The NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament kicked off Wednesday with first-round matchups. Undefeated No. 1 seed Wisconsin is projected to win it all, with Kentucky, Minnesota and Texas rounding out the top four.

As the event gets underway, we’ve compiled a list of six players we think will lead their teams deep in the tournament and help them contend for the national title.

1. Dana Rettke, Middle Blocker, Wisconsin

Bio: 6-foot-8 senior from Riverside, Ill. 2017 2018, 2019 AVCA First Team All-American. 2017 AVCA Freshman of the Year. 2019-2020 Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year.

2020-21 stats
Total kills: 138
Hitting percentage: .456
Total blocks: 70

This season, Rettke has proven once again that she is a force to be reckoned with at the net. With 263 kill attempts, 138 kills and only 18 errors, she is an incredibly efficient offensive weapon. Defensively, she’s recorded 70 blocks since the start of the season, a product of her 6-8 stature and lateral speed at the net.

. @dana_rettke is not a regular Badger, she's a cool Badger 🦡 pic.twitter.com/QkGg0tGsgW

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) April 1, 2021

2. Stephanie Samedy, Opposite Hitter, Minnesota

Bio: 6-2 senior from Clermont, Fla. 2020 Big-10 Player of the Year. 2017, 2018 AVCA First Team All-American. First Minnesota freshman ever to receive First Team All-American honors.

2020-21 stats
Total kills: 259
Hitting percentage: .278
Total blocks: 47
Total digs: 158

Samedy is unbelievably fun to watch. The newly crowned Big 10 Player of the Year can jump out of the gym and has a wicked cross-swing (which is very hard to do as a right-handed opposite hitter). A go-to player for the Gophers, Samedy has taken 668 total offensive attempts and has capitalized on 259 of them while committing just 73 hitting errors. If she’s having a bad day on offense, she’s able to make up for it on defense with strong blocks and the ability to dig balls in the backcourt.

.@StephanieSamedy averaged a league-best 4.11 kills per set during Big Ten competition. Take one more look back at her Big Ten Player of the Year performance! pic.twitter.com/OHInaC2kcN

— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) April 12, 2021

3. Yossiana Pressley, Outside Hitter, Baylor

Bio: 6-0 senior from Cypress, Texas. 2019 AVCA National Player of the Year. 2019 ESPNW National Player of the Year. 2019 AVCA First Team All-American.

2020-21 stats
Total kills: 447
Hitting percentage: .247
Total blocks: 55
Total digs: 193

If you find yourself playing volleyball against Pressley, you should be scared. She’s only 6-feet tall, but she makes up for it by jumping higher, hanging for longer and hitting the ball harder (and faster) than most other college players. She’s a dual threat who can kill the ball from the front and back row and is just as impressive on defense.

S2: She's a BEAST! 💥#SicEm 🐻🏐 | @yossiana22 pic.twitter.com/t7WLa7Wch2

— Baylor Volleyball (@BaylorVBall) March 26, 2021

4. Logan Eggleston, Outside Hitter, Texas

Bio: 6-0 junior from Brentwood, Tenn. 2019 AVCA Second Team All-American. 2018 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. 2020 three-time Big-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

2020-21 stats
Total kills: 379
Hitting percentage: .333
Total blocks: 42
Total digs: 205
Service aces: 41

Eggleston is a key player for four-seed Texas. The two-time All-American took 873 swings this season, racking up 379 kills for the Longhorns. She’s aggressive behind the service line, as evidenced by her 40 aces, and dug over 200 balls on defense. Eggleston has the tools to lead a balanced Longhorn team deep into the tournament.

LOOK OUT! @loganeggleston_'s first kill of the night is a Rocket!

Texas ⬆️ 1️⃣2️⃣-8️⃣! #HookEm 🤘 pic.twitter.com/ioB6lbepYi

— Texas Volleyball (@TexasVolleyball) March 4, 2021

5. Lauren Stivrins, Middle Blocker, Nebraska

Bio: 6-4 senior from Scottsdale, Ariz. 2018 AVCA First Team All-American. 2019 AVCA Second Team All-American. Ranked third in the Big Ten in 2019 with a .412 hitting percentage during conference play.

2020-21 stats
Total kills: 181
Hitting percentage: .471
Total blocks: 61

Stivrins is one of the best middle blockers in the country and critical to the success of five-seed Nebraska. She’s quick on offense and has a good “volleyball IQ,” meaning she’s able to see the court and anticipate the next play before it happens. With 181 kills, and only 33 errors on 315 kill attempts this season, Stivrins is incredibly efficient at the net, opening up opportunities for the Huskers’ outside and opposite hitters to score.

Name something @LaurenStivrins can't do.

We'll wait. 🤷‍♀️ @Huskervball pic.twitter.com/nGdG01WeXD

— Nebraska On BTN (@NebraskaOnBTN) March 21, 2021

6. Madison Lilley, Setter, Kentucky

Bio: 5-11 senior from Overland Park, Kent. 2017, 2018, 2019 AVCA Second Team All-American. 2017 SEC Freshman of the Year. Named Gatorade Player of the Year in high school.

2020-21 stats
Assists: 791
Total digs: 153
Total blocks: 47
Total kills: 47

Recently named the 2021 SEC Player of the Year, Lilley was integral to the Wildcats winning the conference championship and securing the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. With 791 assists on the season, Lilley has excellent court vision and the ability to spread the Wildcats’ offense across the net. If Kentucky is going to advance to its first Final Four in program history, the three-time All-American will play a huge role in getting them there.

LAST CHANCE TO HELP THESE WILDCATS, #BBN!!!!!!!!!!

Help @KentuckyVB's Gabby Curry and Madison Lilley win the Senior CLASS Award by voting HERE by Wednesday, April 14https://t.co/HMEQOC2PDy pic.twitter.com/h9NMQd0tsG

— BBN Tonight (@BBNTonight) April 13, 2021

Tune in: Tournament matches will be streamed on ESPN3, with the Final Four airing on ESPN2.

• First round: April 14, ESPN3
• Second round: April 15, ESPN3
• Regional Semifinals: April 18, ESPN3/U
• Regional Finals: April 19, ESPN3/U
• Semis: April 22, ESPN2
• National Championship: April 24, ESPN2

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

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Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

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How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

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Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.