The 2022 NWSL College Draft is on Saturday, with the NWSL announcing on Tuesday the full list of players available to be drafted.

As expected, Florida State midfielder Jaelin Howell has declared for the NWSL College Draft and will likely be selected first overall by San Diego, sources told Just Women’s Sports.

Others included on the list are Naomi Girma from Stanford and Penelope Hocking from Southern California, Just Women’s Sports’ projected second and third picks in the draft.

The 2022 NWSL Draft presented by Ally will stream live on Paramount+, the CBS Sports HQ Twitch channel and on the CBS Sports HQ and NWSL YouTube channels. CBS Sports HQ will also stream the draft from 2-4 PM, ET. Both drafts will stream internationally outside the U.S. on the NWSL’s Twitch channel.

Final list of players registered for the 2022 NWSL Draft, in alphabetical order:

Last Name	First Name	School/University	Position(s) Played	Hometown	Youth Club	Citizenship
Adams	Haileigh	University of Colorado – Boulder	Defender	Pasadena, California	Golden State	United States
Adams	Leslie	Siena College	Goalkeeper	Collegeville, PA	Reading Rage	United States
Alexander	Tinaya	Louisiana State University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Reading, England	Arsenal Women Youth Academy	United Kingdom
Anderson	Taylor	University of Richmond	Midfielder	Peachtree Corners, Georgia	Concorde Fire	United States
Arthurs	Carli	Stephen F. Austin State University	Forward, Defender	Lewisville, Texas	Solar Soccer Club	United States
Aviza	Shannon	St. John’s University	Midfielder, Defender	Medway, Massachusetts	Boston Breakers	United States
Bardes	Erica	Central Connecticut State University	Midfielder, Defender	Montvale, New Jersey	World Class FC	United States
Bass	Jasmine	New Jersey City University	Forward, Midfielder	Middletown, New York	TOWS (Town of Walkill Soccer Club)	United States
Beckman	Natalie	University of Denver	Forward, Midfielder	Aurora, Colorado	Colorado Rapids (Colorado Storm)	United States
Beletic	Isabella	University of Incarnate Word	Midfielder, Defender	Corpus Christi, Texas	Classics Elite / Athenians	United States
Belisle	Mollie	University of Georgia	Forward	Atlanta, Georgia	Concorde Fire	United States
Bennett	Elysa	Washington State University	Forward	De Pere, Wisconsin	FC Wisconsin Eclipse (ECNL)	United States
Bentick	Aysha	University of Louisiana – Monroe	Midfielder, Defender	London, England	Millwall Lionesses	United Kingdom
Berry	Olivia	Benedictine College	Goalkeeper	Cedar Hill, Missouri	WC St. Louis	United States
Bike	Jenna	Boston College	Forward	Trumbull, Connecticut	Connecticut Football Club	United States
Bloomer	Jordyn	University of Wisconsin – Madison	Goalkeeper	Hartland, Wisconsin	FC Wisconsin	United States
Bostard	Haley	Grand Canyon University	Midfielder, Defender	Discovery Bay, California	West Coast Wild	United States
Bova	Marisa	Purdue University	Goalkeeper	Hartland, Wisconsin	SC Waukesha (SC Wave)	United States
Breslin	Hope	University of Illinois	Forward, Mifielder	Massapequa, New York	East Meadow Soccer Club	United States
Briede	Belle	Stanford University	Forward, Midfielder	Alpharetta, Georgia	Tophat Soccer Club	United States
Brown	Ryanne	Wake Forest University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Indianapolis, Indiana	Indiana Fire	United States
Brummett	Gabi	University of Portland	Forward, Midfielder	Bow, New Hampshire	FC Stars of Massachusetts	United States
Bruster	Kayla	University of Georgia	Defender	Smyrna, Georgia	Tophat Soccer Club	United States
Caffey	Tiana	Louisiana State University	Midfielder, Defender	Port St. Lucie, Florida	Space Coast United	United States
Cahalan	Claire	University of Toledo	Forward, Mifielder	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Michigan Hawks	United States
Camberos	Scarlett	University of California – Irvine	Forward, Midfielder	Chula Vista, California	Albion Soccer Club	United States/Mexico
Campbell	Raenah	Drexel University	Forward	Skaneateles, New York	Syracuse Developmental Academy	United States
Canales	Marley	University of California – Los Angeles	Midfielder	San Diego, California	San Diego Surf	United States
Cardozo	Ashley	Utah State University	Forward, Midfielder	Salt Lake City, Utah	La Roca	United States
Cavanaugh	Meghan	University of South Florida	Forward, Midfielder	Clifton Park, New York	New York Elite FC	United States
Chang	Lauren	University of South Carolina	Midfielder	Alpharetta, Georgia	Tophat Soccer Club	United States
Cherry	Mackenzie	Coastal Carolina University	Midfielder, Defender	Canton, Georgia	Atlanta Concorde Fire ECNL	United States
Cleverley	Daisy	Georgetown University	Midfielder	Auckland, New Zealand	Western Springs Club AFC	New Zealand
Coleman	Gabriella	Oklahoma State University	Forward	Keller, Texas	D’Feeters Soccer Club/ DKSC	United States
Cook	Ava	Michigan State University	Forward	Battle Creek, Michigan	Midwest United – Kalamazoo	United States
Correa De Oliveira	Julia	Chicago State University	Forward, Midfielder	Canoas, Brazil	EC Pelotas Phoenix	Brazil
Cosme	Caitlin	Duke University	Defender	New Hyde Park, New York	Albertson Fury 98	United States
Cowart	Jessika	University of Washington	Midfielder, Defender	Redwood City, California	Palo Alto Soccer Club	United States
Cummings	Sydney	Georgetown University	Defender	Millstone Township, New Jersey	FC Copa Academy	United States
Curran	Chardonnay	University of Oregon	Midfielder, Defender	Ewa Beach, Hawaii	Hawaii Rush	United States
DeMarco	Giovanna	Wake Forest University	Midfielder	Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania	Match Fit Academy	United States
DeMelo	Savannah	University of Southern California	Forward, Midfielder	Bellflower, California	Beach Futbol Club	United States
Dennis	Chyanne	University of South Florida	Midfielder, Defender	Sunrise, Florida	Orlando City ECNL	United States/Jamaica
DePriest	Peyton	Middle Tennessee State University	Forward, Midfielder	Franklin, Tennessee	Tennessee Soccer Club	United States
Dickey	Claudia	University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill	Goalkeeper	Charlotte, North Carolina	Charlotte Soccer Academy	United States
Dierickx	Natalie	Western Washington University	Goalkeeper	Kirkland, Washington	Crossfire Premier FC	United States
DiGenova	Marissa	Temple University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	King of Prussia, Pennsylvania	FC Delco	United States
Diwura Soale	Wasila	Louisiana State University	Midfielder	Accra, Ghana	Hasaacas Ladies FC	Ghana
Doyle	Darby	Western Washington University	Midfielder	Spokane, Washington	Spokane Shadow G98	United States
Doyle	Julie	Santa Clara University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Newport Beach, California	San Diego Surf Soccer Club	United States
Edwards	Hannah	Grand Canyon University	Defender	Aurora, Colorado	Colorado Storm ECNL	United States
Elwell	Madison	Vanderbilt University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Ambler, Pennsylvania	YMS Xplosion	United States
Enciso	Sabrina	University of Arizona	Defender	Moreno Valley, California	SoCal Blues	United States
Fishel	Mia	University of California – Los Angeles	Forward, Midfielder	San DIego, California	San Diego Surf SC	United States
Fisher	Samantha	University of Notre Dame	Forward, Midfielder	Simi Valley, California	Real So Cal	United States
Fregulia	Kaitlin	Cal State University – Long Beach	Forward, Defender	Torrance, California	Beach Futbol Club	United States
Frerker	Andrea	Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville	Midfielder, Defender	Maryville, Illinois	Loufusz Soccer Club	United States
Gareis	Ryan	University of South Carolina	Forward	Naperville, Illinois	Sockers FC Chicago ECNL	United States
Gee	Tatum	Princeton University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Long Beach, California	Beach Futbol Club	United States
Girma	Naomi	Stanford University	Defender	San Jose, California	N/A	United States
Golob	Lana	Virgina Commonwealth University	Defender	Recica ob Paki, Slovenia	ŽNK Nona Pomurje	Slovenia
Grant	Jazmin	University of Houston	Forward, Midfielder	Atascocita , Texas	Texas Rush	United States
Gray	Emily	Virginia Tech University	Midfielder	Sewell, New Jersey	Penn Fusion Soccer Academy	United States
Green	Deanna	University of South Alabama	Midfielder, Defender	Madison, Mississippi	Mississippi Rush	United States
Griffith	Sarah	Purdue University	Forward, Midfielder	Naperville, Illinois	Team Chicago	United States
Grosso	Julia	University of Kentucky	Midfielder, Defender	Sunrise, Florida	Sunrise Sting	United States
Guion	Renee	Clemson University	Defender	Simpsonville, South Carolina	Carolina Elite Soccer Academy	United States
Halvorsen	Kaile	Santa Clara University	Forward, Midfielder	Honolulu, Hawaii	Surf Hawaii	United States
Hancuff	Hensley	Clemson University	Goalkeeper	Edmond, Oklahoma	Orlando Pride DA Club	United States
Hand	Jacqueline	Colorado College	Forward, Midfielder	Auckland, New Zealand	Auckland Football Federation	New Zealand
Hansen	Taylor	University of Montana	Defender	Cardiff by the Sea, California	San Diego Surf Soccer Club	United States
Harber	Jojo	Stanford University	Forward, Defender	Bellevue, Washington	Eastside FC/Crossfire ECNL	United States
Harding	Audrey	University of North Carolina – Wilmington	Forward, Midfielder	Akron, Ohio	Ohio Premier	United States
Harkleroad	Emma	University of South Dakota	Goalkeeper	Geneva, Illinois	Strikers Fox Valley	United States
Harr	Jordie	Texas Tech University	Forward, Midfielder	Sachse, Texas	Sting Soccer	United States
Harriot	Madiya	Vanderbilt University	Midfielder, Defender	Davie, Florida	Sunrise Sting	United States
Harris	Tiana	Kent State University	Defender	Whitby, Canada	FC Durham Academy	Canada
Heckman	Isabel	Murray State University	Defender	Powder Springs, Georgia	Southern Soccer Academy	United States
Hopcroft	Shanade	University of Colorado – Boulder	Forward, Midfielder	Aylesbury, England	Middlesex U17’s	United Kingdom
Howell	Jaelin	Florida State University	Midfielder	Lone Tree, Colorado	Real Colorado	United States
Hussen	Ameera	University of Washington	Forward, Midfielder	Federal Way, Washington	Crossfire Premier FC	United States
Hylton-Pelaia	Jayda	Arizona State University	Defender	Brampton, Ontario	Woodbridge Soccer Club	Canada
Ikeda	Angelique	Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville	Midfielder, Defender	Saint Charles, Missouri	Loufusz Soccer Club	United States
Irwin	Jamie	University of New Hampshire	Defender	Roxbury, New Jersey	STA Morris United	United States
Jacobs	Karen	San Bernardino Valley College	Forward	Redlands, California	Pateadores Soccer Club	United States
Jacobsen	Eden	University of Utah	Midfielder	North Salt Lake, Utah	La Roca	United States
Kajan	Zsanett	St. John’s University	Forward, Midfielder	Budapest, Hungary	Ferencvarosi Torna Club	Hungary
Kearse-Thomas	Olivia	Arizona State University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Phoenix, Arizona	Del Sol	United States
Kelley-Lusk	Hannah	West Texas A&M University	Forward	Farmington, New Mexico	N/A	United States
Killman	Jenna	Western Washington University	Forward, Midfielder	Olympia, Washington	Washington Premier FC	United States
Kirton	Alexa	University of New Mexico	Midfielder	Sammamish, Washington	Eastside FC	United States
Knox	Alexus	Georgia State University	Defender	Powder Springs, Georgia	BUSA ECNL	United States
Kowalski	Amanda	Butler University	Midfielder, Defender	Arlington Heights, Illinois	Eclipse Select Soccer Club	United States
Kouzelos	Gabrielle	University of Louisville	Goalkeeper	Wadsworth, Ohio	Internationals Soccer Club	United States
Kuehn	Athena	Lousiana State University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Colorado Springs, Colorado	Colorado Pride Predators	United States/Germany
LaMacchia	Elaina	University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee	Forward, Midfielder, Defender, Goalkeeper	Mequon, Wisconsin	SC Waukesha	United States
Lampe	Brooke	University of North Texas	Forward, Midfielder, Defender, Goalkeeper	Mansfield, Texas	Solar Chelsea ZuaZua	United States
Laurendeau	Marika	The College of Saint Rose	Goalkeeper	Sainte-Julie, Canada	CS Longueuil	Canada
Layne	Emerson	Loveland High School	Forward, Midfielder	Fort Collins, Colorao	Real Colorado	United States
Leal	Amanda	Cal State University – Stanislaus	Goalkeeper	Mountain House, California	West Coast Soccer Club	United States
Lee	Shannon Claire	George Mason University	Defender	Haymarket, Virginia	McLean ECNL	United States
Lewis	Sofia	Minot State University	Forward, Midfielder	Minot, North Dakota	Minot Soccer Association	United States
Livingstone	Kelly Ann	Georgetown University	Midfielder, Defender	Glen Ridge, New Jersey	Match Fit Academy	United States
Loughman	Raleigh	University of Michigan	Midfielder	San Diego, California	MVLA Soccer Club	United States/Argentina
Lucci	Carolina	Chowan University	Forward	Monaca, Pennsylvania	North United	United States
Lundgren	Jenna	Western Illinois University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Elmhurst, Illinois	Oak Brook Soccer Club, Eclipse	United States
Martin	Molly	University of Mississippi	Forward, Midfielder	Memphis, Tennessee	Memphis Lobos/BUSA	United States
Mayer	Anna	Missouri Western State University	Goalkeeper	Duluth, Minnesota	East Select Soccer	United States
McCarthy	Robyn	Cal State University – Fresno	Midfielder, Defender	Brentwood, California	West Coast Soccer Club	United States
McClure	Megan	Arkansas State University	Goalkeeper	Webster Groves, Missouri	St. Louis Scott Gallagher (ECNL) and United Women’s Soccer (UWS)	United States
McLaughlin	Christine	Christendom College	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Fauquier, Virginia	Virginia Soccer Association	United States
McManus	Mikenna	Northeastern University	Defender	Lake Forest, California	West Coast Futbol Club	United States
McMillan	Caylon	Stephen F. Austin State University	Midfielder	Forney, Texas	FC Dallas 98G ECNL	United States
McNally	Natalie	Western Carolina University	Defender	Grayslake, Illinois	Greater Libertyville Soccer Association	United States
McNulty	Hannah	Providence College	Forward	Warwick, Rhode Island	Bayside FC	United States
Medina	Jodi	Alabama A&M University	Goalkeeper	Coral Springs, Florida	Coral Springs United FC	United States
Menta	Jenna	Wake Forest University	Forward, Midfielder	Somers, New York	New York Soccer Club	United States
Miagkova	Alina	Syracuse University	Defender	Lipetsk, Russia	Lokomotiv Moscow	Russia
Mitchell	Alexis	University of South Dakota	Midfielder	Lee’s Summit, Missouri	Sporting Blue Valley ECNL	United States
Morgan	Charmé	Oklahoma State University	Midfielder, Defender	Frisco, Texas	Dallas Texans	United States
Moser	Louisa	George Mason University	Forward, Goalkeeper	Fairfax, Virginia	SC Freiburg	Germany
Murnin	Madison	University of Central Florida	Midfielder, Defender	Jacksonville, Florida	Jacksonville FC	United States
Myers	Erica	University of Tennessee – Martin	Goalkeeper	Holland, Ohio	Metro FC Toledo	United States
Nabet	Lily	Duke University	Midfielder	Los Angeles, California	Real So Cal	United States
Nasello	Sydny	University of South Florida	Defender	Millstone Township, New Jersey	FC Copa Academy	United States
Ochoa Rodriguez	Paola	Missouri Valley College	Forward, Midfielder	Sioux City, Iowa	South Sioux Soccer	United States
Ordoñez	Diana	University of Virginia	Forward	Prosper, Texas	FC Dallas	United States
Palacios	Randi	Liberty University	Goalkeeper	Ashburn, Virginia	Football Club of Virginia	United States
Pantaleao	Ermelinda	University of Louisiana – Monroe	Defender	Belo Horizonte, Brazil	N/A	Brazil
Pedroza	Siera	Hope International University	Forward, Midfielder, Goalkeeper	Tustin, California	Wolfpack	United States
Perez	Maia	University of Hartford	Goalkeeper	Kentwood, Michigan	Midwest United  FC Women	United States
Peters	Sarah	University of Kansas	Goalkeeper	Lee’s Summit, Missouri	Sporting DA	United States
Peterson	Karstyn	Utah State University	Forward, Defender	West Haven, Utah	La Roca	United States
Philpotts	Rachel	University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee	Midfielder, Defender	Linden, Michigan	Nationals Soccer Club	United States
Potts	Nicola	Ball State University	Forward, Midfielder	Nuneaton, England	Aston Villa Women	United Kingdom
Proulx	Lysianne	Syracuse University	Goalkeeper	Boucherville, Canada	AS Varennes	Canada
Provenzano	Gabby	Rutgers University	Midfielder, Defender	Sergeantsville, New Jersey	Players Development Academy	United States
Pulver	Sydney	Washington State University	Midfielder, Defender	Parker, Colorado	Real Colorado	United States
Pursey	Valentine	Western Carolina University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Ticehurst, England	Brighton and Hove Albion	United Kingdom
Rabot	Iris	James Madison University	Midfielder	Lyon, France	Olympique Lyonnais	France
Reiss de Araujo	Thais	University of North Florida	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Jacksonville, Florida	U-17/U-20 Brazilian National Team	Brazil
Reyes	Calista	Pepperdine University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Las Vegas, Nevada	Eagles Soccer Club	United States
Ries	Taryn	University of Portland	Forward	Ridgefield, Washington	FC Portland	United States
Ritchie-Williams	Chiara	Louisiana State University	Midfielder, Defender	London, England	Arsenal Women’s Football Club	United Kingdom
Rockwell	Jenna	University of the Cumberlands	Defener	London, Kentucky	Lexington FC	United States
Rodriguez	Izzy	Ohio State University	Midfielder, Defender	Canton, Michigan	Michigan Hawks	United States
Roelfsema	Mijke	Rice University	Midfielder, Defender	Schoonhoven, Netherlands	ADO Den Haag	Netherlands
Ross	Julianne	Northeastern University	Defender	Cumberland, Rhode Island	Boston Breakers/NEFC	United States
Salvador	Romane	California Baptist University	Goalkeeper	Lyon, France	Paris Saint-Germain PSG	France
Santos	Ashley	Illinois State University	Midfielder, Defender	Naperville, Illinois	Team Chicago Academy	United States
Sapp	Mercedes	University of North Florida	Goalkeeper	Orlando, Florida	Orlando City Elite	United States
Schill	MacKenzie	University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee	Forward, Midfielder	Pewaukee, Wisconsin	SC Wave	United States
Schimmer	Marleen	Grand Canyon University	Forward, Midfielder	Mainz, Germany	TSV Schott Mainz	Germany
Sever	Jelena	University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee	Forward, Midfielder	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	United Serbians Soccer Club	United States
Shepherd	Lucy	Hofstra University	Forward	Worcester, England	Aston Villa Women	United Kingdom
Silva Santos	Ana Paula	WIlliam Carey University	Midfielder	Sao Paulo, Brazil	N/A	Brazil
Skiba	Bridgette	Oregon State University	Goalkeeper	Portland, Oregon	Westside Timbers	United States
Sodoma	Sarah	Arkansas State University	Midfielder, Defender	St. Louis, Missouri	Lou Fusz Soccer Club	United States
Stackpole	Haleigh	University of Mississippi	Forward, Midfielder	Bowling Green, Kentucky	NC Courage Academy	United States
Stauffer	Annie	Transylvania University	Midfielder, Defender	Owensboro, Kentucky	Indy Fire Juniors ECNL	United States
Steigleder	Regan	Northwestern University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Iowa City, Iowa	Michigan Hawks	United States
Steinwascher	Cecelia	Grand Valley State University	Midfielder, Defender	Sterling Heights, Michigan	N/A	United States
Stephan	Dani	Michigan State University	Midfielder, Defender	DeWitt, Michigan	Michigan Hawks	United States
Stevenson	Erin	University of Maryland – Baltimore County	Midfielder, Defender	Sellersville, Pennsylvania	FC Bucks	United States
Suarez Quevedo	Sara	Chicago State University	Forward, Midfielder	Las Palmas, Spain	Union Viera	Spain
Talbot	Madeline	Stephen F. Austin State University	Goalkeeper	Shreveport, Louisiana	Shreveport United	United States
Talley	Jada	University of Southern California	Forward	Corona, California	So Cal Blues	United States
Taylor	Miriael	Hofstra University	Forward, Midfielder, Defender	Kent, England	Chelsea Women, Arsenal Women	United Kingdom
Thomas	Haley	Boston College	Midfielder, Defender	Kennewick, Washington	Three Rivers Soccer Club	United States
Thompson	Jordan	Gonzaga University	Defender	Sumner, Washington	Washington Premier FC	United States
Thompson	Kayla	Brown University	Goalkeeper	Austin, Texas	Lonestar Soccer Club	United States
Thron	Julietta	Northwestern University	Midfielder, Defender	Caldwell, New Jersey	Matchfit FC	United States
Tripp	Amber	Utah Valley University	Forward, Midfielder	Draper, Utah	Utah Avalanche	United States
Van der Jagt	Olivia	University of Washington	Midfielder	Kent, Washington	Eastside FC	United States
Villagrana	Yossimar	Butler Community College	Midfielder	Wichita, Kansas	Wichita Kansas Rush	United States
Walker	Ellie	University of Portland	Defender	Vancouver, Washington	FC Portland	United States
Wandt	Jennifer	Baylor University	Goalkeeper	Brookfield, Wisconsin	FC Wisconsin	United States
Weaver	Camille	Colorado College	Midfielder, Defender	Bend, Oregon	Bend FC Timbers	United States
Wegener	Emory	University of Georgia	Goalkeeper	Alpharetta, Georgia	Atlanta Fire United	United States
West	Alex	University of Vermont	Midfielder, Defender	New York, New York	Albertson Fury	United States
Westin	Emma	University of California – Berkeley	Forward, Midfielder	Stockholm, Sweden	Boo FF Sweden	Sweden
Whitmore	Lindsey	Southern Methodist University	Forward, Midfielder	Henderson, Nevada	Heat FC	United States
Winebrenner	Jenna	Texas Christian University	Defender	Kansas City, Missouri	Futura FC	United States
Wiseman	Ebony	James Madison University	Midfielder	King’s Lynn, England	Norwich City FC	United Kingdom
Wolfbauer	Madison	Bowling Green State University	Forward, Midfielder	Canton, Michigan	Michigan Hawks	United States
Zamiela	Chloe	University of South Florida	Forward, Defender	Stuart, Florida	Sunrise SC	United States
Zerva	Theoni	University of Louisiana – Monroe	Midfielder, Defender	Kalamata, Greece	PAOK	Greece
Zullo	Luciana	University of South Carolina	Forward, Midfielder	Flemington, New Jersey	PDA	United States
Zuniga	Jenna	Cal State University – Stanislaus	Midfielder, Defender	Manteca, California	Davis Legacy	United States

The 2025 WNBA season was one for the record books, defined by the departure of legends, the rise of a new generation of game-changers, and a massive surge in popularity.

From historic on-court milestones to significant shifts in the business landscape, the year delivered a continuous stream of headlines that invariably reshaped the future of the league.

The season tipped off with the retirement of all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi, who capped a storied 20-year career spanning three championships and six Olympic gold medals. And as icons exited, new stars filled the void, with eventual 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers setting a new rookie scoring record, while A’ja Wilson’s historic MVP run saw her become the first-ever player to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game.

Off the court, the central theme was explosive growth. 2025 expansion side Golden State shattered attendance records, while the league moved aggressively toward its 18-team goal by awarding new franchises to three cities, with Portland and Toronto already on board for 2026.

And despite navigating hurdles — including Fever superstar Caitlin Clark’s season-ending injury and increasingly heated CBA negotiations — the WNBA concluded the year with record-breaking viewership and a landmark $2.2 billion media deal.

Here are the 10 biggest moments that defined a historic season for the WNBA.

1. WNBA icon Diana Taurasi retires from pro basketball

After 20 seasons in the WNBA, Diana Taurasi officially announced her retirement from professional basketball on February 25th, with the Phoenix Mercury legend exiting as the league’s all-time leading scorer since 2017.

Taurasi’s resume includes three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, 2014), six Olympic gold medals, and 11 All-Star selections, as the Mercury immortalized Taurasi’s impact with the team’s new $100 million training facility, which features two practice courts named in her honor.

Other 2025 retirements include two-time WNBA MVP and seven-time All-Star Elena Delle Donne, known for leading the Washington Mystics to their first-ever WNBA championship in 2019, and four-time WNBA 3-Point Contest champion Allie Quigley, who won a WNBA title with the Chicago Sky in 2021.

2. WNBA announces expansion to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia

On June 30th, the WNBA awarded new franchises to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, making good on a promise to grow the league to 18 teams by 2030 with Cleveland set to tip off in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030.

The move highlighted the league’s soaring valuation, with each city’s ownership group paying a record $250 million fee — a massive jump from previous team buy-ins.

While Philadelphia prepares to welcome its first-ever WNBA team, pro women’s basketball is officially returning to Cleveland and Detroit, former homes of the Rockers and the three-time champion Shock.

3. Season-ending injury sidelines Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark

Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark’s sophomore season was cut short after she suffered a significant groin injury on July 15th. The injury — compounded by an August ankle sprain — limited the 2024 Rookie of the Year to just 13 games in 2025, and saw her officially ruled out for the remainder of the season in early September.

By mid-December, however, Clark reported she was back to “100% healthy” during a press conference at Team USA training camp in Durham, North Carolina.

4. Players take a stand ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game

This year’s All-Stars transformed the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis into a platform for labor advocacy, wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Pay Us What You Owe Us” during July 19th warm-ups. Organized by the WNBPA, the statement highlighted the friction between players and the league as CBA negotiations loomed.

The sentiment was echoed by fans, who chanted “Pay them!” while commissioner Cathy Engelbert presented the All-Star MVP trophy to Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier after Team Collier’s 151-131 blowout win over Team Clark.

5. Aces star A’ja Wilson’s 30/20 game makes WNBA history

On August 10th, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson became the first-ever WNBA player to register 30+ points and 20 rebounds in a single game.

The eventual 2025 MVP capped the Aces’ 94-86 victory over the Connecticut Sun with 32 points, 20 rebounds, and five assists, solidifying Wilson’s status as the league’s premier dominant force and served as a cornerstone performance in yet another winning season.

6. Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers drops 44 points on LA

On August 20th, Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers delivered a landmark performance, dropping 44 points in a narrow 81-80 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks to tie Cynthia Cooper’s single-game rookie scoring record, set in 1997 — four years before Bueckers was born.

The eventual 2025 Rookie of the Year made even more history that night, becoming the first-ever player to record more than 40 points while shooting 80% from the field, finishing the night 17-of-21 from the floor.

7. Golden State Valkyries shatter WNBA attendance records

In their inaugural season, the Golden State Valkyries shattered WNBA attendance records, selling out all 22 home games at the Chase Center while averaging 18,064 per game for a total of 397,408 — far eclipsing the 2024 Indiana Fever’s previous high point.

On the court, the Valkyries made even more of a mark by becoming the first WNBA expansion team to qualify for the postseason in their debut year, finishing the regular season on a 23-19 record.

8. Napheesa Collier puts WNBA leadership on blast

During her October 1st exit interview, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier delivered a blistering critique of WNBA leadership, calling the league office “negligent” and the “worst in the world” while citing several systemic issues like inconsistent officiating, ignored compensation demands, and overworked players.

Collier specifically called out commissioner Cathy Engelbert, alleging a lack of accountability and detailing Engelbert’s unpopular management style, with Engelbert later responding by saying she was “disheartened” by the characterization but remained committed to the players.

9. Las Vegas Aces win the 2025 WNBA Championship

On October 10th, the Las Vegas Aces secured their third league title in four years by sweeping the Phoenix Mercury 4-0 in the 2025 WNBA Finals, confirming Las Vegas as a modern-day WNBA dynasty under coach Becky Hammon.

The clinching 97-86 victory also saw A’ja Wilson earn Finals MVP honors, with the star forward making history as the first player to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season.

10. WNBA blows past season-long viewership records

2025 went down as the most-watched in WNBA history, with ESPN networks averaging 1.3 million viewers per game for a 6% year-over-year increase in regular-season viewership.

May 17th’s matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever topped the regular-season returns with a record-2.7 million viewers. Later, Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals drew 1.9 million viewers — the most-watched Finals opener in 28 years. And the Las Vegas Aces’ championship-winning sweep subsequently averaged 1.5 million viewers, becoming the second-most watched Finals behind 2024.

The gains also hit ancillary shows, with ESPN’s WNBA Countdown averaging 437,000 viewers through the playoffs — up 30% year-over-year. Hoop Streams and The Wrap-Up also saw a 60% boost across eight postseason episodes.

And the dividends are already paying off. The WNBA is set to embark on an 11-year, $2.2 billion media deal promising $200 million per year in returns.

US skiing icon Lindsey Vonn is officially back, clinching her spot on Team USA's 2026 Winter Olympics roster this week behind stellar recent performances on the sport's World Cup tour.

The 41-year-old made headlines two weekends ago when she became the oldest Alpine Ski World Cup winner since the circuit's 1967 inception, taking first in the downhill race in St. Moritz, Switzerland on December 12th — her 83rd World Cup victory.

"Every single thing that I could do to be faster, I did," said Vonn after winning the downhill event. "And now, now this is what happens. You get the reward."

Vonn is continuing to rack up the rewards, claiming podium finishes in four of the five total races she's competed in so far this season, earning another second-place downhill finish in St. Moritz before taking third in both downhill and the Super G in Val-d'Isère, France, last weekend.

As for her fifth World Cup race, Vonn clocked in at a still-impressive fourth.

"Four podiums in five races, I couldn't really be any happier," the Olympic gold medalist said in response.

Those finishes have the US ski legend sitting at No. 1 in the World Cup downhill standings and No. 3 in the Super-G — with her downhill ranking putting her far enough ahead to guarantee Vonn one of the four Team USA roster spots at the 2026 Olympics.

"Lindsey qualifying for the 2026 Olympic team is a testament to her resilience and dedication," said US Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt, confirming Vonn's Team USA qualification in a Tuesday statement. "She's proven once again that elite performance isn't just about past success, it's about rising to the moment, race after race."

Success spurs Vonn to extend final competitive season

Returning to competitive skiing in November 2024 following her retirement in February 2019, Vonn spent part of her five-year hiatus undergoing and recovering from a titanium knee replacement that ultimately returned her to the slopes.

Though Vonn previously planned to retire immediately after February's Winter Games in Cortina, Italy, she's now setting her sights on completing the World Cup circuit in March — though that will officially be the end of the road for the US icon.

"I feel like I'm rolling the dice enough as it is, being 41 and putting myself through this," Vonn told The Athletic. "So this is a one-season, final season."

That said, she'll look to add to her trio of Olympic medals before hanging up her competitive skis.

"For Cortina, things are looking pretty f—ing awesome."

The No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks are calling in roster reinforcements, announcing Monday that French forward Alicia Tournebize will join the NCAA basketball team after the holidays.

"Alicia has an incredible skill set and basketball IQ," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said in a news release. "She has great touch around the rim, can shoot it out to the 3-point line and is a shot blocker."

While they've only dropped one game so far this season, the Gamecocks' roster has been running thin due to injuries — including losing star forward Chloe Kitts to a season-ending ACL injury in October.

With the continued absence of forward Ashlyn Watkins, who is out this season as she continues to rehab a January ACL tear, South Carolina has suffered additional temporary roster losses this month as injuries forced forward Madina Okot and guard Agot Makeer into concussion protocol.

Though Okot, who is currently averaging a double-double, returned to play last Thursday, Makeer remains out, as the Gamecocks and their traditionally deep bench continue a 2025/26 campaign that's seen just three games played with a healthy 10-player roster.

The midseason signing of Tournebize will add both depth and height to bolster South Carolina, as the 6-foot-7 freshman rivals Chicago Sky forward Kamilla Cardoso as one of Staley's tallest-ever players.

The 18-year-old daughter of French basketball Hall of Famer Isabelle Fijalkowski — one of the inaugural WNBA players for the Cleveland Rockers — is already making a name for herself in Europe, leading the France's youth squad in both scoring and rebounding as they claimed bronze at last summer's 2025 FIBA U18 EuroBasket.

Tournebize also packs professional experience, coming to Columbia from French club Tango Bourges Basket.

The young star will likely make her NCAA debut as South Carolina kicks off SEC conference play in early 2026.

Monday's AP Top 25 Poll featured few dramatics, as the Week 8 tally reflected another consistent slate from the 2025/26 NCAA basketball elite with only one shift in the Top 10 and marginal movement at the bottom.

Undefeated TCU keeps making gains, rising one spot to tie Oklahoma at No. 8 after taking down Big 12 foe Kansas State 77-55 behind senior guard Olivia Miles's 29-point performance on Saturday.

On the other hand, a 90-64 loss to No. 1 UConn on Saturday saw Iowa skid three spots, with the now-No. 14 Hawkeyes falling to a 1-2 record against ranked opponents this season.

Outside the relatively stationary Top 10, some blue chip programs are threatening to exit the AP Poll entirely after dropping ranked games last weekend.

Baylor experienced the greatest slide, dropping seven spots to No. 22 after falling 61-60 to Big 12 rival and rankings newcomer No. 21 Texas Tech on Sunday — the Bears' third loss in their season's four ranked games so far.

Tennessee saw a similar dip, plummeting six spots to No. 23 after losing to a surging No. 13 Louisville 89-65 on Saturday.

How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week

The ranked action returns on Sunday, as No. 4 UCLA visits No. 19 Ohio State at 2 PM ET, live on the Big Ten Network.

2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 8

1. UConn (12-0, Big East)
2. Texas (14-0, SEC)
3. South Carolina (12-1, SEC)
4. UCLA (11-1, Big Ten)
5. LSU (13-0, SEC)
6. Michigan (10-1, Big Ten)
7. Maryland (13-0, Big Ten)
T8. TCU (13-0, Big 12)
T8. Oklahoma (12-1, SEC)
10. Iowa State (13-0, Big 12)
11. Kentucky (12-1, SEC)
12. Vanderbilt (12-0, SEC)
13. Louisville (12-3, ACC)
14. Iowa (10-2, Big Ten)
15. Ole Miss (12-2, SEC)
16. UNC (11-3, ACC)
17. USC (9-3, Big Ten)
18. Notre Dame (9-2, ACC)
19. Ohio State (11-1, Big Ten)
20. Nebraska (12-0, Big Ten)
21. Texas Tech (14-0, Big 12)
22. Baylor (11-3, Big 12)
23. Tennessee (8-3, SEC)
24. Michigan State (11-1, Big Ten)
25. Princeton (12-1, Ivy)