The NWSL’s Challenge Cup provided fans with a number of electric goals as soccer made its triumphant return. With the tournament officially concluded, we’re looking back at our top 10 scores. 

 

10. GROOM HITS A BULLET

.@sheabayy2 hits this shot like she's angry. Sheesh ????

3-1 | #HOUvUTA

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/Rv3YEo9ehu

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) June 30, 2020

Shea Groom’s shot is the definition of a banger. Receiving the pass from Houston Dash teammate Katie Stengel, Groom absolutely hammers the ball into the upper 90 of the back post. Her exceptional goal helped Houston to tie the Utah Royals 3-3 in preliminary play.

 

9. SOMEONE GIVE LAVELLE A ROSE

A rebound from ????!@roselavelle puts @WashSpirit up early.

0-1 | #CHIvWAS

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch. pic.twitter.com/gu8Ggfi2Vn

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) June 28, 2020

Rose Lavelle drives forward, slipping in a dangerous ball to her teammate, Ashley Hatch, who had made a diagonal run into the box. Although Hatch isn’t able to finish, Lavelle follows up and roofs her shot, giving the Washington Spirit their first goal of the tournament in a 2-1 defeat to the Chicago Red Stars. Name one thing Lavelle can’t do. We dare you.

 

8. GET THE BALL TO LYNN WILLIAMS

"It's not IF Lynn Williams will punish you, but WHEN."@lynnraenie with a solo masterpiece ????

0-1 | #WASvNC

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/rcCmik93p9

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 2, 2020

Lynn Williams used the Challenge Cup to cement her reputation as one of the league’s premier strikers. Here, she resiliently runs through a slide tackle on the flank and continues to dribble straight to goal. Cutting in front of her defender, Williams finds the perfect angle for a shot, and finishes with nothing but class, leading Carolina to a 2-0 victory of Washington.

 

7. MEWIS’ GOAL IS PICTURE PERFECT

???? Beautiful build up play, and @KristieMewie hammers it home!

1-0 | #HOUvRGN

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/2H1HgmqSt8

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 5, 2020

You couldn’t have scripted this goal better if you tried. After intercepting a risky ball played out wide, Houston’s Brianna Visalli feeds a slip ball into Shea Groom, who cleverly rolls it back to Kristie Mewis. The Dash midfielder hits a spectacularly driven ball into the side panel of the goal, helping the future tournament champions edge OL Regin 2-0 in group play.

 

6. WEAVER TELLS THE REIGNING CHAMPS TO PACK THEIR BAGS

Go on and shine, Rook ✨

Morgan Weaver gives @ThornsFC the lead!

0-1 | #NCvPOR

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/pFSBk0XrKk

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 17, 2020

Rookies aren’t supposed to make game-winning goals look easy, but no one seems to have told that to Portland’s Morgan Weaver. Cutting in from the back post, Weaver beats her defender and places the ball just outside the reach of Carolina’s goalkeeper, earning the Thorns a 1-0 victory over the two-time defending champs. Not a bad way to start your career.

 

5. STAAB EQUALIZES WITH A CHEEKY PLAY

Back heel flick from @ashleynsanchezz ✅
Equalizer from @SamStaab_ ✅pic.twitter.com/jPXSsTeQIu

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) July 6, 2020

We swear these kids get younger everyday. A backheel flick from the winner of the NWSL’s Future Legend award Ashley Sanchez sets her second-year teammate Sam Stabb up to head the ball over Portland’s defense into the back of the net. Staab’s first NWSL goal gave her team the extra point it needed to tie the Portland Thorns 1-1 versus their third game of the tournament. Watch out for this pair of players down the line.

 

4. KAWASUMI SHOOTS HER SHOT

???? @NahoKawasumi_9 catches Campbell from more than 40 yards out for her first goal in a @SkyBlueFC jersey!
pic.twitter.com/UKzF51slSK

— Sky Blue FC (@SkyBlueFC) July 9, 2020

Nahomi Kawasumi excels at playing a short-sided game, but she also can hit the long-ball when needed. She launches this rocket from 40 yards out, catching Houston Dash’s goalkeeper Jane Campbell off her line. Kawasumi’s goal doubled Sky Blue’s lead, securing a 2-0 against the eventual Challenge Cup champs Houston Dash

 

3. SHEA GROOM, YOU’RE CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF

???? @sheabayy2 WITH AUTHORITY ????@HoustonDash double their lead.

2-0 | #HOUvRGN

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/UqCoJGOOXC

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 5, 2020

Tournament MVP Rachel Daly hits a total bomb, finding her teammate Shea Groom back post. An unmarked Groom takes flight, defying gravity to head the ball home in Houston’s 2-0 win against Ol Reign. ‘Groom airlines is now boarding group A. We repeat, Groom airlines is now boarding Group A.’

 

2. LINDSEY HORAN. ENOUGH SAID.

Few bigger guarantees in life than a @LindseyHoran goal in the box. ????

1-0 | #PORvWAS

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/C2TYMgSPHS

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 6, 2020

Lindsey Horan is an absolute Queen. After teammate Meghan Klingenberg hits a dinker off a free-kick, Horan’s diving header just brushes the goalkeeper’s fingertips before finding the back of the net. Horan’s score helped the Thorns tie the Spirit 1-1, and was eventually voted the play of the tournament. We might politely disagree, but we’re certainly not surprised.

 

1. GROOM PUTS THE DAGGER IN

A shift worthy of a ????@sheabayy2 is the @budweiserusa Woman of the Match!#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/7u8EVTf4Uz

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 26, 2020

Houston’s Rachel Daly plays a flawlessly weighted through-ball ahead to her teammate Shea Groom, who pushes straight to goal, touching the ball past Alyssa Naeher before putting the game away. Groom’s stoppage-time goal doubled Houston’s lead against Chicago in the Challenge Cup final, solidifying H-town’s victory and giving the Dash their first major title.

With the 2025 NCAA gymnastics season in full swing, top collegiate athletes are already eyeing mid-April's national championship in Fort Worth, Texas.

Unlike elite gymnastics, where difficulty can outweigh execution, the college level values precision over big tricks, so Division I athletes all aim for perfect 10s in their competition performances.

Despite this difference, many of the world's most decorated elite gymnasts also compete in the NCAA. Two-time Olympian Jade Carey is back for her senior season with No. 14 Oregon State while her US teammate in both Tokyo and Paris, Jordan Chiles, is entering her junior year at No. 11 UCLA.

The Bruin, who took the 2024 NCAA season off to prepare for last summer's Olympics, will attempt to reclaim the national titles on uneven bars and floor exercise that she earned in 2023.

Top teams poised for the podium

After earning their first national title last spring, No. 2 LSU is hitting the 2025 mat armed with a stacked roster, headlined by 2024 all-around champion Haleigh Bryant and social media star Livvy Dunne.

Add in last year's freshman phenom Konnor McClain, whose prowess on the balance beam ultimately clinched LSU the NCAA trophy, and 2024 Olympic alternate Kaliya Lincoln, who opened her NCAA career with a 9.825 vault two weeks ago, and the Tigers are more than capable of a back-to-back run.

LSU isn't the only SEC team predicted to make a deep run this season, as the conference is once again flush with perennial contenders.

Elite US stars Kayla DiCello and early Freshman of the Year frontrunner Skye Blakely will join two-time US Olympic alternate Leanne Wong in trying to return No. 7 Florida to the NCAA championship meet. At the same time, new SEC team No. 1 Oklahoma, winner of seven of the last 10 NCAA trophies, could see senior Jordan Bowers de-throne Bryant for the 2025 all-around title.

Also causing early national championship chatter are 2024 finalists No. 5 Cal, who return two of the country's best all-arounders in senior Mya Lauzon and junior eMjae Frazier, and Big Ten champs No. 6 Michigan State, whose veteran-heavy lineup boasts stars Skyla Schulte and Sage Kellerman.

How to watch NCAA gymnastics this weekend

Some of the country's top NCAA gymnasts will take the mat when No. 7 Florida visits No. 2 LSU at 7:30 PM ET on Friday. Live coverage will air on ESPN2.

The NCAA unanimously approved implementing a women's March Madness revenue-sharing plan on Wednesday, aligning the women's side with the compensation program the men’s edition has enjoyed since 1991.

"This is a historic day for women's sports, women's basketball, and the NCAA," said NCAA president Charlie Baker in the college sports governing body's statement. "Today's vote means our members have the opportunity to do even more on campus to promote and support female athletes. I can't wait to see all the incredible things they do."

Sparked by 2021's landmark NCAA gender equity review, the decision ultimately actualized after years of pressure from administrators and coaches.

"The long-awaited, hard fought for, and well-earned day is here," said UNC coach and Women's Basketball Coaches Association president Courtney Banghart. "I am so grateful for the effort of so many to bring this reality to our sport."

View this post on Instagram

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

Deep March Madness runs earn more revenue

Beginning this year, each team competing in the Division I tournament will now receive performance-based units of revenue, with deeper runs earning more units.

With plans to grow the prize pool to $25 million by 2028, this year's inaugural $15 million purse represents 26% of the competition's $65 million media rights valuation — putting it proportionally on par with the percentage allocated to the men's fund.

Distributions will begin in 2026 and, like the men’s program, they will be paid directly to conferences, whose member schools will collectively decide how to best invest the unrestricted funds.

For the 2025 edition, a unit will reportedly be worth $113,636. According to ESPN's calculations, a Final Four team could amass approximately $1.26 million for its conference over the next three years.

With conferences and schools set for an influx of funds should their teams flourish at the national tournament, the revenue plan becomes a significant incentive for institutions to further invest in women's basketball.

Ultimately, the NCAA's move not only addresses the sport's equity disparity, it could also bolster the annual tournament's level of competition.

Unrivaled basketball hits the court for the first time on Friday and, according to ESPN, the debut league's style of play will look a little different from the 3×3 Olympic game's rules.

Unlike the half-court version currently played in major international 3x3 basketball competitions, Unrivaled's full-court edition uses slightly smaller court dimensions from a traditional 5×5 setup.

Similarly, the inaugural league's format follows a four-quarter setup, but opts for seven-minute periods rather than the WNBA's 10-minute quarters. The shot clock will also be a speedier 18 seconds versus the professional 5×5 game's 24 seconds.

Unrivaled victories, however, rest solely in fourth-quarter play. This "winning score" quarter denotes that the win goes to the first team to score 11 more points than the highest final third-quarter score. For example, if a game's third quarter ends with a 45-43 scoreline, the first team to post the target score of 56 points in the final period walks away with the victory.

This system essentially eliminates the possibility of overtime. League organizers also hope it deters the late-game fouls used strategically and prolifically in 5×5 contests.

View this post on Instagram

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

Unrivaled 3×3 format revamps fouls

Speaking of fouls, Unrivaled is also condensing the free throw system to keep the game moving. Each player has six fouls to give, but each shooting foul will earn a single free throw at the line.

Those awarded free throws, however, will contain different point opportunities depending on the foul incurred. Fouled two-point shots grant a single free throw worth two points, while a free throw awarded from a three-point attempt will be worth three. All and-ones are worth one point.

With six players rostered on each of Unrivaled's six teams, the league also tweaked the traditional rule of fouling out to ensure games can be completed should they become especially chippy. If an athlete fouls out with only three available players left on their team, that player can continue competing. She will instead incur a technical foul — resulting in one opponent free throw — for each additional foul.

The new league's rules all point to Unrivaled's efforts to put an engaging, fast product on the court.

"This game is rooted in how you would play basketball as a kid on a black top," Unrivaled president of basketball operations Luke Cooper told ESPN's Kendra Andrews on Tuesday. "There's flow, there's pace. When you are watching, it feels like you are watching basketball... it's not a gimmick."

The WNBA free agency carousel started spinning this week, with teams evaluating rosters and coring athletes to either retain talent or trade players for a return.

Thus far, cored players include Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum, New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally, and Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams.

Squads employ single-use coring on WNBA stars

Each of the WNBA's teams can core one unrestricted free agent on their roster, ensuring them exclusive rights to that cored athlete. Cored players receive an offer for a one-year, supermax salary contract, along with the option to negotiate different terms.

Cored athletes are unable to directly sign with another franchise, but they can be part of a trade offer by their coring team.

New York cored Stewart after she expressed interest in remaining with her 2024 WNBA Championship-winning squad. Sabally, on the other hand, will likely be part of a sign-and-trade deal after telling media late last week that she is looking to leave Dallas in 2025.

Plum's situation with the Aces is less clear-cut: The two-time WNBA champion could re-sign with her team, though Las Vegas could be exploring opportunities to cash in should she want to compete elsewhere.

Other offers spark WNBA free agent negotiations

In addition to coring, WNBA teams have also begun sending qualifying offers to certain restricted free agents, allowing them to initiate negotiations with those players.

Most notably, despite making Monday offers to three players — guard Dana Evans, forward Michaela Onyenwere, and forward Nikolina Milić — Chicago has yet to extend a qualifying offer to the Sky's 2024 points-leader Chennedy Carter.

Ultimately, while negotiations kick off next week, WNBA contracts cannot be finalized until free agency revs up in February, meaning more shuffling is on deck as teams gear up for the longest and most competitive roster-building season in recent memory.