After the 2022 NWSL season, free agents flooded the transfer market, as all six-year veterans became unrestricted in their ability to pursue new deals with teams. While the process will pay dividends for years to come, finalized deals have been slow to arrive as teams look toward the upcoming college draft and begin to put their rosters together.

A number of top veteran free agents re-signed with their current clubs, such as Christine Sinclair, Sophie Schmidt, Yuki Nagasato and Ifeoma Onumonu. Those moves were undeniably influenced by free agency, but not quite the splash announcements fans might have been expecting.

Gotham FC has been the only team so far to get deals with new players over the line, though their announcement of USWNT national Kelley O’Hara’s signing might have been slightly premature. They officially signed goalkeeper Abby Smith to shore up the position after the retirement of Ashlyn Harris. They also improved their defense with the signing of Kansas City standout Kristen Edmonds on Thursday.

Most teams are likely still negotiating with the free agents they had on their rosters in 2022 or are sitting back to evaluate the brand-new free-agency market. O’Hara’s announcement provided a welcome spark to the NWSL offseason, but other clubs have been slow to follow suit.

There is a wealth of talent still testing the waters, with a few notable names sticking out as players head toward the new year without deals in place.

Debinha, North Carolina Courage

It seems likely that Debinha will either come to contract terms with North Carolina or leave the NWSL entirely before moving to a different team in the league. Debinha has superstar talent as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. Even with greater cap space and extended reserves of allocation money, there are few teams that can even afford to pursue the 31-year-old without radically shaking up the rosters they’ve already built. It would be amazing to see a home-run swing from another NWSL contender, but if Debinha wants to make a big money move, she might have to leave the U.S.

Teams that should be interested: All of them. Dark horse: Orlando (combined with re-signing Marta, who similarly might be looking outside the NWSL for her next adventure)

Morgan Gautrat, Chicago Red Stars

Gautrat has already told Chicago she won’t be returning in 2023, and she’ll have a number of teams interested in her services. NWSL teams aren’t always known for their midfield hold-up play, and a number of clubs could use a healthy Gautrat as a tempo-setter. The two-time World Champion was arguably Chicago’s most important player as the club made a run to the 2021 NWSL Championship, maintaining possession and influencing play off the ball when the Red Stars held their defensive shape. If teams are looking for a player who excels with and without the ball, Gautrat would be a savvy pick-up. The question mark might simply be the 29-year-old’s injury history, though she looked as good as ever when she returned to the field late in 2022.

Teams that should be interested: San Diego, Angel City, Gotham

Desiree Scott, Kansas City Current

“She better be signing a new [contract],” Kansas City midfielder Lo’eau Labonta said of teammate Scott after the 2022 NWSL Championship. The Current’s unlikely run to the final showcased just how many teams could use a player like the Canadian international. She’s an imposing defensive midfield presence and a proven locker-room leader who hasn’t seemed to miss a step in the 12th year of her professional career. Scott has been a part of the original FC Kansas City roster since 2013, and while the Current are poised for one of the best set-ups in the league, Scott might be interested in testing the waters. Kansas City could also view Alex Loera as her successor.

Teams that should be interested: Gotham, San Diego, Kansas City

Megan Rapinoe, OL Reign

Rapinoe has said she wants to stay in Seattle, and longtime coach Laura Harvey seems amenable to the idea, so the hold-up for the Reign might simply be coming to contract terms with one of the biggest stars in the sport. Rapinoe consistently had a place on the USWNT roster in 2022, with next year’s World Cup on the horizon, and she played a significant role in OL Reign’s surge to the NWSL Shield. The Reign, though, have a number of big stars on their roster, and figuring out a salary-optimizing one- or two-year deal might take some time.

Teams that should be interested: OL Reign — in getting the deal done

Tobin Heath, OL Reign

With Heath rehabbing from offseason surgery after another year riddled with injuries, the question surrounding her NWSL future has less to do with which teams would like to have a player of her experience and talent level, and more with what terms they’d be willing to offer her. Heath signed a one-year deal with the Reign upon her return to the league in 2022, and she’ll likely be looking at similar offers for 2023. Still, she remains one of the biggest names in women’s soccer, and teams might be waiting to see how the rest of free agency shakes out before putting together an offer that matches her stature.

Teams that should be interested: Angel City, San Diego, Orlando, Chicago

Katie Johnson, San Diego Wave

Katie Johnson has been something of an NWSL journeywoman in her career, playing for Seattle, Sky Blue, Chicago and most recently San Diego, who released her to pursue free agency. She can play both as an attacker and behind the front line, and she has a knack for connectivity that fits either a false No. 9 or No. 10 role. She scored a rocket for Chicago in the 2021 semifinals and was effective for San Diego before going down with an injury. She’s probably less effective off the bench than when given time to ease into a match, but she quietly provides value when on the pitch.

Teams that should be interested: Houston, Orlando, Louisville

Julie Ertz, Angel City

There still hasn’t been much information regarding Ertz’s interest in returning to the NWSL in 2023 (though she posted her most soccer-related piece of content in months this week), but USWNT January camp is rapidly approaching and could provide a tip in either direction. What messaging Ertz gets from the U.S. as the team prepares for the 2023 World Cup might convince her to make her way back, at which point she’ll have her pick of teams willing to make an offer to add her to their midfield.

Teams that should be interested: Angel City, Chicago, San Diego, Kansas City, Gotham

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

Behind a string of stellar performances, PWHL standouts Marie-Philip Poulin (Montréal), Corinne Schroeder (New York), and Sidney Morin (Boston) emerged as Monday's Stars of the Week.

After scoring two goals — including the superhero-style game-winner — in Wednesday's sold-out Takeover Tour win, Victoire captain Poulin registered an assist in front a record-breaking Denver crowd on Sunday to claim a three-point week.

Saturday belonged to Fleet defender Morin, who recorded a career-high five shots and notched both goals in Boston's 2-1 overtime win over Ottawa, doubling her single-goal scoring record last season.

The puck stops with Sirens goalie Corinne Schroeder

Sirens goaltender Schroeder made PWHL history on Sunday, becoming the first-ever goalie to record back-to-back regular-season shutouts.

New York's 1-0 victory over Toronto also made a mark, becoming the PWHL's first-ever scoreless game in regulation before New York's Jessie Eldridge found the back of the net in overtime.

Schroeder, who tops the league in average goals against (1.86) while sharing the lead in wins (5) and save percentage (0.935), hasn't conceded a goal in over 156 minutes of play.

"I think Schroeder has been our number one goalie for a long time," said Sirens coach Greg Fargo after the game. "She's been demonstrating the level of her play since day one, but there's a calmness to her game and a competitiveness that we really like right now."

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How to watch PWHL games this week

While teams jockey for points one-third of the way through the PWHL's second season, individual athletes are separating themselves from the pack by tearing up the stat sheet.

The PWHL's stars are back on the ice in midweek action. First, the Toronto Sceptres visit the Ottawa Charge on Tuesday at 7 PM ET.

Then, Schroeder will try to add a third shutout to her record-setting goaltending streak when the New York Sirens host the league-leading Minnesota Frost at 7 PM ET on Wednesday.

Both games will stream live on YouTube.

An unfazed No. 2 South Carolina isn't letting injury​ slow them down, earning their season's first Top 5 NCAA basketball win with a dominant 67-50 victory over No. 5 Texas on Sunday.

The Gamecocks' trademark lock-down defense was in full force, holding the Longhorns to a field goal percentage of 27.8 despite Texas's 22 forced turnovers.

"I would say with our team, they seem to really focus in when there's a number beside our opponent, they practice a little better," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said of her squad's tough ranked schedule. "They’re more focused, they talk less. They knew the intangibles of this game would play a huge role in us winning or losing."

Coming off an undefeated championship season, South Carolina has taken their knocks while also proving just how capable they are of a repeat win.

The Gamecocks saw their 43-game winning streak snapped by No. 1 UCLA in November before losing key contributor Ashlyn Watkins to an ACL tear earlier this month.

At the same time, South Carolina has now tallied five ranked wins on the season — four of them over Top 10 teams. The Gamecocks are looking comfortable as they enter a particularly grueling stretch of conference play, with No. 19 Alabama and No. 13 Oklahoma waiting to try and topple the current champs later this week.

Ranked losses fuel AP basketball poll movement

Today's AP poll update saw significant shifts throughout Division I basketball's Top 25, with elite teams cooling off as the NCAA season heats up.

While No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 Notre Dame, and No. 4 USC held steady, the Longhorns' loss to the Gamecocks earned them a two-spot dip to No. 7.

Elsewhere in the Top 10, LSU's still-undefeated campaign saw the Tigers rise one notch into the No. 5 position, as UConn also capitalized on Texas's misfortune, coming in one spot higher than last week at No. 6.

Deeper into the Top 25, Georgia Tech and Iowa suffered some of the week's biggest tumbles. After adding Sunday defeats to their Thursday losses, the once-unbeaten Yellow Jackets fell four spots to No. 17, while Iowa joined fellow Big Ten member Michigan in being ousted from Monday's rankings entirely.

Snagging the largest leaps in Monday's poll were No. 14 UNC and No. 18 Cal, whose ranked upset wins boosted them five and six spots, respectively.

Two teams also joined the AP party, as two-loss Oklahoma State and one-loss Minnesota enter tied at No. 24. Both teams are making their poll debuts for the first time in years: The last time the Cowgirls were ranked was in 2018, and the Golden Gophers's last Top 25 appearance was in 2019.

Week 11 AP college basketball poll

1. UCLA (16-0, Big Ten)
2. South Carolina (16-1, SEC)
3. Notre Dame (14-2, ACC)
4. USC (16-1, Big Ten)
5. LSU (19-0, SEC)
6. UConn (15-2, Big East)
7. Texas (16-2, SEC)
8. Maryland (15-1, Big Ten)
9. Ohio State (16-0, Big Ten)
10. TCU (17-1, Big 12)
11. Kansas State (17-1, Big 12)
12. Kentucky (15-1, SEC)
13. Oklahoma (14-3, SEC)
14. UNC (15-3, ACC)
15. Tennessee (14-2, SEC)
16. Duke (13-4, ACC)
17. Georgia Tech (15-2, ACC)
18. Cal (16-2, ACC)
19. Alabama (16-2, SEC)
20. West Virginia (13-3, Big 12)
21. NC State (12-4, ACC)
22. Michigan State (13-3, Big Ten)
23. Utah (13-3, Big 12)
T24. Minnesota (16-1, Big Ten)
T24. Oklahoma State (14-2, Big 12)

Ex-San Diego Wave boss Casey Stoney is taking over head coaching duties for the Canadian women's national soccer team, Canada Soccer confirmed on Monday morning.

Stoney replaces longtime coach Bev Priestman, who is currently serving a one-year suspension from FIFA for her role in the 2024 Paris Olympics drone-spying scandal.

Canada Soccer officially fired Priestman in November 2024, after an independent investigation into a drone spotted hovering over New Zealand's Olympic training session found Canada's coaching staff liable.

Immediately following the incident, Canada saw six points deducted from their Olympic group stage standing. The 2021 gold medalists eventually lost to Germany in the quarterfinals.

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Stoney jumps from club to country

This will be Stoney's first time leading a national team, making the professional leap after San Diego abruptly fired the decorated former England defender and captain in June 2024.

Prior to her NWSL tenure, Stoney made her head coaching debut with Manchester United. She led the club to an FA Championship trophy in the team's inaugural 2018/19 season, earning the team promotion into the WSL.

After joining the NWSL's California expansion side in 2021, Stoney led the Wave to two playoff appearances and a career regular-season record of 24-15-18. San Diego's 2022 semifinals run made the club the first-ever franchise to make the NWSL Playoffs in their inaugural season. The campaign eventually earned Stoney the 2022 NWSL Coach of the Year award.

Stoney also helped the Wave snag the 2023 NWSL Shield and the 2024 Challenge Cup trophy — all behind Canadian starting goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

With an eye on developing a strong Canadian roster to contend for the 2027 World Cup, Stoney's first task on the team's sideline is set for February, when Canada will compete in the annual Pinatar Cup in Spain.

"Casey's track record of successful leadership, her values and strength of character, and her lifelong dedication to the advancement of women's football make her the right person to lead our national team into its next chapter," said Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue in today's statement.

Tennis's first Grand Slam of 2025 kicks off on Saturday, with the sport's heaviest hitters convening in Melbourne for the Australian Open.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka — the reigning back-to-back Australian Open champion — enters as the tournament's first overall seed for the first time. However, she'll see stiff competition by way of No. 2 Iga Świątek, No. 3 Coco Gauff, and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini.

"For me being the one to chase... I like that feeling," Sabalenka told reporters this morning. "That's what drives me and helps me to stay motivated because I know that I have a target on my back."

Tough roads to the trophy litter Australian Open draw

Each top contender faces a tricky tournament draw, with upset potential lurking in every quadrant.

Sabalenka could meet 2024 Olympic gold medalist and WTA Finals runner-up No. 5 Zheng Qinwen as early as the quarterfinals, as long as she survives a first-round matchup against 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens.

Reigning WTA Finals champion Gauff's quadrant is in Sabalenka's half of the field, setting up a possible rematch of last year's semifinal. As for the 20-year-old US star's path, earlier rounds could see Gauff contending with tough competitors like 2021 Australian Open champ Naomi Osaka, 2024 US Open semifinalist Karolína Muchová, and 2024 US Open finalist No. 7 Jessica Pegula.

Świątek and Paolini could also meet in a semifinal, though fellow top competitors No. 8 Emma Navarro and 2020 Australian Open winner Ons Jabeur stand in Świątek's way while No. 10 Danielle Collins and 2022 Wimbledon champion No. 6 Elena Rybakina have been drawn into Paolini's quadrant.

How to watch the 2025 Australian Open

The 2025 Australian Open's first round starts on Saturday at 7 PM ET, with Sabalenka's first-round match set for 3 AM ET on Sunday.

Live coverage for the tournament will air across ESPN platforms.