herself to get ahead of the pain that has been following her for much of her professional career. She told gathered media that USWNT manager Emma Hayes is planning on hiring a specialist to help her continue to strengthen her back, “because it is a hard location of injury.”

With a stronger physical foundation, Rodman is eager to put injury woes behind her and just be able to focus on her game. But the 2024 NWSL MVP finalist is also realistic about the fact that her greatest impact in the early days of the season might not be by grinding out a full-90 performance if that’s not what's right for the long-term health of her game. 

She says she’d like to continue to develop her consistency as a player, with as much emphasis on being a playmaker as putting the ball in the back of the net herself. And if the immediate future includes leading from the sideline, she’s all-in.

“I don't need to be the person that's scoring three goals every game, but just making an impact in any way that I can, even if that's games where I'm getting pulled out earlier and making that impact on the sideline,” she said. “I'm excited to see how I grow in that way of celebrating other people, and being able to play at my highest level when I'm in the game.”

Perhaps partially spurred by then-No. 17 Arkansas's upset win over reigning champion LSU last Friday, Tiger gymnast Livvy Dunne took to X on Sunday, expressing concerns about the state of NCAA gymnastics.

Citing "empty seats" at NCAA meets, the sport's NIL leader argued for more perfect scores to increase viewership. "People understand what a perfect 10 is and want people who do things that look great to be rewarded," she wrote. "Too many deductions… feels negative and loses the entertainment factor that draws the crowd in."

Dunne's comments were heavily critiqued by the gymnastics community. Afterwards, former three-time NCAA champion Morgan Belvedere chiming in to say "10s are earned, not given… The integrity of the sport should not be diminished for the sake of entertainment by giving out fake perfect scores."

The backlash of gymnastics perfection

Dunne is correct in noting that this season's judging has produced significantly less perfect 10s than in the past. In contrast, recent years saw record numbers of 10s awarded for sometimes controversially imperfect routines.

Prior to 2022, seasons typically finished with between 30 and 40 perfectly scored performances. That figure nearly doubled to 71 in 2022, followed by 84 and 87 awarded in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Along with concerns about 10s becoming commonplace, experts, fans, coaches, and athletes have long raised flags about inconsistent scoring across the NCAA. For example, a full two-thirds of the perfect 10s awarded from 2023 to 2024 went to just 16 out of 63 Division I programs, all them representing the SEC or the former Pac-12.

Unlike many college sports in which rankings are determined by expert polls, NCAA gymnastics relies solely on scores. Point totals from meets directly determine rankings, conference titles, and subsequent postseason positioning. Therefore, establishing a scoring standard applicable across the entirety of competitions has long been at the forefront of discussion.

New SCORE board decreases perfect 10s

In the wake of these inconsistencies, a new gymnastics judging evaluation system was implemented this year.

Dubbed the SCORE board (Standardize Consistency in Officiating of Routine Evaluation), the system reviews judges' assessments. More accurate scoring can earn judges promotions and better assignments, like postseason meets. Scores further from the set standard could result in demotions.

The new evaluation system did result in markedly lower scores this season, ending a near-four year run of regular-season NCAA gymnastics weeks with at least one perfect 10. Though as judges have settled in to the new SCORE board era, point totals have risen.

However, first four weeks of 2025 competition have seen just two perfect 10s. No. 9 Missouri's Helen Hu earned one on beam, while No. 6 UCLA's Jordan Chiles was given a 10 on bars.

Scoring aside, NCAA gymnastics remains on the rise

While frustrations over college gymnastics scoring are nothing new, Dunne's claim that the issue is affecting the sport's outside popularity doesn't appear to hold true.

In fact, the sport is on the rise. With NIL helping to keep Olympians and other elite gymnasts on the college mat, the NCAA has been able to maintain slate of young international stars.

Between record-setting championship viewership and increasing national coverage, college gymnastics has recently stepped further into the spotlight. Even without perfect 10s, audience demand has fueled moves to larger venues as meets break attendance records — including at LSU's recent loss to the Razorbacks.

Where to watch NCAA gymnastics this week

This Saturday, Fox will air college gymnastics for the first time ever, broadcasting a Big Ten clash between No. 6 UCLA and conference leaders No. 5 Michigan State. Coverage starts at 5:30 PM ET.

Kicking off another NCAA basketball weekend with a bang, South Carolina snapped LSU's unbeaten streak on Friday, holding their SEC rivals to just 29.9% shooting in the 66-56 statement win.

No. 2 South Carolina's bench outscored No. 5 LSU's 31-2 in the contest. The Tigers' Friday shooting percentage marked their worst-ever performance under head coach Kim Mulkey.

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Freshman Joyce Edwards led the Gamecocks with 14 points, while LSU senior Aneesah Morrow registered her 93rd double-double. The feat awarded her the second-most career double-doubles in women's college basketball history.

Mulkey was quick to credit newly re-signed South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley's lineup for the dominant Gamecocks victory.

"I do think they're the best in the country, even though UCLA beat them," Mulkey told reporters after the game. "I don't think I've ever coached against a team with 10 McDonald's All-Americans on a roster."

Unbeaten UCLA downs Maryland in Top 10 NCAA matchup

With LSU losing on Friday, No. 1 UCLA became this season's only remaining undefeated DI team. The Bruins subsequently solidified their top-dog status by downing No. 8 Maryland 82-67 on Sunday.

UCLA junior Lauren Betts put up a career-high 33 points in the win, shooting 14-for-15 en route to reaching 1,000 career points.

Notably, the Terrapins are still without two of their top three scorers in Shyanne Sellers and Bri McDaniel. While McDaniel is out for the season with an ACL injury, Sellers is expected to eventually return to play after suffering a knee sprain in last Monday's loss to No. 7 Texas.

Conference wins highlight NCAA basketball weekend action

The Top 10 wins booked by South Carolina and UCLA weren't the only conference victories making waves in college basketball over the weekend.

No. 21 Michigan State stunned hosts No. 24 Michigan 88-58 on Saturday. Michigan State turned a four-point halftime deficit into a prolific run that saw the Spartans outscore their instate rivals 59-25 in the second half.

In the Big 12, No. 9 TCU ended a 35-year losing streak against No. 25 Baylor on Sunday. The Horned Frogs topped the Bears 80-75 behind Sedona Prince's game-leading 24-point, 14-rebound double-double.

Elsewhere, four Top 20 teams — No. 10 Kansas State, No. 13 UNC, No. 16 West Virginia, and No. 19 Alabama — fell to unranked opponents. No. 7 Texas narrowly escaped the same fate, needing a late fourth-quarter surge to secure a 61-58 comeback win over Ole Miss on Sunday.

Deep into conference play, rivalries and upsets are putting DI college basketball's ever-growing parity in the spotlight.

How to watch top-ranked NCAA basketball on Monday

The ranked conference clashes continue tonight, when No. 2 South Carolina visits No. 18 Tennessee at 7 PM ET, with live coverage on ESPN2.

US tennis player Madison Keys earned her first-ever Grand Slam title on Saturday, taking down back-to-back defending champ and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 Australian Open final.

On the heels of a three-set semifinal ousting of No. 2 Iga Świątek last Thursday, Keys' 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 Saturday victory made her the first player to upset both the world No. 1 and No. 2 in the same Grand Slam since Svetlana Kuznetsova did so at the 2009 French Open. The 29-year-old is also the first to do it in Melbourne since Serena Williams in 2005.

Only three other WTA players have racked up more Grand Slam main draws before winning their first title. On Saturday, Keys tied Caroline Wozniacki for making the most Australian Open main-draw singles appearances before lifting the trophy.

Keys's Australian Open run included five wins over seeded opponents, four of them in the WTA's Top 10 entering the tournament. Plus, with five three-set victories, Keys tied the record for the most three-set wins at any of the four Grand Slams.

However, none of those records compare with winning her first major.

"I’ve wanted this for so long," Keys said holding her trophy during the post-match ceremony.

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Keys' championship was years in the making

Keys burst onto the pro scene on her 14th birthday back in 2009, and has been a Top 20 mainstay for most of the last decade.

The US star has appeared in at least the quarterfinal round of all four majors multiple times. However, she had only one Grand Slam final under her belt prior to this weekend's championship match — a 2017 US Open loss to Sloane Stephens.

Ultimately, it took relinquishing her desperation to win a Slam to actually snag that elusive trophy.

"I've done a lot of work to no longer need [winning a Grand Slam]," Keys explained after her win. "I really wanted it, but it's no longer the thing that was going to define me, and kind of letting go of that burden, I finally gave myself the ability to play for it."

Slam win returns Keys to the WTA's Top 10

The WTA updated their rankings early Monday, with Keys's breakthrough performance boosting her to No. 7 — her first Top 10 slot since January 2023. The new rank also ties her career-high, with Keys first peaking at No. 7 in October 2016.

Keys's rise also solidifies the US as arguably the nation most flush with the sport's top talent. The US now boasts four players in the Top 10, with Keys joining No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 6 Jessica Pegula, and No. 9 Emma Navarro. No other nation has more than one athlete in that elite tier.

That said, the WTA's best stayed put in Monday's rankings. Despite their Australian Open losses, all four top seeds — Sabalenka, Świątek, Gauff, and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini — retained their top spots.