If there’s one possible takeaway from the first quarter of the 2023 NWSL season, it’s that the next generation of stars may have arrived a little early. With both salaries and endorsement opportunities rising to make professional soccer an increasingly viable career move, more and more players are forgoing college to jump right into life as a pro.

Up until 2021, the NWSL had barred players under 18 years old from signing with a club. Since then, the league has seen multiple teenagers join the league, including Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie, who took the NWSL to court over the age rule when she was 15.

These NWSL teenagers are doing more than just getting acclimated to their surroundings — they’re some of the most exciting performers in the league, and could be the foundation of the future of the U.S. women’s national team.

Alyssa Thompson, 18, Angel City FC

Alyssa Thompson isn’t the first player to forgo college to enter the NWSL draft, after Trinity Rodman did so in 2021 when she was 18 years old. Though Thompson never ended up playing for Stanford, the program she committed to, she was selected by Angel City FC as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023.

Thompson’s decision to make the jump to the pros has been an early example of opportunity meeting preparation. The teenager looks poised to earn a spot on the USWNT roster for the 2023 World Cup in the absence of Mallory Swanson, who tore her patella tendon last month.

Thompson possesses blistering speed with the ball at her feet and has looked comfortable as the center-point of the Angel City attack, having been thrown into the role as the team awaits the return of a number of veterans from injury. Her ability to finish is far beyond her years, as exemplified with her goal from a tight angle in Los Angeles’ 3-2 win over the Kansas City Current this past weekend.

ALYSSA THOMPSON 🤯

Ridiculous goal from the 18-year-old 💥 pic.twitter.com/K1P9VEg8uW

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) May 8, 2023

Olivia Moultrie, 17, Portland Thorns

The avenues that currently exist for teenagers to enter the NWSL likely wouldn’t exist if Olivia Moultrie hadn’t pushed the league forward in the first place. Moultrie made waves in 2019 when she gave up her college eligibility to sign with Nike and train with the Thorns at the age of 13.

Her road to playing league games for the Thorns was a bit longer, as Moultrie successfully sued the NWSL to allow her to join Portland’s roster in 2021. Since her debut, the midfielder has grown accustomed to the league’s physicality, becoming a player who can break lines with a single pass. She’s also become more trusting of her own field vision, trying higher risk passes and shots. That skill was on full display against the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, when she scored a fantastic equalizer from distance to salvage a point in a 3-3 draw.

🚨Olivia Moultrie banger alert🚨

Thorns tie it for the third time this match... if you're not watching on Paramount+, tune in NOW! pic.twitter.com/WDYw0cxpAR

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 7, 2023

“I think by the point that I was finally able to play, I just kind of felt ready for that moment,” she said after Saturday’s match. “I had been building and preparing for so long that I just didn’t even need to think about it anymore.”

Jaedyn Shaw, 18, San Diego Wave

Jaedyn Shaw also took a unique path to playing professional soccer, requiring an exception to the NWSL’s discovery rules to join the Wave in the middle of the 2022 season. Shaw had been training with the Washington Spirit for seven months before San Diego exercised a discovery bid to send the then-17-year-old to the West Coast.

Providing versatility to the San Diego offense, in tandem with the scoring prowess of Alex Morgan, Shaw scored a goal in each of her first three games as a professional in 2022 and has already matched that total in 2023. Shaw grew up playing futsal, the small-side indoor version of the sport that prioritizes technicality, and it shows in her innate ability to make defenders miss.

JAEDYN SHAW IS THE TRUTH 😱pic.twitter.com/SRJ7F1LwcL

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) March 26, 2023

Shaw can play as a No. 10, a false No. 9 or a straight-up central attacker, and her interplay with her teammates is as underrated as her scoring ability is obvious. On numerous occasions, she’s earned praise from Wave head coach Casey Stoney, who noted her as a player to watch before the season even began.

Chloe Ricketts, 15, Washington Spirit

Ricketts signed a three-year contract with the Washington Spirit roster after training with the team in the 2023 preseason. Ricketts was the first player to sign with an NWSL club under the league’s new U-18 entry mechanism, which allows NWSL teams to sign players under the age of 18 with the consent of a parent or guardian.

Rather than deferring to discovery rights, which could subject a player to traveling across the country or an entry draft of some kind, current U-18 signees have a certain amount of protection from the NWSL’s parity rules. They can’t be traded or waived as a minor without parental consent, and they’re immune from any expansion drafts before they turn 18.

Youngest signed player in NWSL history 🤯

The Washington Spirit has signed 15-year-old midfielder Chloe Ricketts to a three-year deal.

📸 @WashSpirit pic.twitter.com/jwC4PZgeOr

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) March 3, 2023

Those protections are key, as the NWSL has reckoned with player safety measures for a number of years. U-18 players must also live with a parent or guardian during the duration of the season with their NWSL club. Ricketts has thrived in the Spirit’s system as a creative midfielder, looking strong in multiple substitute appearances.

Melanie Barcenas, 15, San Diego Wave

Barcenas is currently the youngest player to ever see the field in an NWSL game, beating out Ricketts by a number of days after entering the league through the same U-18 mechanism. The Wave have made it clear that they don’t want to place undue pressure on the 15-year-old, who so far has made two regular-season appearances as a late-game substitute.

Barcenas’ development with the Wave is fitting for the San Diego native, who spoke at the team’s launch announcement as a 13-year-old.

“I think it’s really awesome to see opportunities for girls my age and generations after to have an opportunity to represent their own hometown team,” she said in 2021.

“She’s creative and she’s an exceptional talent. She’s still obviously only 15, so we need to look after her,” Casey Stoney said after her debut on April 29. “I think she’s a player that’s going to get people off their seats and a player that people want to come watch. It’s an exciting future for her.”

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

The WNBA and NWSL welcomed some new high-profile owners on Monday, as Serena Williams and Sabrina Ionescu announced investments in the country’s leading pro women’s sports leagues.

Tennis icon Williams is purchasing a stake in the Toronto Tempo. There, the 23-time Grand Slam winner will subsequently weigh in on the 2026 WNBA expansion team's visual elements like jersey designs, merchandise deals, and more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

"Serena is a champion," noted Tempo president Teresa Resch. "She’s set the bar for women in sport, business, and the world — and her commitment to using that success to create opportunities for other women is inspiring."

Meanwhile, 2024 WNBA champion and Bay Area product Ionescu also padded her portfolio. Ionescu bought into 2024 NWSL addition Bay FC, where she’ll serve as an official commercial advisor.

"Sabrina is the ultimate innovator and creates new pathways for aspiring and current professional athletes," said team CEO Brady Stewart. "Adding her passion and vision to what we are building at Bay FC will allow us to further disrupt the sports landscape."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Athlete investors lead the way in growing women's sports

Both current and retired athletes are increasingly buying into the business side of women’s sports. The list includes USWNT alums Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, and Abby Wambach backing Angel City FC and WNBA legend Sue Bird buying into the Seattle Storm and Gotham FC.

Earlier this year, 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark threw her support behind Cincinnati’s recent NWSL expansion bid.

"This moment is not just about basketball," said Williams. "It is about showcasing the true value and potential of female athletes — I have always said that women’s sports are an incredible investment opportunity."

"I whole-heartedly understand how important investment really is and obviously you can talk about it and be about it, but you really have to want to be committed to it and invest to be able to see what you believe in come to light," echoed Ionescu.

Ownership doesn't only keep legends in the game. It also proves that women’s sports are a booming business.

"It hasn't happened overnight for us. It's been years and years for us of athletes kicking down the door, voice what it is that they want to see. It's taken investment, and now expansion," added Ionescu.

"To see it now in real-time — viewership, attendance, sponsorships — everything is at an all-time high."

With the 2024/25 NCAA basketball regular season officially wrapped, the AP dropped its final Top 25 rankings on Monday, with shifts mirroring last weekend’s rollercoaster finale.

While not enough to dethrone co-SEC champion No. 1 Texas, newly minted Big Ten title-winner USC's series sweep of crosstown rival UCLA earned the Trojans their highest ranking in 39 years, taking over the Bruins's No. 2 spot on Monday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

"A goal was to come here and bring USC back to what it was at one point," USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb told AP after the rankings announcement.

In a full swap with USC, UCLA shifted an identical two spots down to No. 4, with Big East winner UConn jumping up to the No. 3 position.

Tough losses shake up AP Poll rankings

After a tough run that saw the struggling Irish lose two straight games — and their outright claim to the ACC regular-season title — Notre Dame slid three spots to No. 6, just below defending NCAA champs No. 5 South Carolina. ACC foe NC State, who beat the Irish to the conference tournament's No. 1 seed, is now chasing Notre Dame in the rankings at No. 7.

A recent flurry of high-profile unranked losses also impacted Monday's AP update, with LSU sinking two spots to No. 9 after falling to No. 19 Alabama and unranked Ole Miss, allowing first-time Big 12 champion TCU to rise to No. 8.

Similar to the Tigers, No. 14 North Carolina, No. 18 Tennessee, and No. 20 Kansas State all saw precipitous drops after giving up games down the stretch, falling at least six spots to their current positions.

The week’s greatest gain went to No. 11 Duke, who leapt five spots after closing out their regular season with a pair of ranked wins over UNC and No. 22 Florida State.

Snagging a photo finish was mid-major titan South Dakota State, who managed to break through into the No. 25 spot in the Power Four-heavy Poll after a third straight undefeated conference season. The Summit League champion Jackrabbits finished 2024/25 play with just three losses, falling only to No. 1 Texas, No. 11 Duke, and Georgia Tech — who spent 11 of the season's 18 weeks in the AP rankings.

Top-ranked teams will next jump into this week's conference tournament play, giving them one last chance to impress the NCAA tournament committee ahead of Selection Sunday on March 16th.

AP College Basketball Top 25: Week 18

1. Texas (29-2, SEC)
2. USC (26-2, Big Ten)
3. UConn (28-3, Big East)
4. UCLA (27-2, Big Ten)
5. South Carolina (27-3, SEC)
6. Notre Dame (25-4, ACC)
7. NC State (24-5, ACC)
8. TCU (28-3, Big 12)
9. LSU (27-4, SEC)
10. Oklahoma (23-6, SEC)
11. Duke (23-7, ACC)
12. Kentucky (22-6, SEC)
13. Ohio State (24-5, Big Ten)
14. North Carolina (25-6, ACC)
15. Maryland (23-6, Big Ten)
16. West Virginia (23-6, Big 12)
17. Baylor (25-6, Big 12)
18. Tennessee (21-8, SEC)
19. Alabama (23-7, SEC)
20. Kansas State (25-6, Big 12)
21. Oklahoma State (24-5, Big 12)
22. Florida State (23-7, ACC)
23. Creighton (24-5, Big East)
24. Michigan State (21-8, Big Ten)
25. South Dakota State (26-3, Summit League)

 
 

The world No. 1 USWNT will take on familiar foe No. 17 China PR in a pair of late spring friendlies, with US Soccer announcing matchups scheduled for May 31st in St. Paul, Minnesota, and June 3rd in St. Louis, Missouri, on Monday.

The games follow two California-hosted friendlies against No. 7 Brazil, set to be played during FIFA’s early-April international break.

The USWNT has a deep competition history against China, having faced the Steel Roses 60 times —more than any country other than No. 6 Canada. China also boasts the second-most US defeats with nine, though they haven't upended the USWNT since 2015.

In total, the US boasts a 38-9-13 all-time record against their longtime rival, including arguably the team's most famous victory: the history-making penalty-kick win in the 1999 World Cup final at the Rose Bowl.

"I love these games because they combine some rich women’s soccer history with the present, with both countries going through transitions in preparation for '27 World Cup qualifying," said USWNT head coach Emma Hayes about the upcoming friendlies in the federation's announcement.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Friendlies to test young USWNT players

The new calendar additions will provide Hayes yet another chance to try out less experienced players — a strategy that saw a particularly youthful USWNT take second place at February’s SheBelieves Cup.

"Our process continues and it’s a patient and comprehensive one," Hayes explained. "It’s up to our coaching staff to give players opportunities — opportunities they have earned — and it's up to the players to show us they can perform at the highest levels."

The US will also honor a recent history-maker at the June 3rd match, as the team officially celebrates St. Louis product and former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn, who hung up her boots in December.

Across her 16-year professional career, the star center back helped the US win back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019, a 2012 Olympic gold, and eight straight Concacaf championships.

The two China friendlies will also continue the USWNT's 2025 trend of facing non-European teams, due in large part to Europe's long 2025 UEFA Nations League schedule, which spans multiple international breaks and takes priority over overseas friendlies.

While Europe ramps up for a continental battle at this summer's Euro, the USWNT will continue down the long road to 2027 — a road that provides plenty of time to develop budding superstars while paying homage to the success of prior generations.

How to buy tickets to see the USWNT vs. China PR friendlies this summer

Tickets for both upcoming friendlies against China are available now via presale, with general sales opening at 11 AM ET on Friday.

The May 31st St. Paul match will kick off at 5:30 PM ET, with live coverage on TBS. St. Louis's game is set for 8 PM ET on June 3rd, and will air on TNT.

The WNBA will be lighting up the NBA’s biggest arena this summer, with the Chicago Sky announcing on Friday that the United Center will host their 2025 home matchups against regional rival Indiana Fever.

With room for nearly 21,000 fans, the world-famous home to the NBA's Chicago Bulls will hold its first-ever WNBA game on June 7th, with the Fever returning for the second United Center clash on July 27th.

"Chicago Sky fans have consistently shown up for the team and the city, and we want to reward their passion and dedication by bringing this excitement to an expanded capacity," said Sky president and CEO Adam Fox in a team statement.

An upgrade from their usual 10,387-capacity Wintrust Arena, the move provides the Sky an opportunity to break the all-time attendance records for both the team and the league.

Chicago's current record-setting game was a 77-67 loss to the LA Sparks in 2016, when 16,444 fans broke the franchise mark at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

The overall WNBA record belongs to the Washington Mystics, who narrowly defeated Indiana 92-91 in front of 20,711 fans inside the larger Capital One Arena last September.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Clark's Fever crowds fuel 2025 WNBA venue boosts

The upcoming upgraded Chicago games will be the second and third meetings between the Sky and Fever on deck for the 2025 WNBA season. Buoyed by NCAA rivals-turned-2024 WNBA All-Stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, the pair will clash five times across this year's campaign, with Indiana hosting three of the matchups.

In addition to the aforementioned record-setting clash with the Mystics, Indiana helped an impressive two other 2024 WNBA games break through the 20,000 attendance barrier. Even more, last season saw the Fever shatter the league's single-season home attendance mark with nearly 341,000 fans — a 36% boost over the previous record of 250,565 set by the NY Liberty in 2001.

In anticipation of the Indiana faithful again showing out in 2025, both the Mystics and the Sun — like the Sky — have moved their upcoming home matchups against the Fever to larger venues.

Washington shifted those games to the 14,000-seat CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, while Connecticut will meet Indiana at the NBA's Boston Celtics home of TD Garden.

How to see the Fever vs. Sky WNBA game at the United Center

Fans hoping to catch the Fever and the Sky at Chicago's United Center this summer — and potentially be a part of a WNBA record-breaking crowd — can snag tickets to the upgraded games beginning at 12 PM ET on March 11th.

Tickets will be available both online and via the United Center Box Office.