It’s rare for any NWSL team to come out of draft day without improving, but the questions following the chaos remain the same: Who got better immediately, who opted for slow, high-value growth, and who took too many risks?

Drafts are best analyzed at least a year after they occur, and hindsight is 20/20. But with one of the strongest draft classes in years, each team carved out a path for the 2023 season. Armed with picks, trades and team quotes, let’s evaluate how they did.

Big winners

Kansas City Current – A

• No. 2 Michelle Cooper, F; No. 10 Alexa Spaanstra, F; No. 15 Gabby Robinson, D; No. 18 Jordan Silkowitz, GK; No. 35 Mykiaa Minniss, D; No. 38 Ella Shamburger, D; No. 42 Rylan Childers, M; No. 47 Ashley Orkus, GK
• Traded forward Lynn Williams to Gotham FC for the No. 2 overall pick

In both volume and impact, the Current cleaned up. Kansas City made a steep choice in sending Williams to Gotham to pick up Michelle Cooper, but general manager Cami Levin Ashton and head coach Matt Potter were adamant that they wanted Cooper as their cornerstone going forward.

Selecting Spaanstra at No. 10 was perhaps the team’s biggest steal. It was a bit of a surprise that she was still on the board at that point, and the winger is going to bring dynamism to the team’s wide attack. From there, the Current drafted solid players in positions of need, particularly at defense and goalkeeper. With eight total picks entering training camp, competition for contracts is going to be fierce in Kansas City in February.

Team says: “​​Michelle is somebody that we’ve obviously watched over the course of the last couple of years. And she’s somebody that we really wanted to be part of this organization. She’s an incredible talent and has showcased that at the collegiate level, and we’re very excited to have her with us in Kansas City.” — GM Cami Levin Ashton

Orlando Pride – A

• No. 3 Emily Madril, D; No. 21 Messiah Bright, F; No. 25 Tori Hansen, D; No. 39 Summer Yates, M; No. 41 Kristen Scott, F
• Traded the No. 24 and No. 34 picks to Washington Spirit for $75,000 in allocation money

The Pride made the right strategic pick at pretty much every point in the draft. Madril already has professional experience in Sweden and will be a crucial piece to Orlando’s backline rebuild. Messiah Bright is a fantastic pick-up at No. 21, since many (myself included) thought she’d be off the board by the middle of the second round.

Hansen and Yates were two other players projected to go higher than they ultimately landed. The Pride had the benefit of selecting not only the best players available, but also players at positions where they could use good, young talent. Yates is a little less proven against strong competition, and Hansen likely suffered positionally with few teams going all-in on defense, but both can make an impact in Orlando.

Team says: “[We gained] variety. We highlighted key players in key positions and you look at the picks that we got, they can come in and make an immediate impact to the team. I spoke about having a competitive environment in our training, and I think we have that in our draft picks.” — head coach Seb Hines

Welcome to #GothamFC, @lynnraenie!

We’ve acquired #USWNT forward Lynn Williams in exchange for the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 @NWSL draft. pic.twitter.com/bF8AFmNVUp

— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) January 12, 2023

Gotham FC – A-

• No. 4 Jenna Nighswonger, M; No. 44 Iliana Hocking, M
• Traded the No. 2 pick for forward Lynn Williams; traded forward Paige Monaghan, an international slot and $150,000 to Racing Louisville for the No. 4 pick; also traded the No. 13 pick to the San Diego Wave for $100,000

It almost feels like you have to take a deep breath before even coming close to analyzing Gotham’s furious amount of activity this offseason, but with the dust mostly settled, things are looking good in New Jersey. Williams should be back to full fitness, and the cost of selecting Nighswonger seems reasonable considering the talent Gotham has picked up in other trades. Nighswonger has the ability to be the creative playmaker in the attacking midfield that Gotham has long wanted.

The only questions remaining from Gotham’s draft day are mostly in the “what if” category. What if Gotham had held onto the No. 1 pick? What if they had selected Michelle Cooper at No. 2? How do young players fit into the team’s vision, with the choice of a proven forward in Williams over the potential of a rookie? We’ll see how it plays out over time, but for now general manager Yael Averbuch West should be proud of her work.

Team says: “All of today was the culmination of thousands of conversations, and every decision we made was not taken in a vacuum. It’s part of a holistic look at how we, from yesterday to now, become a significantly better team.” — GM Yael Averbuch West

Portland Thorns – A-

• No. 5 Reyna Reyes, D; No. 12 Izzy D’Aquila, F; No. 24 Lauren Debeau, F; No. 32 Lauren Kozal, GK
• Traded No. 36 pick and $20,000 to Houston for the No. 32 pick, as well as the No. 48 pick for Houston’s 2024 third-round pick and $10,000

The Thorns didn’t need much, and yet the players they picked up could have a lasting impact on the club. Reyes can play outside back as well as midfield, and D’Aquila is an excellent addition to the team’s attacking depth, especially with a number of players likely out for the World Cup this summer. The only question mark following the Thorns’ draft is what the long-term plan is at center back, but that’s simply now a position to watch for other moves.

Anytime Thorns goalkeeper coach and former Germany international Nadine Angerer selects a goalkeeper, you can feel good about that player not only having an impact in Portland but also on the league at large in a few years’ time. Angerer has developed a number of players who currently start at other NWSL clubs, and if she thinks Lauren Kozal has what it takes, expect big things.

Team says: “For us, we wanted to keep our group together. As you’ve seen we haven’t had too much turnover in the offseason, and we wanted to know where can we add to our roster to make us better” — GM Karina Leblanc

Houston Dash – A-

• No. 20 Sophie Hirst, M; No. 22 Jylissa Harris, D; No. 36 Lindsi Jennings, D; No. 48 Madelyn Desiano, D
• Traded the No. 8 pick, their 2024 first-round pick, an international slot and $100,000 to North Carolina for forward Diana Ordoñez; sent the No. 30 pick to Washington for the No. 32 pick and $30,000; sent the No. 32 pick to Portland for No. 36 and $20,000, and their 2024 third-round pick and $10,000 to the Thorns for the No. 48 pick.

The Dash benefited from player wishes and a North Carolina team in flux with their trade for Ordoñez, who set a rookie goal-scoring record last year with 11 goals. They will pay for the opportunity next year, trading out of the 2024 first round, but when a player of Ordoñez’s caliber becomes available, you jump at the chance to take her.

The Dash’s other picks fill positional needs, with Harvard product Hirst giving cover in the midfield and arguably the second-best center back on the board in Harris. Houston has to feel like they can get more out of the players they currently have while the additions give the whole team balance.

Team says: “One of the reasons to bring Ordoñez in was to get more out of María Sánchez, because she’s going to beat the player 1v1 on the dribble, she’s got an incredible delivery in the box, and one of the assessments that I had was that we need to get on the end of those deliveries.” — head coach Sam Laity

Perfectly good draft days

Chicago Red Stars – B+

• No. 7 Penelope Hocking, F; No. 14 Grace Yochum, M; No. 23 Allison Schlegel, F; No. 43 Sophie Jones, M
• Traded No. 19 to OL Reign for No. 23, an international spot, and a 2024 third round pick

This was a sneaky good draft from the Red Stars, a team where this year’s rookies will have the opportunity for a lot of playing time. Hocking was one of the best players still available at No. 7. The Penn State grad will be a good center-point to combine with Mallory Swanson up top and pick up attacking steam while the USWNT forward is away at the World Cup.

Fear of positional imbalances also fell away with Chicago’s selections of Yochum and Jones, both of whom have a chance for serious playing time in the midfield. Questions about Jones’ defensive capabilities were likely the reason she fell to the fourth round, but she is a first-round level passer. If the Red Stars can stay patient and give her support, she might be the steal of the draft.

Team says: “I think that you’d be a little bit naive to think that we don’t have good players, because we do have some very good players. We got some building blocks that we’ll build around, and we’ve got some players that I think a lot of people would like to have. So we’re not walking around with our tail between our legs. We do feel like we’re gonna have a good team.” — head coach Chris Petrucelli

Angel City FC – B+

• No. 1 Alyssa Thompson, F; No. 27 Angelina Anderson, GK

Angel City had the most significant selection of the night, picking up the youngest draft pick in NWSL history in 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson. Thompson already has experience with the USWNT first team, and her potential to be L.A.’s next superstar is sky high. The team went all-in on an expensive top choice, and it could pay off for years to come.

When looking at the draft holistically, however, the $450,000 ACFC spent to select Thompson was noticeable. Angel City has worked with a deficit of assets in both of the drafts they’ve participated in so far. On Thursday, they had only one other pick after Thompson, which they used on goalkeeping depth. They’re going to have to use other transfer opportunities to fill positions of need, and it will be interesting to see how they move money around to have the depth they need to make it through the season.

Team says: “I think it shows a massive intent by the club, in terms of being aggressive to trade up and get the No. 1 pick. And we couldn’t be happier with getting a talented player who’s got a massive ceiling and who’s going to be able to make a difference. And then obviously getting someone so young and then being able to develop the person is huge.” — head coach Freya Coombe

Washington Spirit – B

• No. 26 Nicole Douglas F; No. 28 Lyza Bosselman, GK; No. 30 Riley Tanner, F; No. 34 Lena Silano, F; No. 37 Civana Kuhlmann, F; No. 40 Delaney Graham, D
• Traded defender Emily Sonnett to OL Reign for No. 32 and a 2024 first-round pick; sent No. 32 and $30,000 to the Dash in exchange for No. 30; sent $75,000 to Orlando for No. 29 and No. 34; sent No. 29 and a total of $55,000 to Racing Louisville for No. 28 and No. 40

The Spirit came into the draft with only two picks and came out with six, wheeling and dealing in the later rounds to buy in. Head coach Mark Parsons said at the draft that he had 2024 league expansion in mind with the moves the team made, and their late-round picks could pay dividends in the future.

Washington’s biggest move was the trade that sent Emily Sonnett to Seattle, marking the second time Parsons has traded the defender in their careers. The Spirit’s decision not to carry as many national players in order to maintain roster consistency has some logic to it, but Sonnett has been very good for Washington and was a big part of their 2021 championship season.

Team says: “We have a structural problem that we had to rebalance. If five players go to the World Cup, if five players — with expansion potentially coming — and also looking at how many of those players are going to play consistent minutes in the World Cup and how they will return, we’ve been open about the direction we feel that we’re gonna have to go.” — head coach Mark Parsons

San Diego Wave – B

• No. 13 Sierra Enge, F; No. 33 Lauren Brzykcy, GK; No. 45: Giovanna DeMarco, M
• Traded $100,000 to Gotham FC for the No. 13 pick

The Wave went with known properties over positions of need after making some strong free-agency moves. Enge, out of Stanford, should provide depth to the attacking line, as San Diego looks for consistent scorers outside of 2022 Golden Boot winner Alex Morgan.

The Wave will also need another backup keeper when Kailen Sheridan is out for the World Cup, and Brzykcy is fresh off a national championship with UCLA. Overall, San Diego has set itself up well through strong drafts last year and smart transfer pick-ups. Their rookies are coming into a good situation without a ton of pressure to carry the load.

Team says: “Sierra was a big target for us, we’re really pleased we got her. The fact that she can play multiple positions gives us a bit of versatility. Lauren has been in training with us anyway, so we know her character and we know what she’s like. And then Giovanna, I can’t believe she dropped so low down the order, because that is one really talented player. So we’re really, really happy with our picks.” — head coach Casey Stoney

Welcome, @emilysonnett! ✨

➡️ https://t.co/T9wbWnxW9N#BoldTogether pic.twitter.com/LvIOCJWHAq

— OL Reign (@OLReign) January 13, 2023

OL Reign – B

• No. 19 Shae Holmes, D; No. 46 Natalie Viggiano, M
• Traded No. 32 and their 2024 first-round pick for defender Emily Sonnett; sent the No. 23 pick, a 2023 international spot and a 2024 third-round pick to Chicago for the No. 19 pick

Laura Harvey has never been a manager who prefers to build through the draft, and her team got better mostly through other moves this week. The Reign picked up Elyse Bennett from Kansas City on Wednesday, acquired Emily Sonnett in a late-round trade with the Spirit and re-signed Megan Rapinoe to a one-year deal.

Bennett and Sonnett will both have to compete for playing time, but the Reign’s strength has long been their level of depth. In a World Cup year, they’ve set themselves up to make another run at the NWSL Shield and maybe even the elusive NWSL championship.

Team says: “I think we all knew that there wasn’t going to be a ton of business this offseason for our team with where we’re at … I think that might be something that happens throughout the year is we we tend to do a little bit of business here and there just to tweak and make our team as good as it possibly can be to get over the hump at the end of the season, and try and get what our ultimate goal is, which is to win a championship” — head coach Laura Harvey

Lingering question marks

North Carolina Courage – B-

• No. 6 Olivia Wingate, F; No. 8 Sydney Collins, D; No. 9 Clara Robbins, M; No. 11 Haley Hopkins, F
• Traded forward Diana Ordoñez and the No. 30 pick to Houston for the No. 8 pick, Houston’s 2024 first-round pick and $100,000

North Carolina’s draft night felt somewhat odd to the outside viewer, and not for the first time. The unexpected trade of Diana Ordoñez set the tone early, though it was later explained that the forward had requested a trade.

From there, the Courage seemed to get more value out of their late-round picks than the swings they took on their early selections. Robbins is ready for pro-level games, having anchored a strong Florida State midfield for five years, and head coach Sean Nahas said he sees Hopkins as a possible replacement for Ordoñez up top.

Team says: “I think the realistic situation is that players are in a situation now where they want to make decisions that best suit them as well. And from the business side of things, you have to make sure you’re doing the right thing for your business. I think at the end of the day, we wanted to make sure [Ordoñez] was happy.” — head coach Sean Nahas

Racing Louisville – B-

• No. 16 Kayla Fischer, F; Brianna Martinez, D; No. 29 Jadyn Edwards, M; No. 31 Riley Mattingly Parker, F;
• Traded the No. 4 pick for forward Paige Monaghan, $150,000 and an international slot; traded No. 28 and No. 40 to Washington for No. 29 and a total of $55,000

Racing Louisville’s draft day started with a player they weren’t going to get rather than one they were. Emily Madril is a player Louisville knows well, and it seems that when they heard Orlando was picking her at No. 3, they started looking for exit strategies out of the first round.

Monaghan is a hard-working winger who can get in behind a defense and will do the defensive work from an attacking position that Louisville can use. Martinez will likely start at right back, opposite Emily Fox on the left, and Mattingly Parker is a great pick-up late in the draft. The biggest mark against Louisville’s draft is that they missed out on a key center back, which is a huge area of need for the club.

Team says: “In our preparation leading up to today, there was only one center back we wanted, but on draft day it became clear we weren’t going to have that chance at No. 4. We sought the best value for our pick, and we moved for a player in Paige Monaghan who has league experience, a great personality and positional versatility. She will be a great addition to our team.” — head coach Kim Bjorkegren

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

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)