And just like that, after five chaotic months of regular-season action, it’s time for the NWSL playoffs.

The 2022 postseason kicks off Sunday, starting with the Houston Dash hosting the Kansas City Current at 5 p.m. ET at PNC Stadium in front of the largest crowd in Dash history – more than 14,000 fans. The Chicago Red Stars and San Diego Wave follow at 10 p.m. ET at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium.

The winner of the first game plays this season’s Shield winners, OL Reign, in the semifinal round on Oct. 23, while the winner of the second plays the No. 2 Portland Thorns on the same day.

With five of the six playoff teams finishing the regular season within four points of each other, anything can happen on the road to the championship. While we wait in the calm before the storm, here’s a quick look at each quarterfinal matchup.

No. 4 Houston Dash vs. No. 5 Kansas City Current

Dash (10-6-6, GD: +8)

• This is Houston’s first playoff appearance in franchise history.
• The Dash rank second in the league, behind just the Reign, in possessions won in the final third.
• Houston scored two goals or more in nine of their 10 wins during regular season.

Current (10-6-6, GD: 0)

• This is Kansas City’s first playoff appearance, and the first by a Kansas City club since FC Kansas City made the postseason in 2015.
• The Current went on a 13-game undefeated streak this season after not recording a win in their first five matches.
• The Current rank first in the NWSL in penalties awarded (seven).

Evenly matched with identical records in the regular season, the Dash and the Current are about to play an unpredictable game.

Each team had a win in their two previous meetings this season, with Houston taking a 2-0 result the first time around and Kansas City getting revenge with a 2-1 victory. The Current won both games the teams played against each other in the 2022 Challenge Cup.

The Current have built a strong attack led by Lo’eau Labonta, Cece Kizer and Hailie Mace, and they are backed by one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the league in AD Franch.

But will they stick to their 3-5-2 formation against Houston’s potent offense? The Dash are arguably more lethal than the Current, with Ebony Salmon, María Sánchez and Nichelle Prince leading the way.

Kansas City’s three-defender lineup could run into trouble against a scoring machine like Houston, who rank second among the playoff teams in goals (35). And the Current will be without defensive midfielder Desiree Scott, who received two yellow cards in Kansas City’s last game against Racing Louisville and therefore has to sit out the first-round match.

Prediction: Kansas City. The odds may not feel like they’re in the Current’s favor. But they didn’t feel like that at the beginning of the season either, when Kansas City went without a win in its first five games — then proceeded to record a 13-game unbeaten streak.

No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 6 Chicago Red Stars

Wave (10-6-6, GD: +11)

• San Diego is the first NWSL expansion team to reach the playoffs in its first season.
• The Wave rank first in the league in clean sheets with nine.
• The Wave get to host the match at their home field, Snapdragon Stadium, where they broke the NWSL single-game attendance record in September with a sold-out crowd of 32,000 fans.

Red Stars (9-7-6, GD: +6)

• This marks Chicago’s seventh straight year in the playoffs.
• The Red Stars rank third in the league in possession with an average of 52 percent.
• Their longest unbeaten streak this season was nine games.

San Diego has more reason for confidence going into this match. The Wave came out on top in both of their games against the Red Stars during regular season, winning 2-1 and 1-0. In addition to a strong starting lineup, the Wave have game changers off the bench who can and have made a direct impact on the scoresheet.

Still, the Red Stars have developed a chemistry that could push through San Diego’s steady defense, especially with their deadly weapon Mallory Pugh. Her abilities, from goal scoring to dribbling to tackling, enable her to dictate games better than any player in the NWSL.

Prediction: San Diego. The Wave won both their previous games against the Red Stars and will win a third at home in front of an electric Snapdragon Stadium audience.

All 14 NWSL teams issued final​ end-of-year roster decisions on Tuesday, as the 2025 free agency period shifts into full gear.

Athletes who are currently out-of-contract are now technically on the chopping block, faced with either negotiating new terms to return to their teams or taking the leap and brokering a fresh deal elsewhere.

Standouts listed as out-of-contact include 2024 NWSL champion and Orlando Pride captain Marta as well as NC Courage striker and the league's 2023 MVP Kerolin. Several current and former USWNT stars also face offseason negotiations, like Gotham FC forward Midge Purce, Portland Thorns center back Becky Sauerbrunn, and Angel City forward Christen Press.

Multiple teams have already acknowledged an intent to retain top players by announcing ongoing negotiations in their final 2024 roster announcements, with Press, Marta, and Kerolin in talks to stay with their clubs.

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New CBA means more NWSL movement

Under the league's new CBA, when a team declines a player's contract option, that player automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent, guaranteeing roster shakeups despite this year's lack of expansion and college drafts.

Both athletes whose contracts have expired and those whose options have been declined are considered out-of-contract. While those players will be weighing their options on the open market, teams will be doing the same, deciding who to try to retain and who to officially waive.

Clubs will make many of those decisions imminently, as the waiver wire will open and close this week, before the trade window opens again on December 13th.

The league will take a transaction moratorium from December 20th to 27th, after which teams can resume signings.

Between the CBA-induced influx of free agents and the lack of drafts forcing front offices into what could be lengthy recruiting and negotiating processes to attract young talent, the business of building an NWSL roster has become more complicated.

That said, some clubs seem to be capitalizing on the shake-up. After finishing the season in last place, the Houston Dash have already seen significant roster action — including nabbing defender Christen Westphal from San Diego and signing ex-Gotham free agent Delanie Sheehan — setting an aggressive rebuilding example as the NWSL embraces a new era.

Thanks to her impact on and off the court, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark was named Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year on Tuesday. Clark is the first WNBA player to receive the award and just the second individual woman athlete, joining 2021 honoree Simone Biles.

The 22-year-old's 2024 resume is extraordinary. Clark wrapped up her NCAA career as Division I's all-time leading scorer, helping Iowa reach a second-straight national championship game.

Since becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark's pro debut included claiming the league's single-season assist record and fueling the Fever to their first playoff berth since 2016. Along the way, she picked up both All-Star honors and the WNBA's Rookie of the Year award.

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All eyes on Clark

Clark's on-court skills built a massive following, drawing record viewership and attendance at both the college and professional level. Her ascent into the league helped the WNBA record its most-watched regular season in 24 years.

That surge in fandom has directly contributed to the sport's growth, something venerated South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley acknowledged on the 2024 NCAA Championship podium, saying, "I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport."

More eyes, however, have made the fan-favorite a lightning rod for online discourse, with even minor on-court moments sparking intense national debates.

"I tell people I feel like the most controversial person," Clark says in Time magazine's detailed interview. "But I am not. It's just because of all the storylines that surround me."

While Clark's talent certainly warrants attention, she also acknowledges the role her race plays in commanding the national spotlight.

"I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege," she explains. "A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important.

"I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing."

Ultimately, Clark's 2024 will be remembered as a watershed moment for women's basketball — and women's sports at large. But, as she tells Time, it will also hopefully mark the start of a long and accomplished career. 

On today's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins dives into basketball. She kicks things off with a look at the first WNBA expansion draft since 2008, when the Golden State Valkyries selected 11 players from around the league to build their inaugural 2025 roster.

Pivoting to the college court, Watson chats through No. 3 South Carolina's winning week, zeroing in on how the defending national champions dominated two Top-10 teams.

Finally, Watkins takes a trip around the sports world, discussing NWSL free agency, NCAA soccer's College Cup, NCAA volleyball, PWHL hockey, and more.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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With Saturday's 78-68 upset win over then-No. 17 Iowa, Tennessee ​earned their first NCAA basketball AP Top 25 nod since November 2023, slotting in at No. 19 and putting an end to the historic powerhouse's longest-ever unranked streak.

The still-undefeated Vols have featured in nearly 90% of the 870 total AP polls since the list's 1976 beginnings, but this week's Top 25 return is a triumphant one.

"The beauty of it is we earned it," head coach Kim Caldwell told reporters after the rankings dropped on Monday. "Not because the name is Tennessee. We didn’t start (ranked)."

Minor shifts pervade updated AP basketball rankings

While No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, and No. 3 South Carolina held steady atop Monday's poll, last week's elite​ NCAA basketball schedule caused minor shifts throughout much of the Top 25. Behind losses to the defending champion Gamecocks, Duke dropped one spot to No. 9 and TCU slid three to No. 12.

After suffering their season's first loss on Thursday, an 80-70 overtime thriller against Notre Dame, the Texas Longhorns fell two poll positions to No. 6.

The Irish used their momentum to tack on a second victory on Sunday, routing Syracuse 93-62 behind a trio of 20+ point double-doubles from Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and Sonia Citron. Those big wins lifted Notre Dame two spots to No. 8 this week.

Behind respective losses to aforementioned Tennessee and then-unranked NC State, Iowa and Ole Miss fell the farthest, tumbling four spots each to Nos. 21 and 22.

On the other hand, undefeated Michigan State's best start in program history saw the Spartans leap seven spots to No. 17 in the poll's biggest bump.

AP basketball poll exits and newcomers

Joining Tennessee in making their 2024 AP poll debut this week is No. 25 Georgia Tech, whose 9-0 record marks the Yellow Jackets' best season start since 1977. NC State is also back, tying Ole Miss at No. 22 after a week out of the rankings.

Meanwhile, Louisville's fourth season loss by way of UConn's 85-52 Champions Classic smackdown on Saturday sent the now-unranked Cardinals packing. Joining them in leaving this week's poll are Illinois, who logged their third season loss against No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday, and Alabama, who succumbed to unranked Cal last week.

How to watch midweek Top 25 NCAA basketball

Under the new rankings, NCAA basketball has two ranked matchups on deck this week. First, No. 18 Iowa State will battle state rivals No. 21 Iowa at 9 PM ET on Wednesday, airing live on FS1.

The marquee midweek matchup, however, hits the court at 7 PM ET on Thursday, when preseason All-Americans Paige Bueckers and Hannah Hidalgo will meet when No. 8 Notre Dame hosts No. 2 UConn.

The battle between two of the nation's best guards will be broadcast on ESPN.

Week 6 AP college basketball rankings

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