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Multiple PHF stars break $50K salary mark under increased cap

(Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

Several Premier Hockey Federation stars will earn at least $50,000 for the upcoming season under the newly expanded salary cap, the league announced Thursday.

The salary details were revealed as part of a new salary disclosure policy agreed upon by the PHF and the PHF Players’ Association as part of the league’s “ongoing commitment to supporting its players and providing greater transparency,” the PHF said in its news release.

Players have the option to allow the public disclosure of their salary for the 2022-23 season. A total of 71 players have signed with teams in the PHF to date, and 18 players have agreed to disclose their salaries publicly.

Of those 18 players, Buffalo Beauts defender Dominique Kremer sets the benchmark for highest salary with a $65,000 AAV on a two-year contract. Beauts defender Jess Healey, Connecticut Whale defender Allie Munroe and Minnesota Whitecaps forward Jonna Curtis also will earn at least $50,000 for the upcoming season.

“This is another important step forward in the PHF’s growth and development and reflects the collaboration we value between league leadership, our athletes, the Players’ Association, the Board of Governors and general managers,” PHF commissioner Reagan Carey said in a statement. “The PHF’s new era is driven by our commitment to provide enhanced professional opportunities for women’s hockey players that includes historic salary cap increases. We are excited to add another layer of growth and transparency to our league operations and to continue to prioritize player autonomy.

“This policy supports all athletes equally and without any pressure or influence towards those who may choose to disclose their salaries, or anybody who may feel that confidentiality is in their best interest.”

The salary cap for the 2022-23 season is a record $750,000 per team. Back in May, Mikyla Grant-Mentis signed the largest professional contract for a women’s hockey player at a record $80,000 for the upcoming season, though the salary was not confirmed by the PHF.

Under the new salary disclosure policy, players also can opt to disclose the length of their contracts, estimated annual values and signing bonuses. This marks the first year in which players can sign two-year contracts with the PHF.

“We thoroughly discussed this issue among our player reps to canvas all potential benefits and drawbacks from the player’s perspective, and are encouraged by the collaborative process with Reagan and the League that led to this outcome,” PHFPA executive director Nicole Corriero said in a statement.

“Transparency of salaries can help set industry benchmarks and assist others with their own negotiation process, however every player’s experience and circumstance is unique, and it is understood and appreciated that not everyone wants nor benefits from disclosing personal information,” Corriero continued. “We wanted to work with the League on a policy that encourages and respects both of these mutually important considerations, and we’re pleased that the result of our collaboration provides options that may benefit all.”

The players who have agreed to disclose their salaries so far include:

  • Hannah Bates (CTW) — $25,000
  • Ashleigh Brykaliuk (MIN) — $45,000
  • Amanda Conway (CTW) — $40,000, includes $4,000 signing bonus
  • Jonna Curtis (MIN) — $50,000
  • Taylor Davison (TOR) — $23,360
  • Emilie Harley (MET) — $28,000
  • Jess Healey (BUF) — $57,000 AAV, includes $6,000 signing bonus
  • Tori Howran (CTW) — $49,500 AAV
  • Carly Jackson (TOR) — $29,375
  • Dominique Kremer (BUF) — $65,000 AAV, includes $6,500 signing bonus
  • Antonia Matzka (BUF) — $22,000
  • Allie Munroe (CTW) — $52,800 AAV, includes $10,560 signing bonus
  • Madi Nichols (BUF) — $13,500
  • Liz Schepers (MIN) — $45,000
  • Emma Vlasic (CTW) — $36,000
  • Alyssa Wohlfeiler (CTW) — $42,500
  • Emma Woods (TOR) — $44,340
  • Taylor Woods (TOR) — $31,145

“As the league continues to grow and move forward, I think it’s important that we take steps to emulate other professional sports leagues to show that the PHF is here to stay,” said Kremer, who also serves as the players’ association rep for the Beauts. “One way to do that is by disclosing the monumental increases in salaries for PHF players.

“Not only does it prove to people that the PHF is striding towards making professional women’s hockey a full time career, but also gives that younger generation of girls something to work towards for their future.”

Final Four Hits the Court in 2025 NCAA Volleyball Tournament

The Kentucky Wildcats celebrate their Elite Eight win during the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament.
Kentucky is one of two No. 1 seeds to reach the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament's Final Four. (Arden Barnes-Imagn Images)

The 2025 NCAA volleyball season is down to four top teams, as the Division I national championship tournament's Final Four takes the court in Kansas City on Thursday night.

No. 1 seeds Pitt and Kentucky survived a series of high-profile tournament upsets to punch their tickets to Thursday's semifinals, where No. 3 seeds Texas A&M and Wisconsin will join the Panthers and Wildcats.

"The Final Four is just so special, it is so incredible," Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield said ahead of Thursday's action. "You want as many of your players that are committed, that decide to come here, you want them to experience that."

Two teams will look to make history this weekend, with Pitt and Texas A&M both in pursuit of a program-first national championship.

While the Aggies are in uncharted territory, booking their first-ever semifinals berth last weekend, the Panthers are hunting a breakthrough, hoping to claim a first-ever championship final appearance in their fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four.

As for Kentucky and Wisconsin, the Wildcats and Badgers will be looking to add a second trophy to their cases after booking their first program titles in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

How to watch the 2025 NCAA volleyball Final Four

The 2025 NCAA volleyball semifinals begin at 6:30 PM ET on Thursday, when No. 3 Texas A&M takes on No. 1 Pitt before No. 3 Wisconsin faces No. 1 Kentucky at 9 PM ET.

Both Final Four clashes will air live on ESPN.

FIFA Sets Women’s Soccer Allocations for 2028 LA Olympics

The USWNT stand on the podium wearing their gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The reigning Olympic champions USWNT will get an automatic berth into the 2028 LA Games as hosts. (Brad Smith/ISI/Getty Images)

As the 2028 LA Olympics come into focus, the FIFA Council unveiled the regional allocations for the Summer Games' first-ever 16-team women's soccer tournament this week.

According to the Council's Wednesday report, 2.5 slots will go to AFC (Asia), 2 to CAF (Africa), 3 to Concacaf (North and Central America), 2.5 to Conmebol (South America), 1 to OFC (Oceania), and 4 to UEFA (Europe), with one additional slot reserved, as always, for the host nation — the reigning Olympic gold medalist USWNT.

While the expanded competition allows for greater depth, one AFC and one Conmebol team will ostensibly have to face an inter-continental playoff to determine which region can send an additional team to the 2028 Olympics.

One the other hand, Concacaf's representation will double from 2024, growing from two to four teams given the automatic berth of the USWNT.

Similarly, after host nation France's autobid boosted UEFA'a 2024 allocation to three teams, this week's new distribution doubles the European confederation's previous non-host two-team max for the LA Games — meaning all four of the 2027 UEFA Nations League semifinalists will qualify to compete for gold in 2028.

Notably, CAF and OFC are the only confederations to not see an increase on their previous allocation from the FIFA Council.

2025/26 PWHL Takeover Tour Hits the Road in Front of Sold-Out Crowd

The Toronto Sceptres and Montréal Victoire await the puck drop at the first 2025/26 PWHL Takeover Tour stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Montréal defeated Toronto with a 2-1 shootout out win in Halifax to kick off the 2025/26 PWHL Takeover Tour. (PWHL)

The puck dropped on the 2025/26 PWHL Takeover Tour on Wednesday, when the No. 2 Montréal Victoire took down the No. 5 Toronto Sceptres 2-1 in an overtime shootout in front of a sold-out crowd in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Packed into Scotiabank Centre, 10,438 fans watched Team Canada and Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin score the shootout's lone goal, handing Montréal their third straight win.

"It was amazing to see the young girls and boys in the crowd wearing our jerseys, saying our names, and wanting our autographs," said Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie. "It's just extremely special."

The PWHL's 16-stop Takeover Tour is just beginning, with nine games planned for Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Washington DC, Denver, and more before the league pauses for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

"We hope that the impact is a positive one. Everywhere we go, that's the impression we want to leave — for little girls to know that they have a dream and that their dream can become a reality," said Sceptres captain and Nova Scotia product Blayre Turnbull following Wednesday's Tour stop.

Halifax marks the third-year league's fourth sold-out stop, joining fellow Canadian cities Edmonton, Québec City, and Vancouver.

How to attend the 2025/26 PWHL Takeover Tour

The PWHL will next pull into Chicago's Allstate Arena for a Takeover Tour stop on Sunday, when the No. 8 Ottawa Charge will take on the No. 6 Minnesota Frost on at 2 PM ET.

Tickets are currently available for purchase via Ticketmaster.

Napheesa Collier Says “Nothing Has Changed” Amid WNBA CBA Negotiations

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier speaks to media after a 2025 WNBA game.
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier remains confident in the WNBA Players Association amid strained CBA talks. (Steven Garcia/Getty Images)

Months after Napheesa Collier set the WNBA ablaze with her viral exit interview criticizing league leadership, the Minnesota Lynx star said "nothing has changed" at the front office level as CBA negotiations stall.

"The conversation has been had now [and] people are seeing that changes need to be made," Collier said this week from Miami, where Unrivaled 3×3 is gearing up for its second campaign.

"I feel confident in the [union] and where we are internally with our players and the future," she continued.

In her October press conference, Collier publicly called the WNBA front office "the worst leadership in the world," putting commissioner Cathy Engelbert in the hot seat amid tense CBA negotiations with serious implications on next season's play.

The league and the WNBPA are currently sparring over revenue sharing, with diverging compensation expectations further distancing the two sides.

"Obviously, there's frustration in that both sides are trying to get what they want, but we still have that fire within us that we're willing to do what it takes," Collier said. "We're going to do whatever it takes to get what we think we deserve."

As talks drag on, Collier sees Unrivaled — the offseason 3×3 league she co-founded with New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart — as fueling the players' fight.

"Us being here in December and January until March, it's a crucial time in the CBA," Collier acknowledged.

"Having us all in one place is beneficial," she explained. "To have players congregate in that way, where you can have those in-person conversations and updates like that, that does help to get things moving more quickly."