After cancelling their 2020 championship game and going 11 months without play, the NWHL has battled back to host a two-week, rapid-fire season at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.

It may have felt like solving a Rubik’s Cube missing some of its stickers, but interim league commissioner Tyler Tumminia managed to pull together the logistics necessary to schedule a season and bring six teams together into a COVID-19 compliant bubble environment, all while managing to secure broadcast rights for the semifinals and Isobel Cup championship game, which will air live on NBCSN. This will be the first time a major cable network in the U.S. has aired women’s professional hockey.

Tumminia told the network, “It’s a huge learning curve,” but it’s one she appears to be surmounting quite well.

 

RIVETERS’ WITHDRAWAL IS FIRST MAJOR HURDLE

The league experienced its first major setback on Thursday, January 28th, when the Metropolitan Riveters were forced to withdraw from the tournament in compliance with COVID-19 protocols after a number of players tested positive for the virus.

It’s a disappointing end to the Riveters’ season. Led by captain Madison Packer, the league’s fourth highest scorer a year ago, the team’s one week on the ice was less than they’d hoped for but thrilling nonetheless. Key roster changes, paired with their physical style of play, had them ranked third in the standings following wins over Toronto and Connecticut.

Outside the COVID scare, the league has also been dealing with the fallout from an ongoing internet fued between Barstool CEO Erika Nardini and friends of the league. Nardini has been an outspoken supporter of the NWHL, while fans and journalists inside the space have called for the league to disown the connection, leading the league to issue a statement after Nardini attacked her “haters” in an online video.

A thread:

Statement from NWHL Commissioner Tyler Tumminia

LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK – NWHL Commissioner Tyler Tumminia today released the following statement:

— NWHL (@NWHL) January 26, 2021

BOSTON UNDERWHELMS, TORONTO OVERACHEIVES

Heading into the tournament, analysts predicted The Boston Pride would take home the Cup, having closed out last season with a 23-1-0 record before their chance to unseat the Minnesota Whitecaps in the championship game was cancelled due to the pandemic. The power-packed team has remained largely intact, with depth on every line and unfinished business driving their determination. That said, in sports as in life, there’s no such thing as a sure thing. The Pride currently sit at No. 5 after an unlikely loss to lower ranked Connecticut on Wednesday night.

While the Whitecaps, the reigning champions from the midwest, will predictably put up a good fight (currently 3-0 and the only unbeaten team in the bubble), the verdict is still out on how the league’s newest team, the Toronto Six, will fare.

On Tuesday, January 26, fans saw a preview of what this team can produce when they beat the Pride 2-1, securing the franchise’s first win, with goals from Mikyla Grant-Mentis and Brooke Boquist in the third period helping them pull ahead of Boston. With hockey legend Digit Murphy leading the charge, the team is certainly making a name for themselves, especially after backing up their fist win with another over Buffalo.

FIRST WIN EVER VIBE CHECKKKKKKKKKK pic.twitter.com/Jnw9qDKMnT

— Toronto Six (@TheTorontoSix) January 27, 2021

CONNECTICUT CONTINUES TO UPEND EXPECTATIONS

The Cinderella story of the tournament is likely to be the Connecticut Whale. A perennial underdog, this season is giving Connecticut the chance to continue developing their core while integrating new players added in the offseason.

The changes are certainly paying off, as the Whale undercut the Pride this week, beating Boston for the first time since 2018. Though the Pride were without their captain, Jillian Dempsey, who had to sit out the game due to an undiagnosed injury sustained in Tuesday’s game, the Whale’s Emma Vlasic proved her prowess as an impact player, assisting in the team’s first three goals before scoring one of her own.

Connecticut faces off against the Minnesota Whitecaps tonight, Thursday, January 28. If the Whale can topple the Whitecaps, the Isobel Cup is firmly in their reach.

At the bottom of the current standings are the Buffalo Beauts, playing with little to lose at this point. Their top two scorers from a season ago, Corinne Buie and Taylor Accursi, are gone, leaving them to rely on less familiar faces. Luckily, that includes rookie Autumn MacDougall, who nearly netted a hat trick against Toronto during Wednesday night’s game.

???? BEAUTS GOAL????

Autumn MacDougall takes the lead with her second goal of the game...AND EVER. #BUFvsTOR pic.twitter.com/39YTyha6lf

— The Ice Garden (@TheIceGarden) January 28, 2021

TORONTO EXPANSION GIVES NWHL MOMENTUM

Lake Placid bears witness not only to the first women’s hockey bubble season, but also the debut of the Toronto Six, the newest NWHL expansion team and the second team to join the league’s growing cadre in its seven year history.

The Toronto Six follows the addition of the Minnesota Whitecaps, who joined the league during the 2018-2019 season, increasing the “Founding Four” franchises to Toronto’s eponymous six. As a bonus, addition of Toronto also creates the opportunity for a regional rivalry, giving the Buffalo Beauts a neighbor to the north to contend with.

Growth is always a good sign, but for the NWHL, moving into Canada, especially into Ontario, where the Toronto Maples Leafs boast a $1.5 billion valuation, is more than merely expanding internationally. It’s an opportunity with huge upside under the right management. Entering the GTA brings exposure to a market with a strong hockey fan base, but also one that has lost three CWHL teams in the past. The potential is there to grab hockey-loving hearts, but the Six will have to deftly avoid the management issues that befell previous leagues and teams.

Unlike previous groups, the NWHL is hoping to leverage a business model based around individual ownership for all six of its teams (Boston and Toronto are currently the only teams that are privately owned).

In April, Toronto franchise president (and current head coach) Digit Murphy told The Ice Garden: “I really like this next generation with the franchise model they’ve brought in,” adding, “when you start having franchise owners, they have a vested interest. It’s easier than the league owning it, because it’s tough having a league own all those teams in all those markets.”

 

NWHL PUTTING ONE SKATE IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

Though professional women’s hockey has quite a few hurdles to clear as athletes and managers work to make it a viable professional sport (as it rightfully should be), the NWHL’s successful expansion in Canada, ongoing whubble experience, and growing mainstream media coverage are all things to applaud and reasons to be hopeful.

The NWHL Isobel Cup Semifinals will air live on NBCSN on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 5:30 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET. The network will air the NWHL Isobel Cup Final on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. ET, with live coverage also streaming exclusively on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

You can also catch regular season games on the league’s Twitch channel.

Tennis's first Grand Slam of 2025 kicks off on Saturday, with the sport's heaviest hitters convening in Melbourne for the Australian Open.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka — the reigning back-to-back Australian Open champion — enters as the tournament's first overall seed for the first time. However, she'll see stiff competition by way of No. 2 Iga Świątek, No. 3 Coco Gauff, and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini.

"For me being the one to chase... I like that feeling," Sabalenka told reporters this morning. "That's what drives me and helps me to stay motivated because I know that I have a target on my back."

Tough roads to the trophy litter Australian Open draw

Each top contender faces a tricky tournament draw, with upset potential lurking in every quadrant.

Sabalenka could meet 2024 Olympic gold medalist and WTA Finals runner-up No. 5 Zheng Qinwen as early as the quarterfinals, as long as she survives a first-round matchup against 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens.

Reigning WTA Finals champion Gauff's quadrant is in Sabalenka's half of the field, setting up a possible rematch of last year's semifinal. As for the 20-year-old US star's path, earlier rounds could see Gauff contending with tough competitors like 2021 Australian Open champ Naomi Osaka, 2024 US Open semifinalist Karolína Muchová, and 2024 US Open finalist No. 7 Jessica Pegula.

Świątek and Paolini could also meet in a semifinal, though fellow top competitors No. 8 Emma Navarro and 2020 Australian Open winner Ons Jabeur stand in Świątek's way while No. 10 Danielle Collins and 2022 Wimbledon champion No. 6 Elena Rybakina have been drawn into Paolini's quadrant.

How to watch the 2025 Australian Open

The 2025 Australian Open's first round starts on Saturday at 7 PM ET, with Sabalenka's first-round match set for 3 AM ET on Sunday.

Live coverage for the tournament will air across ESPN platforms.

On a Thursday night that saw several top NCAA basketball teams stumble, No. 6 LSU narrowly managed to keep their perfect season intact, though No. 16 Tennessee took the Tigers to the brink in a close 89-87 conference battle.

The SEC's rising parity was fully on display as stars Jewel Spear and Talaysia Cooper posted 25 and 24 points, respectively, to try and put their surging Tennessee side on top.

Though the Vols chipped away throughout the game at LSU's nine-point first-quarter lead, it was Tiger junior Kailyn Gilbert who cemented LSU's win with a wild, last-second bucket, putting a bow on her 22 points off the bench.

LSU senior Aneesah Morrow also shined, registering 23 points and 21 rebounds — her NCAA-leading 16th double-double and second 20+ point, 20+ rebound performance this season.

Now 18-0, LSU is one of just three undefeated Division I college basketball programs this season, joining just No. 1 UCLA and No. 9 Ohio State in remaining unbeaten.

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Seven top 25 NCAA teams fall on Thursday

LSU's victory over Tennessee was just one of seven NCAA basketball games to see ranked teams fall on Thursday night. No. 5 Texas annihilated No. 18 Alabama to the tune of 84-40, while No. 19 UNC and No. 24 Cal registered upsets of No. 14 Duke and No. 21 NC State, respectively.

Unranked teams also did damage in the Top 25, with Illinois downing No. 23 Iowa and Mississippi State bouncing back from the 95-68 shellacking they took at the hands of No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday by taking down No. 10 Oklahoma 81-77.

That said, No. 13 Georgia Tech suffered the most consequential defeat after seeing their unbeaten season disappear in a 105-94 double-overtime loss to unranked Virginia Tech.

Yellow Jacket junior Kara Dunn's game-leading 33-point, 10-rebound double-double and teammate Tonie Morgan's 28 points kept Georgia Tech alive throughout much of the back-and-forth battle.

However, 17+ point showings from Virginia Tech's entire starting lineup, not to mention a late, stifling defense that allowed them to outscore Georgia Tech 13-2 in the second overtime period, ultimately secured the win for the Hokies.

NCAA basketball weekend rife with upset potential

With 23 ranked NCAA teams facing unranked opponents this weekend, the potential for upsets is high, though the lone ranked pairing is a highly anticipated Top-5 affair.

The SEC will take center court again, as No. 5 Texas takes on defending national champions No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday.

Ahead of the tense matchup, guard Rori Harmon promised that the Longhorns are "going to make sure it's a knockdown, drag out."

"It's going to be a battle, and we look forward to the battle," said South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, referencing her team's tough conference slate.

How to watch top-ranked NCAA basketball this weekend

No. 5 Texas will visit No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday at 1 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

Brazilian superstar Marta has officially re-signed with the NWSL's Orlando Pride through 2026, the club announced on Thursday morning.

The news comes just over a month after the 38-year-old international football icon captained Orlando to its first-ever NWSL Championship win.

While Marta expressed ongoing interest in continuing club play, the free agent's future remained uncertain after announcing her retirement from Brazil's national team in April 2024.

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Marta's Orlando Pride legacy

Marta has played for Orlando since 2017, riding out the franchise's ups and downs before the team's banner 2024. Last season wasn't just a massive campaign for the team, however — it cemented the seemingly ageless athlete as a club legend.

The Orlando captain scored finalist status for the league's 2024 MVP and Midfielder of the Year awards, plus booked an NWSL First-Team Best XI honor. Her 11 goals across all competitions, including the Pride's NWSL Shield-clinching game-winner and arguably the most memorable NWSL Playoff goal in years, was enough to snare an impressive fourth place on the league's 2024 goal-scoring table.

"Coming off the most successful season in our club's history and, personally, one of the best of her professional career, re-signing Marta was a key business priority for us during this offseason," said Orlando Pride VP of sporting operations and sporting director Haley Carter in today's club statement. 

"Last year, we proved everyone wrong and did something so special, as a team, and that's why I'm so happy to have the opportunity to sign for two more years," Marta commented.

"Personally, it also means a lot to me that I will reach 10 seasons as an Orlando Pride player, a special number for me as I have worn the No. 10 jersey most of my career," she added. "I love living in Orlando, I love the community, and I love the way that people embrace and enjoy Orlando Pride soccer. I can't wait for the season to start."

With all eyes on the stacked midweek NCAA basketball slate, No. 4 USC eked out a gritty road win over No. 8 Maryland on Wednesday, shattering the Terrapins' undefeated season in the process.

Despite guard Shyanne Sellers's game-leading 26 points and forward Christina Dalce posting the contest’s only double-double, the Terps fell 79-74 in their first meeting with the Trojans since 1995.

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USC rallies the troops

New Big Ten team USC had to band together to overcome Maryland's defense, which stifled star JuJu Watkins's firepower by holding her to 7-for-19 from the field and 1-for-5 from beyond the arc with eight turnovers. That said, Watkins still managed to match forward Kiki Iriafen's team-leading 21 points before fouling out in the final minute.

With star guard Talia von Oelhoffen unavailable due to injury, USC’s No. 1-ranked freshman class stepped up. Guards Kennedy Smith, Avery Howell, and Kayleigh Heckel each added double-digit points to push the Trojans over the line.

"We just kind of have this unwavering confidence in ourselves," Watkins said after the game. "It was just a matter of coming together and closing the game out."

Big Ten ruled Wednesday's NCAA court

Unlike Maryland’s unbeaten record, No. 9 Ohio State’s undefeated season narrowly survived arch-rival No. 25 Michigan on Wednesday night. After falling behind 44-31 at the half, the Buckeyes put together a second-half surge to snag the 84-77 win. Freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State's charge with 29 points.

Elsewhere, unranked Nebraska handed No. 20 Michigan State a second conference loss on Wednesday. Buoyed by senior Alexis Markowski’s 28 points, the Huskers channeled a second-quarter lead to down the Spartans 85-80.

LSU to test perfect NCAA season against tough Tennessee side

The top-ranked midweek NCAA basketball action continues on Thursday, headlined by a tightly matched high-octane showdown between two historic SEC heavy-hitters.

No. 6 LSU faces their toughest test so far when they visit No. 16 Tennessee, a team that leads the nation in offensive scoring and rebounding, three-pointers, and forced turnovers.

"[Tennessee's] style of play is like nothing I’ve ever seen," LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said ahead of the game.

"They score a lot of points and they make you play fast with their press. It’s going to be quite a challenge to keep them from scoring in the '90s. We score a lot of points, too, [but] I’ve got to stress defense. At some point we’ve got to try to stop them from scoring as much as they’d like to score."

Despite the numbers, the Vols suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday — a one-point stumble against No. 10 Oklahoma. They'll look to avenge their loss by halting the 17-0 Tigers' unbeaten streak.

More ranked college clashes take center court on Thursday

Shortly after LSU takes on Tennessee, longtime ACC rivals No. 19 UNC and No. 14 Duke will meet for the 109th time. The host Tar Heels hold a narrow edge with a 55-53 all-time record against the Blue Devils, and will enter the clash with a redemption plan after falling 76-66 to No. 3 Notre Dame on Sunday.

With a significantly shorter history on the line, one-loss teams No. 5 Texas and No. 18 Alabama will face-off in Thursday's SEC nightcap, with the Tide rolling into Austin to seek a program-first win over their newest conference foes.

Last season’s Sweet Sixteen showdown was the pair’s first meeting since 1984, and Alabama has never beaten or even scored more than 56 points against the Longhorns throughout their three all-time meetings.

How to watch NCAA women's basketball on Thursday

LSU and Tennessee will tip off Thursday's ranked matchups at 6:30 PM ET, with live coverage on SECN+.

Duke and UNC will follow at 7 PM ET, airing live on ACCN, before Texas hosts Alabama at 8 PM ET on SECN+.