As the calendar turns to a new year, now is as good a time as any to look back at some of Just Women’s Sports’ best conversations of 2021.

Snacks, the Just Women’s Sports Podcast and Tea with A & Phee all welcomed some of the best athletes in sports to spill some secrets, relive their most iconic moments and share never-before-heard stories with the JWS fam.

Feed your ears during some holiday downtime with our 10 favorite podcast episodes from 2021:

10. Tea with A & Phee: Dawn Staley

When Dawn Staley stopped by the Tea with A & Phee podcast in August, the Team USA and South Carolina coach did not disappoint. Getting honest with Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson about NIL, interviewing for the Portland Trail Blazers job and her favorite Olympic memories, Staley spilled the tea with incredible candor and humor.

9. Snacks: Megan Rapinoe

Snacks kicked off their second season with guest Megan Rapinoe in an episode to remember. The USWNT star reminisced about the first time she met teammates Mewis and Williams, handed out some sage fashion advice and revealed Sue Bird’s famous breakfast sandwich recipe. The veteran forward also talked about how she learned to harness her voice as an activist and stand up for what she believes in.

8. Just Women’s Sports: Sasha Banks

At 29 years old, Sasha Banks is one of the most accomplished and decorated athletes in the WWE. She stopped by the JWS podcast in June, telling Kelley O’Hara what it was like coming up in a male-dominated field. “I just wanted to prove to the guys every single night that women can wrestle,” said Banks.

7. Tea with A & Phee: Jrue and Lauren Holiday

Power couple Jrue and Lauren Holiday swapped stories from their respective careers, with Jrue recounting his NBA championship and Olympic run, and Lauren sharing memories from her days with the USWNT. The duo also told Collier and Wilson what it’s like living in a household of elite athletes, including just how competitive things can get on and off the court.

6. Just Women’s Sports: Tina Charles

Tina Charles is a basketball legend, with three gold medals to her name and 11 seasons in the WNBA under her belt. The 33-year-old relives some of her favorite memories from her renowned career with O’Hara, telling the JWS host about winning her first gold in London, playing abroad and building a legacy that transcends sports.

5. Snacks: Midge Purce

Gotham FC and USWNT star Margaret Purce stopped by the Snacks podcast in October, giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look into the founding of the Black Women’s Player Collective. Purce explains that the group was born out of conversations between players during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup around the issue of kneeling during the anthem.

“I think all the conversations and the responsibility that the Black players on all the teams were being given and delegated to explain the dynamic of race in America, and then their experiences, their challenges, and their privileges — it became a lot,” says Purce.

4. Just Women’s Sports: Lynn Williams

In an epic Just Women’s Sports crossover event, Snacks co-host Lynn Williams sat down with USWNT teammate Kelley O’Hara to discuss her unique and illustrious career for both club and country. Williams gives listeners an inside look into her rollercoaster ride with the national team: after falling off the 2019 World Cup roster, Williams returned to the team first as an alternate, then as a full member of the 2020 Olympic squad. The star forward certainly left her mark in Tokyo, scoring a game-saving goal in the quarterfinals.

3. Just Women’s Sports: Alyssa Naeher

Alyssa Naeher joined USWNT teammate Kelley O’Hara on the Just Women’s Sports podcast in September, chronicling her struggle to break into the national team. Training in Hope Solo’s shadow, Naeher spent years working toward the U.S. starting goalkeeper position. Finally, in 2019 Naeher was awarded the role, proving herself in the 2019 World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics with a number of iconic PK saves.

2. Tea with A & Phee: Team USA 3×3

Kelsey Plum, Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray and Jackie Young joined Wilson and Collier fresh off clinching an Olympic gold medal in 3×3 Basketball. The squad gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look into their Tokyo journey, shares the real story behind the team’s epic champagne celebration and talks about what’s next for the golden crew.

1. Snacks: Kristie Mewis

“Are you having an okay time?” The expression first uttered on the Snacks podcast started as a humorous moment between sisters Kristie and Sam Mewis and has since taken on a life of its own. With hilarious sibling stories and candid Olympic insights, Kristie’s appearance on Snacks was an instant classic.

The USA Women's Eagles still have a shot at a 2025 Rugby World Cup knockouts run thanks to a dramatic 31-31 draw against Australia on Saturday — putting all the pressure on next weekend's group-stage finale.

After falling to host nation — and world No. 1 — England in the tournament's record-breaking opener, the now-No. 8 US squad kept their World Cup dreams alive by pulling level with the No. 7 Wallaroos.

Saturday's thrilling draw brought drama to the competition's mostly lopsided pool-play results so far, and spoiled what would have been a guaranteed spot in the quarterfinals for Australia.

"The mood is disappointment because we were so close [to a win]," said US star Ilona Maher following the game. "But also excitement because there is more to play for in that we're not going home just yet. We're definitely proud of the fight."

With England officially clinching the top spot in Pool A, Team USA now needs a blowout win over No. 15 Samoa with at least four tries scored (called a bonus point), as well as an Australian loss to England without a bonus point — plus a positive score differential over the Wallaroos — to advance.

How to watch Team USA at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup

The No. 8 USA will close out their group-stage run by taking on No. 15 Samoa at 8:30 AM ET on Saturday, before awaiting their fate when No. 7 Australia plays No. 1 England at 12 PM ET.

Live coverage of all 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup games streams on Paramount+.

The Naomi Osaka comeback tour continued on Monday, as the world No. 24 tennis star took down No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in the pair's Round of 16 match at the 2025 US Open — booking her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2021 in the process.

"I'm a little sensitive and I don't want to cry, but honestly, I just had so much fun out here," Osaka said following the upset victory. "I was in the stands like two months after I gave birth to my daughter, watching Coco. I just really wanted an opportunity to come out here and play."

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Already a two-time US Open champion, Osaka has been eyeing a deep tournament run since returning from maternity leave in January 2024 — and she managed to take advantage of Gauff's fluctuating form to achieve her goal.

"It's disappointing," Gauff said after Monday's loss. "For sure it was not the level that I wanted to bring, but it is a step in the right direction, I feel. I maybe was a little bit empty — she forced me to earn every point out there today."

Japan's four-time Grand Slam winner will next face No. 13 Karolína Muchová in a Wednesday quarterfinal, with Osaka most recently ousting the Czechia national from the 2025 Australian Open's Round of 64.

How to watch the US Open quarterfinals

The 2025 US Open quarterfinals kicked off on Tuesday, with US star and world No. 4 Jessica Pegula booking her second straight semifinals berth at the New York Slam by defeating Czechia's No. 62 Barbora Krejčíková in straight sets.

The quarterfinals will continue when defending champion No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka faces another Czech contender, No. 60 Markéta Vondroušová, at 7 PM ET on Tuesday.

Wednesday will cap the round, with Osaka battling Muchová and Poland's No. 2 Iga Świątek taking on No. 9 US star Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of the 2025 Wimbledon final.

Live coverage of the 2025 US Open airs across ESPN platforms.

Despite a season spent at the bottom of the table, the No. 13 Chicago Stars have quietly become the NWSL team to beat, racking up a five-game undefeated streak behind a slate of dramatic draws — including Sunday's 1-1 result against the No. 2 Washington Spirit.

Come-from-behind draws fueled all five of the Stars' most recent points, with striker Ludmila having a particularly impressive star turn as of late.

The Brazilian national scored five times across Chicago's last three matches, including Sunday's lone team goal as well as a sub-10 minute hat trick that pulled the Stars level with the No. 10 North Carolina Courage on August 22nd.

"I think we'd be doing a disservice to the league if we laid down just because we're in last place and felt sorry for ourselves," quipped Stars defender Sam Staab.

Chicago will continue trying to extend their unbeaten streak under new interim manager Anders Jacobson, who oversaw his first NWSL match on Sunday while the Stars await the arrival of incoming permanent boss Martin Sjögren.

"It'll be a lot of him getting to know us, and us getting to know him in this next week or so," Staab said of the team's temporary head coach. "This league moves fast. Everything happens fast."

The No. 1 Kansas City Current tightened their grip atop the league on Saturday, claiming a 2-0 victory over the No. 10 North Carolina Courage to become the first NWSL team to clinch a spot in the 2025 playoffs.

Still undefeated at home on the year, Saturday's win marked the Current's sixth straight regular-season shutout and extended their lead in the NWSL standings to a massive 14 points.

"Our goal is to come out as a group and be the best that we can possibly be every game we play," said KC head coach Vlatko Andonovski afterwards. "We celebrate tonight, we rest tomorrow, and we get ready for the next one."

Though Kansas City is reaching historic heights, the rest of the league is sparking more questions than answers: The No. 4 Orlando Pride and No. 5 Seattle Reign are now on multiple-game winless streaks, and the No. 6 Portland Thorns have managed just one win in their last five matches.

On the flip side, No. 9 Angel City is making a concerted effort, extending their unbeaten run to four games with Monday's 2-1 win over No. 12 Bay FC — all while star winger Alyssa Thompson sat out amid mounting midseason transfer rumors.

"This group, the way they play and how they can grow together, I'm so proud of them today," said LA head coach Alexander Straus. "It's not been easy with all these things, the speculation and stuff."

2025 NWSL standings: Week 18

1. Kansas City Current (15-2-1)
2. Washington Spirit (9-4-5)
3. San Diego Wave FC (8-4-6)
4. Orlando Pride (8-6-4)
5. Seattle Reign FC (7-5-6)
6. Portland Thorns FC (7-6-5)
7. Racing Louisville FC (7-6-5)
8. Gotham FC (6-6-6)
9. Angel City FC (6-7-5)
10. North Carolina Courage (5-7-6)
11. Houston Dash (5-8-5)
12. Bay FC (4-9-5)
13. Chicago Stars FC (1-9-8)
14. Utah Royals (2-11-5)