The Premier Hockey Federation announced a $25 million investment in January, which dropped the puck on a roller-coaster year for the women’s professional league.

While the Boston Pride were busy winning their third Isobel Cup, the league and its players association saw key departures, and competitor PWHPA is planning to form its own league in 2023.

Just Women’s Sports has brought all of the PHF’s news from 2022 together in one place to help you keep track as the league presses forward.

Tuesday, May 10 — Metropolitan Riveters announce signing of Olympic gold medalist Amanda Pelkey

On Tuesday, the Riveters announced the signing of Amanda Pelkey, a 2018 Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, to a one-year contract.

Pelkey had previously spent time with the Boston Pride before leaving the PHF — then the NWHL — in 2019 for the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association. Through 49 career NWHL games, she tallied 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) and won an Isobel Cup championship in her rookie year.

Monday, May 9 — Metropolitan Riveters name Venla Hovi as new head coach, Mikyla Grant-Mentis signs largest contract in PHF history

Former Finnish Olympian and Canadian Women’s Hockey League pro Venla Hovi was named head coach of the Metropolitan Riveters on Monday. She is the first European woman to serve as head coach of a PHF/NWHL franchise and the first woman head coach of the Riveters.

The news came as the team also announced that it had re-signed captain Madison Packer through the 2023-24 season.

Mikyla Grant-Mentis made headlines when it was announced that she would be returning to Buffalo on the biggest contract in PHF history. Grant-Mentis’ deal is worth $80,000.

Wednesday, May 4 — Melody Davidson named director of league and hockey operations

Melody Davidson, who helped lead Team Canada to four straight Winter Olympic gold medals as coach and general manager, was named the director of league and hockey operations.

Davidson will assist in operations and provide insight on the structure of the league and its regular season, playoffs and offseason.

Tuesday, April 26 – PHF announces Reagan Carey as new commissioner

Reagan Carey, former USA Hockey director of women’s ice hockey, has been named the new commissioner of the Premier Hockey Federation, the league announced Tuesday.

Serving in her position with USA Hockey from 2010 to 2018, the women’s national team took home silver at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and gold at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang during Carey’s tenure.

Carey officially will start as the PHF’s third commissioner on May 10.

Wednesday, April 20 – PHF forgoes draft, announces new free agency format

The PHF announced that in lieu of an entry draft, all eligible athletes will become available for free agency.

PHF teams reserve the right to re-sign any rostered players from the 2021-22 season up until April 30. Unrestricted free agency will begin on May 1.

With the salary cap set at $750,000 for each team, the floor will sit at $562,500, or 75 percent of the cap. For the first time in league history, players can sign two-year deals with teams and can receive signing bonuses.

Saturday, April 16 – PWHPA to form new, six-team league

The PWHPA is planning to form a six-team league featuring 23-player rosters, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reported. Players in the new league will have a base salary of $35,000, and the average salary will be $55,000 plus bonuses, per Marek. The inaugural season is slated to include 32 games and will run from January to April 2023.

Tuesday, April 13 – Anya Packer announces departure as Riveters general manager

Metropolitan Riveters general manager Anya Packer announced that she declined to renew her contract with the team.

Packer, who is married to Riveters captain Madison Packer, did not tie her departure to new president Digit Murphy’s arrival. But several other front office employees – including public relations staffers and the entire stats team – have reportedly departed the organization in the wake of Murphy’s appointment, according to The IX’s Anne Tokarski.

“Her coming aboard really really really made it hard to even think of staying,” former head of PR Jess Belmosto told The IX. “It made me sick even thinking of working under her knowing her beliefs and how she has treated employees in the past. I knew in my heart I couldn’t stick around. I can’t change her and never will.”

Tuesday, April 13 – PHF Players’ Association elects Nicole Corriero as executive director

The players’ association announced the appointment of former Harvard women’s captain Nicole Corriero as the fourth head of the association. She replaced Alex Sinatra, who spent just three weeks in the position.

Corriero works as an injury attorney in Toronto, specializing in sports injuries and negligence.

Monday, April 12 – PWHPA plans to move forward apart from PHF

The PWHPA informed the PHF that it would move forward separately from the existing league, The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian reported. The decision stemmed from concerns over funding and a “lack of a convincing business proposal.”

Also, the PHF’s ties to John Boynton, chairman of the PHF board of governors and an owner of the Boston Pride and Metropolitan Riveters, was a concern. Boynton is a chairman for Russian technology company Yandex, which has been tied to the ongoing suppression of information and spreading of propaganda in relation to the war.

Monday, April 11 – Digit Murphy tabbed as Riveters president

The Metropolitan Riveters plan to bring on Digit Murphy as the team president for the upcoming season, according to a report from The Ice Garden.

Murphy served as the president and director of player personnel for the Toronto Six for the last two seasons.

Despite a storied career as a player and coach, Murphy has faced criticism for her past association with the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, which has come under fire for its views on transgender athletes.

Wednesday, March 24 – PWHPA, PHF discussions during meeting ‘constructive’

The NHL asked the PWHPA and PHF to come together in a meeting to talk about forming a joint league, and the leagues did so on the eve of the PHF playoffs.

While the PHF deemed the discussions “constructive,” the PWHPA reportedly remained confident in its ability to move forward without the PHF and the NHL.

The NHL repeatedly has said it would not support women’s hockey financially while there are two competing leagues.

Monday, March 7 – Toronto Six sold to new, minority-led ownership group

The PHF announced that the Toronto Six had been sold to the first BIPOC and Canadian investors in PHF history.

The group includes Angela James, Bernice Carnegie, former NHL forward Anthony Stewart and former NHL player and coach Ted Nolan.

James is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and remains the only Black player to serve as captain of the Canadian women’s national team. Carnegie launched the Carnegie Initiative, which aims to ensure inclusivity in the sport. Stewart is the chair of Hockey Equality. Nolan is a member of the First Nation’s Ojibwe tribe and was the NHL’s coach of the year in 1997.

Saturday, February 19 – Commissioner Tyler Tumminia announces resignation

PHF commissioner Tyler Tumminia resigned from her position, a move that was “her decision, her terms,” ESPN reported. Tumminia remained with the league through the end of the postseason in late March.

The league’s second commissioner, Tumminia oversaw the rebranding of the league from the NWHL, a streaming deal with ESPN and a landmark investment from the PHF board of governors.

Friday, January 28 – PHF Players Association parts ways with executive director Alex Sinatra

The PHFPA announced that it had parted ways with executive director Alex Sinatra after just three weeks. The move came after players grew unhappy with Sinatra’s representation of them to owners and the media, The Ice Garden reported.

“My work and advocacy at the PA was always to advocate on behalf of the players with their best interests at heart,” Sinatra said via Twitter. “I was never told by players that any of the appearances, interviews, or conversations I had with anyone were not what the players wanted until Jan. 27th.”

The members of the PHFPA released their own official statement. “As players, we are dedicated to performing and representing ourselves and our teammates at the highest level on and off the ice for our fans, owners, and stakeholders,” they said in the statement.

Tuesday, January 18 – PHF announces historic $25 million investment in players

The PHF announced that its Board of Governors had committed more than $25 million in direct payments and benefits to its players over the next three years. Included in the investment is an increase in the salary cap from $300,000 to $750,000.

In addition to the salary increase, players also will receive full healthcare benefits. The announcement of the investment also promised league expansion, facilities upgrades and an expanded 28-game schedule.

“On behalf of the Board of Governors we are proud to play a part in bringing women’s sports to the next level by investing in the PHF,” said John Boynton, the chairman of the PHF board of governors. “We see the PHF as a platform to address the inequities that women athletes face. We also believe in the sustainability of our developing business model and embrace our responsibility to build a platform that grows this dynamic league to historic heights.”

After stellar performances for both club and country, Orlando Pride star striker Barbra Banda is the 2024 BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, becoming the eighth player across the annual award's 10 editions to earn the trophy ​on Tuesday.

At just 24 years old, Banda became the highest-scoring African player in Olympic history this past summer, registering four goals — including her third Olympic hat trick — despite Zambia's group-stage elimination.

In her first season in the league, Banda finished the 2024 NWSL season second in scoring with 13 regular-season goals. She led the Pride to their first-ever Shield and Championship wins, claiming the Championship MVP trophy with her title-winning goal. Plus, with four postseason goals, Banda set a new NWSL playoff scoring record.

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The fans' favorite footballer

Fans ultimately select the annual BBC Footballer of the Year award by voting on a five-player shortlist. That shortlist is determined by a large panel of international soccer experts, including coaches, players, administrators, and independent journalists. The panel chose this year's nominees based on their performances from September 2023 to August 2024.

Though usually heavy with UK-based athletes, this year's field lacked any club or country connection with the nation. To claim the award, Banda beat out fellow finalists Aitana Bonmatí and Caroline Graham Hansen of Barcelona FC, and fellow NWSL standouts Sophia Smith (Portland) and Naomi Girma (San Diego).

Banda is now just the second winner in the award's decade-long history without a connection to England. She joins two-time victor Ada Hegerberg, a Norwegian national and striker for Lyon, in that elite club.

A surprised Banda was quick to share credit with her Orlando teammates upon hearing the news, telling the Pride, "I'm just dedicating this award to every one of you guys who has been there for me."

In a clash between the world's best, the No. 1 USWNT will face No. 2 England for the first time in two years on Saturday, kicking off in front of more than 80,000 fans at London's iconic Wembley Stadium.

The first of the USWNT's final two games of 2024, Saturday's US lineup will be without "Triple Espresso" forwards Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, and Trinity Rodman.

The team will also will begin the process of replacing legendary goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher​, who announced earlier this week that this international window will be her last in at US kit.

The USWNT and England's transatlantic rivalry

The history between the two standout international squads has fostered a fierce and friendly rivalry.

Saturday's match will be the 20th meeting between the pair, with the US holding the all-time with a 12-5-2 record. Their last showdown — a 2022 tilt at Wembley — ended in a 2-1 Lioness victory. However, the US won the pair's most recent world tournament battle by ousting England 2-1 from the 2019 World Cup.

"We’ve somehow created a rivalry across the ocean," England defender Lucy Bronze commented when the match was announced earlier this year. "We’re always excited when the US come over, the fans are as well.... I’m sure Wembley will be rocking."

Two of the best bosses in the business

While the top-ranked rosters will star on Saturday's pitch, the sideline will feature two women who are arguably the best head coaches in the women's game — England's Sarina Weigman and the USWNT's Emma Hayes. Even more, both have ties to each of the contending countries.

Former Dutch national team player Weigman, who later coached the Netherlands to the 2017 European Championship and the 2019 World Cup final, spent a season playing in the US for the University of North Carolina. Alongside USWNT legends Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly, she helped lead the Tar Heels to their 1989 NCAA Championship trophy.

England lured Weigman away from the Netherlands in 2021, making her the first non-British manager of the national team. She repeated the same success she had with the Dutch, with the Lionesses becoming 2022 Euros champs before advancing to the 2023 World Cup final.

USWNT boss Emma Hayes's triumphant return

As for Hayes, who grew up in London, her USWNT tenure is still only a few months old, but she cut her teeth stateside. Hayes coached in the US at the college and pro level, first with the USL and later in the folded WPS. After returning to England, she helmed Chelsea FC, building the club into the championship-winning behemoth it is today.

The return to her old stomping grounds is especially poignant for the 2024 Ballon d'Or Coach of the Year.

"Wembley’s like a second home to me, not just as a kid going there but as a manager [at Chelsea] I had a lot of success there," Hayes told reporters after the friendly was announced. "It’ll be amazing to go back, play 20 minutes from my house and play against some amazing players in England — I’m looking forward to it."

US, England eyeing future titles

Though the stakes in any friendly are always relatively low, a win on Saturday offers the victor a significant momentum boost as each look toward upcoming continental and world competitions.

Gearing up to defend their title in Switzerland next summer, the reigning European champs are aiming to bounce back after a 4-3 loss to Germany last month. Meanwhile, the US is already staring down the 2027 World Cup after earning Olympic gold in Paris last August.

"We're coming to win at the weekend," Hayes said ahead of Saturday's match. "But that’s not my overarching goal. I want to qualify for the World Cup and I want to win the World Cup."

How to watch the USWNT vs. England international friendly

The USWNT kicks off against England's Lionesses at 12:20 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage on TNT.

Approaching the final stretch en route to this year's College Cup, six of the eight remaining NCAA soccer teams rep the ACC, including overall No. 1 seed Duke, historic powerhouse No. 2 UNC, and conference debutant No. 3 Stanford.

Two Big Ten squads — No. 1 USC and No. 4 Penn State — round out next weekend's quarterfinals after the Big 12 and SEC failed to advance from rounds two and three, respectively.

Trio of former NCAA champions fall

All three of the Cup's most recent winners were eliminated in the tournament's second round on Friday, including 2020's Santa Clara and 2022's No. 2 UCLA. UNC ousted the Broncos 1-0, while the Bruins suffered a 2-1 upset at the hands of No. 7 Virginia Tech.

Taking down reigning champs No. 1 Florida State was a surprisingly strong No. 8 Vanderbilt squad, who played the Seminoles to an impressive 3-3 extra-time draw before besting FSU 4-3 in penalty kicks. Commodore senior goalkeeper Sara Wojdelko, who only played 143 minutes across four matches all season, put in all 110 minutes of work on Friday, registering 14 saves plus two penalty stops to end FSU's stellar season. 

The 'Dores fell 3-1 to No. 4 Penn State in Sunday's third round, which also served upsets. The Hokies continued their trend by taking down No. 3 Iowa 1-0, and Stanford narrowly advanced past No. 2 Arkansas on penalties.

The second No. 1 seed to fall was Mississippi State, whose record-breaking season was halted by No. 4 Notre Dame in a 2-0 Sunday result that further cemented the ACC's dominance over the sport's other Power conferences.

How to watch the 2024 NCAA soccer tournament quarterfinals

The Elite Eight goes to work this weekend, with three quarterfinal matches kicking off on Friday. At 5 PM ET, No. 1 USC will face No. 2 Wake Forest for the first time since their lone meeting (a 2-1 Trojan loss) in 2002, while No. 3 Stanford takes on a No. 4 Notre Dame side that blasted the Cardinal 3-0 just last month.

Then at 6 PM ET, No. 2 UNC will contend with No. 4 Penn State, a program the Heels haven't defeated in over 10 years.

Two ACC teams who have yet to play each other this year will close out the round. No. 1 Duke, who haven't lost to No. 7 Virginia Tech since 2015, will look to book their 2024 College Cup ticket by ousting the Hokies at 6 PM ET on Saturday.

All 2024 NCAA soccer quarterfinal matches will stream live on ESPN+.

Star USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher announced her retirement from international play on Monday, with the vet set to hang up her boots after the team's upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands. Naeher's final game will fall on December 3rd — 10 years to the month after her 2014 first cap.

"When I began this journey, I never could have imagined where it would take me," Naeher wrote. "This has been a special team to be a part of and I am beyond proud of what we have achieved both on and off the field."

Naeher will continue playing professionally in the NWSL, recently inking a contract to stay in Chicago for an upcoming 10th season.

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One of the best to ever do it

With two World Cup titles, a gold and bronze Olympic medal, and 88 wins and 68 shutouts across her 113 caps, the 36-year-old exits as one of the best goalkeepers in USWNT history.

Naeher is also unmatched on the world stage. The only goalie nominated for the 2024 Ballon d'Or is also the first and only to record shutouts in both a World Cup final and Olympic gold-medal match. Even more, Naeher didn't concede a single goal throughout the 2024 Olympics knockout round, shutting down the world's best to help the USWNT secure gold.

Amidst her many achievements and skills, Naeher will likely be remembered for her quiet, reserved demeanor, her intensity, and her unparalleled ability to play penalty hero in some of the USWNT's biggest moments.

The PK specialist made key stops to send the US to the 2019 World Cup final and to eventually earn bronze in the 2021 Olympics. To date, she's the only US goalkeeper to record three saves in a penalty shootout.

Most impressively, Naeher is one of few keepers at the international level who will step to the spot herself. Earlier this year, she strung together a shootout series of saving a shot, burying her own, and immediately making another save, and she did it twice, just five weeks apart — in March's Concacaf W Gold Cup and April's 2024 SheBelieves Cup.

Future USWNT shotblockers

Naeher's retirement kicks off the hunt for a new starting keeper. Regulars Casey Murphy (NC Courage) and Jane Campbell (Houston Dash) are the likely frontrunners for the job, though neither will feature in the USWNT's final camp of 2024.

Currently in Europe alongside Naeher are Mandy Haught (Utah Royals), who earned her first cap in October, and first-time call-up Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United), who will both look to prove their worth to US boss Emma Hayes in Europe.

How to watch Alyssa Naeher's final USWNT matches

The goalkeeping great's last two matches in a USWNT kit begin with Saturday's battle against England at London's iconic Wembley Stadium at 12:20 PM ET.

After traveling to The Hague, Naeher's final US game will be against the Netherlands at 2:45 PM ET on December 3rd.

Both friendlies will air live on TNT.