Through all the challenges of the 2021 NWSL season, the play on the field reached new heights in the league’s ninth year, ending in a playoff race that came down to the wire this past weekend.

While the competition was strong across the board, a handful of players (and a coach) stood out above the rest for their individual performances and the value they brought to their teams.

Before the NWSL kicks off the postseason on Sunday, Just Women’s Sports is handing out end-of-season awards, from the individual honors to the Best XI.

Coach of the Year: Laura Harvey, OL Reign

Laura Harvey has only been with OL Reign since August, but in her short stint with the team, she’s made a big impact.

Harvey officially returned to OL Reign as the club’s head coach on July 15 after Farid Benstiti resigned from his post on July 2. It was later reported that the club had asked Benstiti to step down following player accounts of verbal abuse. Harvey previously served as head coach of OL Reign (previously known as Seattle Reign FC) from 2013 to 2017, winning Coach of the Year twice during her tenure.

Since July, Harvey has effectively steered OL Reign in their post-Olympic playoff push. After the club fell to Kansas City in her Aug. 14 debut, Harvey led OL Reign on an eight-game undefeated streak. With an influx of European talent, as well as American stars Rose Lavelle and Megan Rapinoe returning from Tokyo, Harvey has successfully managed a convergence of new players. One of Harvey’s most fruitful endeavors was the decision to move Sofia Huerta from midfield to outside back. The 28-year-old finished the regular season leading the league with six assists.

With Harvey at the helm, OL Reign is primed to make a deep run in the NWSL playoffs after finishing the regular season second in the standings and securing an automatic semifinal bid.

Rookie of the Year: Trinity Rodman, Washington Spirit

Trinity Rodman has taken the NWSL by storm, executing some of the league’s most exciting plays in her rookie season, including a must-see assist against Racing Louisville. The second overall pick of the Washington Spirit in January, Rodman became the youngest player ever drafted to the NWSL at 18 years old. Before taking the pitch, Rodman had to manage the hype surrounding her debut season. She not only met but exceeded those sky-high expectations for the No. 3 Spirit.

With five goals and a league-lead tying six assists, Rodman has emerged as a pillar of the Spirit’s offense alongside Ashley Hatch. The rookie attacker has shown a consistent ability to stretch opponents’ backlines and exploit space like a seasoned veteran. After leading Washington to a playoff berth, Rodman’s meteoric rise may very well include a run at the NWSL trophy.

Most Valuable Player: Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit

With a league-high ten goals on the season, Ashley Hatch earned her first-ever Golden Boot award this week, beating out Bethany Balcer, Rachel Daly and Midge Purce for the honor. Hatch’s performance is even more impressive given the off-field turmoil she and the Washington Spirit have endured throughout the season.

Rocked by reports of verbal and emotional abuse in August, an investigation into former coach Richie Burke’s behavior led to him being fired for cause. Several front office resignations and a player-led campaign to get owner Steve Baldwin to sell the team to co-owner Y. Michele Kang followed. On top of all that, the Spirit were forced to forfeit two regular-season games after a breach in COVID-19 protocols. Working against mounting adversity, Hatch and the Spirit still managed to come within striking distance of the No. 2 seed, finishing third in the NWSL standings and earning a meeting with the North Carolina Courage in Sunday’s quarterfinal.

While the NWSL was filled with impactful individual performances this season, Hatch gets the nod for her prolific offense on a team that had every reason to fold.

NWSL Best XI

GK — Ashlyn Harris, Orlando Pride

Ashlyn Harris has had a banner season, surpassing the NWSL career saves record of 468 to become the league’s all-time saves leader. Casey Murphy had a strong run for the Courage, but Harris’ three saves from the spot for Orlando puts her over the top.

D — Carson Pickett, North Carolina Courage

Carson Pickett had a breakout season in her first year with the Courage, notching five assists in 23 starts. The 28-year-old owned the flanks for North Carolina, delivering 27 successful crosses during the regular season.

D — Meghan Klingenberg, Portland Thorns

Meghan Klingenberg has been an anchor for the Thorns on and off the pitch, acting as a leader on a team filled with veteran talent. Holding down the backline, Klingenberg led the team to 13 wins and 13 clean sheets, which set a new NWSL record for most shutouts in a single season.

D — Caprice Dydasco, Gotham FC

Caprice Dydasco has been the centerpiece of Gotham FC’s backline this year, playing an essential role on both sides of the ball. The 28-year-old has helped the club’s defense earn its bend-but-don’t-break reputation while also playing a big role in Gotham’s attack. With five assists and a goal on the season, Dydasco is one of the most productive outside backs in the league.

D — Sarah Gorden, Chicago Red Stars

Sarah Gorden made history this season, becoming the Chicago Red Stars’ first-ever Iron Woman by playing every minute of the regular season. In 2,160 minutes on the pitch, Gorden amassed an 86.7 percent successful tackle rate as the anchor of Chicago’s defense.

M — Sofia Huerta, OL Reign

Sofia Huerta ended the regular season tied for the league lead in assists with six. The 28-year-old started 2021 playing further up the pitch, but coach Laura Harvey has since moved Huerta to the right back position, where she has been thriving. Whether she is in the midfield or on the backline, Huerta is the key to OL Reign’s attack, whipping in crosses from the flanks with technical precision.

M — Jess Fishlock, OL Reign

Jess Fishlock has the numbers on her side, notching five goals and four assists on the season, but what the 34-year-old brings to the pitch goes beyond the stat sheet. The midfielder is known to keep OL Reign in tight games, buoying her side at exactly the right time. Fishlock’s grit combined with her technical skill makes her one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the league.

M — Rachel Daly, Houston Dash

As captain of the Houston Dash, Rachel Daly knows how to rally her team. The attacker executed big plays in critical moments to keep Houston alive during a streaky season that nearly ended in a playoff bid. Notching nine goals, Daly nearly clinched the Golden Boot, coming in second to Hatch on the goal-scorers ranking.

F — Ifeoma Onumonu, Gotham FC

Ifeoma Onumonu is a playmaker, facilitating Gotham FC’s attack all season long. With eight goals this season, Onumonu also set up her teammates four times, making her one of the most dynamic forwards in the NWSL.

F — Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit

The 2021 Golden Boot winner has caused issues for backlines all season long. Not only is the Spirit forward dangerous in the final third, burying 10 goals on 22 shots on goal, but she also is versatile. Hatch recorded four left-footed and four right-footed goals, as well as two headers, to finish the season on top.

F — Bethany Balcer, OL Reign

Bethany Balcer has come a long way from going undrafted and entering OL Reign as a non-rostered training camp invitee. The 2019 Rookie of the Year, Balcer nearly earned herself another trophy this year, finishing just one goal shy of the Golden Boot with nine. An expert in the air, Balcer registered five header goals on the season.

The 2025 US Open has officially landed in New York, as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka looks to kick off her 2024 title defense when the main draw of the tennis season's final Grand Slam hits courts on Sunday.

The Queens-based tournament marks Sabalenka's last shot at winning a major title this season, with the three-time Slam victor falling in both the 2025 Australian Open and 2025 French Open finals as well as stumbling out of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships in the semifinal round.

With the sport's biggest payday on the line, tennis's top talent are preparing to battle Sabalenka for both hardware and the tournament's record $5 million champion's check.

Joining the 27-year-old on this year's US Open roster are reigning Wimbledon champion No. 2 Iga Świątek, 2025 French Open winner No. 3 Coco Gauff, and home-state hero and 2024 US Open runner-up No. 4 Jessica Pegula.

With five of the WTA's Top-11 players, the US contingent is hoping the reclaim the host nation's Grand Slam trophy this year, as reigning Australian Open champ No. 6 Madison Keys, 2025 Wimbledon runner-up No. 9 Amanda Anisimova, and No. 11 Emma Navarro join Gauff and Pegula as the USA's frontrunners.

Two-time US Open winner and fan favorite No. 25 Naomi Osaka also enters the tournament as a seeded competitor for the first time since 2021, while 45-year-old icon Venus Williams will take the main-draw court for her 25th Queens Slam after headlining this year's wild card list.

How to watch the 2025 US Open

The US Open singles tournament begins on Sunday and runs through the September 6th final.

Live coverage of the New York Grand Slam will air across ESPN platforms.

The race to the 2025 WNBA Playoffs is heating up, with Thursday night upsets shooting rising contenders like the No. 2 Atlanta Dream and No. 3 Las Vegas Aces up the WNBA standings.

In Atlanta, the Dream handed the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx their first consecutive loss this season, holding on for a 75-73 victory behind guard Allisha Gray's game-leading 27 points.

"It'll help build some confidence to know that we're capable of having beaten Minnesota at Minnesota, and then able to do it again here," remarked Atlanta coach Karl Smesko, referencing his team's July 27th win over the Lynx.

It was a similar story in Las Vegas, where the Aces tacked on a ninth straight victory to their 2025 season tally, pulling off a 83-61 upset win over the now-No. 5 Phoenix Mercury.

Las Vegas star center A'ja Wilson led the charge with a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double, while guard Dana Evans added 17 points off the bench.

"My belief in them has never wavered," Aces coach Becky Hammon said afterwards. "Our locker room, it would've been very easy to fall apart in June when things were not going well for anybody."

"Obviously, at the beginning, we had some rough patches," echoed Evans. "But that made us closer, that brought us closer together, to lean on each other more."

How to watch the Atlanta Dream, Las Vegas Aces this weekend

Both the No. 2 Dream and No. 3 Aces will be back in action on Saturday, when Atlanta hosts a now-No. 4 New York Liberty side at 2 PM ET before Las Vegas shoots for a perfect 10-game winning streak during their visit to the No. 10 Washington Mystics at 3 PM ET.

CBS will provide live coverage of the New York vs. Atlanta clash, while the Las Vegas vs. Washington matchup will air live on WNBA League Pass.

The New York Liberty are officially in free fall, with a 91-85 upset loss to the already-eliminated No. 11 Chicago Sky sending the reigning champs skidding down two spots to No. 4 in the WNBA standings on Thursday.

Despite New York center Jonquel Jones's game-leading 25 points, double-doubles from Sky stars Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso secured the Chicago upset, with Cardoso pairing a team-high 22 points with 15 rebounds.

"Anyone can beat anyone in this league, anyone can win this championship — it's wide open," New York head coach Sandy Brondello said following the upset in which her Liberty struggled to dominate the defensive paint. "But our inconsistency is mind-boggling at times."

"When you give a team hope, that's all they need," added star guard Sabrina Ionescu afterwards. "I'd say in the first half we made things way too easy for them, and that gave them hope going into halftime, knowing that they could hang with us."

New York won't have much time to reflect on their mistakes as they gear up for a Saturday clash against a surging No. 2 Atlanta Dream — all while the Liberty remain without a clear-cut timeline for two-time WNBA MVP forward Breanna Stewart's return from injury.

"I think we have to play more physical in the beginning, and set the tone early," Jones told reporters ahead of the weekend's test.

New York does have some light at the end of the tunnel, as next week's potentially lopsided matchups against the No. 13 Connecticut Sun and No. 10 Washington Mystics follow Saturday's top-table meeting.

How to watch the New York Liberty this weekend

The No. 4 Liberty will aim to get back on track by hitting the road this weekend, taking on the No. 2 Dream in Atlanta at 2 PM ET on Saturday.

Live coverage of the clash will air on CBS.

No. 8 Gotham FC's results disparity deepened this week, as the NJ/NY club claimed all three points off Liga MX side Monterrey in Wednesday's Concacaf W Champions Cup group-stage play after falling 2-1 to the No. 11 Houston Dash last Sunday — leaving the 2023 league champs without an NWSL win since late June.

Gotham has struggled in the league since returning from summer break, entering the match weekend with two draws in addition to Sunday's upset — fueled in part by veteran defender Emily Sonnett's own goal — under their belts this month.

"We try to always look at the glass half full instead of half empty," head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said after last weekend's loss. "Football sometimes throws you some difficult curves."

Now hitting the pitch on short rest, Gotham will aim to take advantage of the last-place Utah Royals on Saturday as they hunt a boost in the NWSL standings.

With just one regular-season win this year, the No. 14 Royals look ready for an offseason refresh after recently sending star forward Ally Sentnor to the No. 1 Kansas City Current.

"I think we're at 60%," Utah manager Jimmy Coenraets said earlier this week. "The 40% margin is getting people to be able to play 90 minutes in the way that we wanted to play."

How to watch Saturday's Gotham FC vs. Utah Royals FC match

No. 8 Gotham will kick off against the visiting No. 14 Utah Royals at 7:30 PM ET on Saturday.

Live coverage of the match will air on ION.